Finished!

 I finally finished the XL pot holder for us.  In all of the years of crocheting for craft shows, I never once made us one of these.  We now have one.  It's a pattern I created myself, using cotton yarn.  I added a loop on ours.  It's double thick, and fits under a 9 x 13 baking dish, or can be used for a baking pan, pizza pan or any baking ware that is larger.  I also made these for Christmas gifts one year.

A pretty boring post for you today. Oh, I found two more UFO's (more unfinished crochet projects) in a basket, but those were taking apart, and will not be finished.  They were for craft shows, and I'm not doing those anymore.  

Did my crafting bloggers know that JoAnn Fabrics filed chapter 11 bankruptcy?  Not sure if this means they will close any stores, but we are seeing more and more nearby (other) businesses closing this year.

Update on my nettle tea infusions.  I had been making these for me, and specifically for hair/nail health, but there are so many more health benefits for it.  Now, my husband is honing in on my tea and asking for it daily.  It's great for my spring allergies as well.  I am now making two jars of it daily.  It's nice to have an iced tea in the evenings, that does not contain caffeine.

The cold weather is still hanging around.  The chicken's water froze yesterday.  It's that cold.  The wind has been pretty wicked as well.  

We are ready to get the garden tilled, but we are awaiting some warmer weather days.  We woke up to a wind chill of 21 degrees this morning.  Spring?  Not yet.

Finished! © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

(Snow!)

Our weekend went way too fast.  We actually went out for breakfast with family, had a kiddo and her boyfriend over for a late lunch, and did not do a lick of work.  It rained Saturday, and snowed Sunday.  Sunday was more of one of those days you just wanted to curl up with a good book or movie and stay home.

I also shared some of our bell pepper breakfast ideas with the kids, and by golly, I need to make these again soon.  I miss the stuffed ones for breakfast too.  Here I was telling my husband, we should take a year off from the garden and let it (and us) rest, but I miss those fresh bell peppers.  We could always hunt down a produce stand, but even people we know who have a stand, spray their garden.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I'll link up when she posts.

The weather . . .

It's still cold today, but we are to warm up this week for a bit, then cool back down again.

Right now I am . . .

Sipping coffee and posting this.

Thinking and pondering . . . 

We've been discussing foods we only eat when the garden is producing fresh goodies.  I sure do miss roasted beets with onion, and rosemary and thyme from the herb garden.  I will be checking prices on organic beets in the store.  We are also missing my spiced pickled beets.  We are out of them.  

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.  We do not like the time change, and we had to "spring" forward Sunday.  It's an adjustment for sure.  On a good note, we are back to longer days and later sunsets, and in time for our spring gardening work soon.

Since I met two fitness goals earlier in the year, I have come up with two more.  

I am back to making weekly nettle tea infusions.  I have not been making them in the winter, but with the warmer days, my allergies act up, and it's great for allergies.  As a bonus, it's great for my hair and nails.

On the breakfast plate . . .

. . .to be decided on yet.

On the menu . . .

-cod, roasted asparagus and roasted rutabaga
-grill burgers with home canned condiments, sweet potato "fries"
-homemade pizza with chickpea crusts

-leftovers

On the reading pile . . .

I'm still reading this book.  I spent more time on the crocheted blanket over the weekend, as it was very cold here again.

On the TV this week . . .

Not much.  We mostly listened to music.

Looking around the house . . .

It's pretty tidy, other than a box of books to donate, and some of my leftover yarn to deal with.   I'm actually making up a plan to distribute my books in a few free little libraries.  The one free little library that I went to recently, is very full right now.  

I also started to purge the office.  It's a slower process, as I am still working on the hallway painting, and of course have regular chores, and cooking from scratch (that is time consuming). Not to mention, we all need to make sure we take time for ourselves in each day.

On the to-do list . . .

-prepare a new breakfast for the next few days

Organic hannah sweet potatoes roasted in garlic powder, roasted black beans and corn, onion, bell pepper and a bunch of spinach, topped with two eggs, and homemade cilantro sauce and green onions.  So good!

-dinner prep

-brew another nettle tea infusion

-brew a gallon of iced green tea with garden spearmint

-cut up a whole watermelon and a whole pineapple
-catch up on any laundry
-dishes
-sweep/mop any floors
-finish cleaning one bathroom

From the camera . . .

If you missed my post, READ HERE to see what I took pictures of, that is growing around here.  In the above photo, are my chives growing up in the herb garden.

What I am crocheting . . .

I'm still crocheting this large blanket (photo from last week).  My goal is to finish it before the end of March. 

Colors are, from bottom up: 

-Heather Grey

-Real Teal

-Soft White

-Claret Bordeaux (all Red Heart yarns)

I am still slowly working on an XL pot holder for us.  It is in my on-the-go bag for when we go to town or longer drives.  Once these are done, I have a few more unfinished projects.  I also have some crochet Christmas tree ornaments in a project bag.  I totally forgot about them.

Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verse . . .

No current prayer requests.

Happy Homemaker Monday  © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Participation Plummet and Random Thoughts

 

March rolled in quicker than I expected.  I had some goals for the end of February, and here we are at March.

There seems to be a blogger participation plummet for whatever reasons.  So many blogs I used to follow, with such interesting and useful homesteading content (sometimes humorous), have left the blogging scene.  I get it for the most part.   It can be time consuming, and in winter the writing content can be very limited.  Things change for some as well.

I mean, we used to raise dairy goats (Lamancha), and we stopped doing that years ago, so I do understand change.  Life changes constantly.

I'm experiencing the humdrum of blogging.  I know spring is around the corner, but maybe like all the other blogs I used to read (and now don't post anymore),  I'm sort of falling off the blogging "thing" lately as well.  

Maybe I am the one who needs a new change.  Although we are still undergoing home repairs, and staying busy, sometimes change is a good thing.  

The rain held off, and we had a few very nice 70 degree days here.  It may stay in the upper 60's today, but thunderstorms may actually roll in later.  The weather causes that itch to clean up gardens, but I know I need to refrain for now.  It's still too early.

For the first time this year, I was able to wash and dry the bedding and quilts outside on the clothesline.

We also blew the dust off our motorcycle, and got our first ride of the year in.  The weather has been that nice. 

Here is an update on "what I am crocheting" for the time being.  I have to admit though, as the warmer days stay, I'm on hold for this blanket.  If we cool back down, I'll be back to work on it some more, and in hopes to finish before the cooler days disappear for the year.  The photo doesn't really show the colors very well.  

That is a burgundy yarn, leftover from crocheting a cardigan, and the others are heather gray, teal, and soft white.  The gray and white are also leftover project yarns.  The colors remind me of a cabin.  I wanted to use the other pattern, but his one has less ends to sew in.  

Blogger is once again having hiccups with posting.  I am having trouble with photos loading, and for the font to stay the way I type it.  I have to constantly go back and fix the post.  

I may also remove the "popular post" widget.  I am getting some outrageous view counts on some very old posts, that is not normal.  Most of my posts barely get 100 views within a few years, and some showing up in the "popular" post widget are well over that.

I am using the stats and google analytics to watch those this week.  Another reason I am contemplating continuing to blog - a lot of work to maintain for all reasons. 

By the way blogger "stats" is not working properly.  It was working the other day, but now it is not.  Anyone else having blogger issues?  Also, I tried adding a jump break on a post, and it would not work either.   I may try an entirely new blog theme.

Participation Plummet and Random Thoughts  © Mar 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday

Do any of you own one of those box style choppers, that also work as a mandolin?  I have a hand chopper and food processer, but I'm thinking the box chopper would be easier to use, and wash and store.  It could utilize it in the camper as well.

I'm just thinking ahead for garden season, when we bring in tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and the like.  I need to replace my mandolin this year, so I'm curious about this type of chopper/mandolin.

I have been getting outside for fresh air as often as I can. I think this is mentally and physically important.  Whether it is to pick up trash thrown in the yard from people driving by, to muck the coop, pick up or clean up the porch/patio, or ...

...to simply put on a jacket and sip a hot beverage and sit and enjoy the sunshine.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

We still have a bit of snow on the ground, but we are to get up into the 50's again this week.

Right now I am . . .

Drinking coffee, and writing this post.

Thinking and pondering . . .

What project to do next.  We need to paint the master bathroom, and we also need to install a window in another room, with drywall repair work and a new electrical outlet.  We may be hiring someone for the window/drywall job.  Depends on if we are close to a finish on the hallway before the end of the month.

How I am feeling . . .

Terrific.  I did buy an elbow brace for my aching elbow (from slipping on ice while stepping out of the truck).

We make ourselves goals, we give ourselves rewards, and my husband said he hasn't felt this good in maybe 30 years.  

Last weeks pamper me moment?  Painted my nails at the end of a very nasty weather day.  Dressed up and went out for breakfast one day.

On the breakfast plate . . .

A new recipe!!  Breakfast Lasagna!  It's a layer of scrambled eggs, a different type of sausage gravy, applegate low sodium/no sugar ham, and cheeses.  I'll post my review on this later this week (to keep this post short, ha ha!).

On the lunch plate . . .

Leftovers.

On the dinner plate . . .

Not sure just yet.  It could be leftovers again.

On the menu. . .

Breakfast:  Einkorn Pumpkin Pancakes, maybe bacon to go with them?  Blueberries.  

-Mexican Lasagna, Crockpot creamed Corn (using frozen off the cob corn)

-Meatball casserole (using homemade frozen meatballs, that are made with oats vs. bread crumbs, home canned sauce, and some cheeses, Green Beans (also from the garden freezer goodies)

-Spaghetti squash pesto chicken, veggie side (maybe roasted rutabaga)

-Leftovers

On my reading pile . . .

I needed a break from reading the Leslie Meier series.   I am about half way into this book, and I am very much enjoying it.

On my TV . . .

Anything that looks good.

Looking around the house . . .

I'll have an update on the hallway progress this week.  It's coming along nicely.

One box of donations was packed and delivered.  We donated to a Habitat Restore, as the items were used light fixtures, switch plates and the like.  

I have another box started for donations, but it's not full enough to deliver.

To-do list . . .

-clean the washing mashing filter

My washing machine filter is not exactly easy to clean.  This is what it looks like after I remove the full bottom panel under the front loading door (some of you have a cute little access door).  You can see the filter is behind wires, and is back inside, making it much more difficult to get a bucket under it to catch the water that comes out.  I will be looking to see where the filter is when we ever do need to buy a new washing machine.  Did you know that you should clean your washing machine filter 4 times a year?  I don't clean ours that often.  There is just the two of us, and no pets, so the filter stays pretty clean.

-laundry after the washer is put back together
-prepare a few days of breakfast
-dust

-sweep/mop floors

-sort more yarn totes

-prime side hallway entry door (the inside of it for now)

-pick up hallway floor trim

Deep clean for the week:

-finish cleaning the kitchen blinds/windows

From the camera . . .

What I am crocheting . . .

I posted an update on handiwork yesterday.  You can see the post HERE.  

I also started another lap afghan, but these will dwindle as the weather warms up.  I will switch to projects for me/us when the cold weather leaves.

On-the-go projects are baby wash clothes for gifting, an XL pot holder for our own kitchen (all these years I never made one for us), and eventually baby booties to gift.

Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verses. . .

Psalm 28:7

"The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."

Happy Homemaker Monday  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

. . .from the handiwork journal

 

I had a bit of Red Heart's Bright Stripe leftover from a blanket I made for a daughter, so I wanted to use it up somehow.  I decided to incorporate it into another lap afghan, using up other scrap yarns in bright colors.  The blue is from the last lap afghan I made (using up almost all of that blue).

Here is an update on how it's going.  I'm not sure if the seniors will like the bright colors, so it may end up a gift to another person.  

Finished!

  It's probably the most "scrapy" of all my scrap lap afghans so far.

This is all that remains from that one skein of bright stripe yarn.  Saving that small scrap for the local art teacher (if they still use them).

I used about 3 balls of soft violet cotton yarn to make two night stand doilies for one of the kids.  I just used the traditional granny square, but with a solid look.  I had to use a slightly different shade (same name, but color lot was different) to finish the edge.  There is no more violet yarn in my stash now.  All for a good cause I guess.

The second doily for the living room.  Eye rolling, hands in the air moment for me.  I took a closer look, and I had made more than a few mistakes on this one.  It is bound to happen, when I leave a project like this sit for a year.  Unfinished.  I attempted to FROG it, and in the process, it became a knotted mess.  I just cut my losses and cut the thread and disposed of it.  Yes, yes I did.  Sigh.  I will revisit this project when I'm not doing any painting or other repair work.  I think I had took much going on, and let this sit way too long unfinished.

I finished the first one in May of 2023, in case you want to see what it should look like (and the pattern link).

. . .from the handiwork journal  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday

 

A sunrise from last week.  We've been blessed with some beautiful sunrises lately.  We actually grilled out on Sunday.  It was slightly chilly, but the sun was out.

Do you remember my post on the Butterscotch Sugar cookies (from a Joanne Fluke book)?  I froze some of them, to see if they froze well, and they do!  Just sharing in case you like to have something in the freezer for unexpected guests, or need to quickly take a treat to someone.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather. . .

Highs in the 40's and lows in the 20's for the week.

Right now I am . . .

Making a pot of coffee.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Butter beans.  Do you use butter beans?  I do.  I have to order them online, as our stores here do not carry them.  Weird right?  I see that Meijer sells them (via looking online), but they add sugar to their canned beans for some reason.  Do you have access to butter beans (organic, non-gmo)?  I currently by Eden Butter beans (USA grown, only contains Kombu seaweed for better digestion).

Just when I am thinking of purging some writing books, a "freelancing" article comes up in my reading list today.  Hm.

So many blogs I follow/followed have ended or are coming to an end lately.  I go to where my reading page is and there is mostly blogs on crochet or writing anymore.

How I am feeling . . .

Coffee made, music on, and ready to tackle the day.

On the breakfast plate . . .

-Breakfast:  Egg/Sausage/Cheese breakfast sandwiches, coffee

On the lunch plate . . .

Maybe chicken salad/boiled egg, grapes.

On the dinner plate . . .

Chicken quesadillas possibly.

On the menu . . .

-Southern Beefy Skillet (Eating Well Recipe, formally from Diabetic Living), but the recipe does not list the tomato sauce in the ingredients, so read the entire recipe and instructions first.

-Pork loin, roasted green beans, and wild rice blend, made with organic stock and pre-blanched kale.  Home canned BBQ sauce to pour over the pork over rice blend.

-Mexican Lasagna, Crockpot Creamed Corn (using frozen off the cob corn)

Beverage:  a gallon of homemade iced green tea infused with dehydrated spearmint from the garden.  Did you know spearmint is good for helping memory?  I just learned this.

When the current Mediterranean Orzo salad is gone, I plan to make another salad.

On my reading pile . . .

Thanks to two 65°F days (and mostly sunny) that lured me to the porch to actually sit and read, I finished this book.  

Currently reading this:

I also borrowed some interesting books from our library. 

 The "swap" book has some very interesting ideas in it.  I'm still waiting on a Sally Fallon book, and it is taking forever to get a copy from the library.  I thought for sure I owned a copy, but I do not.  I'm hoping it comes in soon.

On the TV this week . . .

Movies:  The Ice Road

Looking around the house. . .

What I purged - 16 books, 1 pair of 1.50 readers, 1 cast iron griddle, and gave away the last of my nail polish Christmas tree ornaments to a friend who does nails for a living (she loved them).

The house is pretty tidy, as we had guests over the weekend.

I'm very slowly purging items from the office, which may end up not an office.  That is topic for "thinking and pondering" I guess.

I finished giving my quilt rack a fresh coat of paint, and it's back up on a wall.  I am looking for a new quilt now.  The current one does not match (it's a knock off, cheap version quilt)

The to-do list . . .

-put another paint chip in the home journal
-order propane
-place an order for items I cannot get in the grocery store

-laundry

-dishes, run dishwasher

For the week (moved from last week, as I did not get it done)

-clean kitchen window, window blinds, wash curtains

-the hallway project is still on-going

From the camera . . .

I finished this lap afghan. It is packaged up to donate to the senior center.   I started another.  I keep getting notified (by friends) that there is a need for shawls for a group in our state called Shawls of Support for organ/tissue/eye donors.  One specific wanted purple ones.  I have yet to check my yarn stash, but the senior center was thrilled to get what I have already donated, I really would like to finish a few more lap afghans for them, before winter is over.  Then again, they may be able to use them in the summer if they have the AC on too.  Anyway, there are two great ways to help others with my yarn stash.

Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verses. . .

It's not a prayer or bible verse, but a strongly written statement.   It's possibly encouragement to someone today.

Happy Homemaker Monday  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Little of This ~ Little of That

Brief post today.  

Busy, busy, busy. . . . 

Here is the next lap afghan on the hook.  My husband is calling it "Coffee and Cream" ha ha!  He said the "buff" color reminds him of his Dad's coffee when we would add cream.  I'm not in a hurry to finish this one.  

Colors:  Buff, (have no idea on the light blue as I have no label for the scrap yarn), Blue, Royal (Red Heart yarn).

Trips to buy supplies typically take away most of the hours we/I need for working on the winter project list.

We are finding it difficult to find supplies we need, and have yet to pick a paint color for the hallway.  We have more to do anyway.

Little of this ~ Little of That © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Colorful Cleaning Cloths ~ What to Make with Scrap Cotton Yarn

  

What to do with Cotton Yarn Scraps

Do you remember me asking about what to do with my cotton yarn scraps?  

Ideas were:

-Facial scrubbies

I made a few for our travel case.  These dry quicker, and are great to take when camping or traveling.  I do take a crocheted makeup cloth when traveling now.  

-cup/mug coasters 

I made a few random cup coasters.  These are great for a warm mug, but not good for anything cold that causes condensation on a cold cup.  The condensation will make the cotton wet, and could ruin whatever surface they are on.  

-lip balm covers

I made a few many years ago, and the kids put them on their school backpacks.  I never sold any.

If you don't crochet, you may find this post boring today.

Other than donate the scraps of yarn, I decided to crochet up some cleaning cloths.  These could also be used as washcloths.  I used the same pattern I use for the makeup washcloths, but with the cotton scraps leftover from other projects (these are all cotton, not acrylic).  It requires more ends to be sewn in, so I will be testing them out with cleaning cloths.

I saved the pattern, placed it in the binder, but I'm terrible and keeping notes.  The original pattern says to use an "I" hook, and I can't remember if I used "H" or "I" for the makeup cloths.  So......the one above was an "H" hook with cotton yarn.  I compared the two, and it appears I did use an "H" hook.  Just in case you use the pattern.

I did however, adjust the original pattern for a longer cloth, when I made the black makeup washcloths.  I added a row.  They are about 8 x 10 inches before washing/drying them.  

The original pattern states they will be larger if you use the "I" hook.

Colorful Cleaning Cloths ~ What to Make with Scrap Cotton Yarn © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

. . .from the handiwork journal

Snow storms have been moving in all around us, but it's soon turning to nastier weather.  

It's a perfect time to use up yarn, and work on larger crochet projects.  Large blankets only get crocheted in the cold of winter.  

Do you remember this random blanket I crocheted in the winter of 2022/2023?   I used up some yarn from leftover projects, and I dug it out during this freezing cold weather we are having.  I sewed in the last of the ends.  My husband wants to keep it.  I had planned to just sell it, but it is larger (approx. 72 x 56 inches) and will fit the spare bed perfectly.

(link goes to my blogpost regarding the pattern I used)  I really like the pattern, but I do not like the enormous amount of ends to sew in.

. . .I finished a matching hat to the scarf.  It is Red Heart yarn, and not my favorite for a hat and scarf, but it's warm and comfortable.  Hat pattern is Mountain Ridges Crochet Hat, by The Friendly Red Fox (free pattern online).  However, her pattern says "J" hook, and I used an "H" hook with medium worsted weight yarn.

It is the same yarn as the scarf I finished last week.  The remaining yarn will be used for scrap lap afghans I think.  The pattern for the scarf is by "Hooked by Robin" called Easy Crochet Scarf (online video tutorial).  I think this is my favorite scarf pattern so far.

Yarn for both scarf and hat - Sutherland Stripe, Red Heart Super Saver.  I used an entire skein for the scarf, but length is always up to you.  

. . .another lap afghan on the hook to eventually donate.  I donated to two places last winter, but I am getting concerned about not getting a response back from one location this winter.  I will have to make a few phone calls.  Colors are from Red Heart yarn, soft white, petal pink, and Lt. raspberry.

I have a lot of pink yarn right now.  Some of the brighter ones were for crocheting nail polish Christmas ornaments, but the rest I purchased to make Mom a blanket using the first pattern on this post.  I never got the chance to even start one, so I may be doing more lap afghans.  I guess we'll see.

. . .another larger ripple blanket on the hooks.  I'm using up some leftover yarn from my daughter's cardigan, and some from the last blanket and craft show items.  I'm not sure I'm thrilled with the color combination, but it's on the hook.  By the way, I bought the yarn for the cardigan years ago, based on their suggestion of how much for the size I crocheted.  I have more leftover, so I hope this blanket uses it up and looks good.  I'll be back to update, and share the colors I used.

I have a feeling this blanket will continue into next winter.  I am really working hard on our winter project list right now, so my handiwork time is limited for now.

. . .what would you use leftover cotton scrap yarn for?  The only thing(s) I can think of, are random cup/mug coasters and face scrubbies.  I may contact the school to see if the art teacher can use it.  The leftover balls are too small for rug making.  I don't think there is enough yarn on the balls to make lip balm holders either.

I dug out my journal, so I can make written records on what colors I used for certain projects, and to note patterns, hook size etc.

There are more projects on the hooks, but I was too lazy to go photograph them.  I really need to get the doily finished.  It's been a year now, but it's smaller stitches.  I just need to get in the mood to work on it.

. . . from the handiwork journal  © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart