Pioneer Woman at Heart

  Back in the darkest corner of the depths of our walk-in closet, I found several bottles of Homemade Kahlua .  They were dated 2016!  Not sure what happened that holiday season, but they were long forgotten and unseen.  Until now.  According to my blog, I gifted it that year so maybe I had extra I just completely forgot about? (hard to see in this photo, but glue is darker on some of them) I also found several glass jars I had recycled and added a handmade label (intended for Christmas gifting).  Over the years, the glue sort of looks strange on them.  One survived looking great.  I'm guessing I used different glue on them.  You can read how I made these on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.   You can get the homemade granola recipe:  HERE . The closet was part of the addition from the last people who lived here. It was built at the grand size of 8 feet by 16 feet (no one needs a closet this big!)  They were odd about shelving placement,...

I got more of these crocheted. Embroidered a kitchen towel for one kiddo for Christmas. The bald eagles were out and about again.  The are out and about this morning too. Thanksgiving meals are behind us now.  Time to get back to cleaning (utility room, bedroom), and get back to organizing the garage.  I'll be back to share a fruit salad recipe.  Not sure what Sunday will bring, as we are worn out from get-togethers, cleaning and cooking.  Family borrowed our truck to move, so it'll be an as-we-go day.  If the truck is returned, we may just get more wood cut.

I spent another hour seeding pods.  Don't worry, I won't be posting this daily, ha ha!  It was a long, quiet day, so I seeded some more.  One daughter, that's in high school, stayed after school for her musical practice and was there until 9pm.  The other daughter babysat for my brother, then had a date (I was the last to know).  So, it was me and the dogs for the day.

I thought I'd post a handiwork update while the kitchen is in full swing. . . . made more granny squares for the baby blanket, only 11 more to ma ke.  . . .making progress on the dishcloths.  Finished this one, which was gifted to my older brother for all that fish he gifted us.  Another one still continues in progress. . . .started on a set of embroidered kitchen towels. These are for Grad Daughter's Hope Chest.  I had to hold this down in the wind to get a photo of it.

Sharing with you another embroidered hand towel.  This one was challenging with those tiny stitches required for the cute baby chicks.  We've had a few very humid and very hot days here lately.  I tried to dodge the rain and get some blankets and a handmade quilt washed and dried.

I finished another towel.  Kind of funny, considering we haven't had to use the water hose to water anything this year. Have a good weekend!

First, I apologize for the long "coffee hour" post today.  It started out short, but it kept raining, and I kept typing.   Thursday and Friday cooled down to the lower 70's - perfect camping weather.  It was just the most amazing porch talk weather, the best ever sleeping weather this summer yet. I've been bug picking, coop cleaning, and simply staring at our garden.   I am starting to worry that I am running out of exciting, happy moments to post here.  A dentist visit allowed me

One daughter did some mowing for me, but it's still too wet to weed.  The temperature however, has been cool and comfortable.    I was in the kitchen working, when I glanced out to see our, now 16 year-old, on the mower.  She was driving it across to mow another area, but had her head down looking at her ipod, while driving.  I shook my head.  Yep.  Hubby is teaching that one to drive, not me. 

. . . crocheted a few washcloths, with yarn I had in my stash.  These are made with a 2-ply, 100% cotton yarn.  At the time I purchased the yarn, yellow and white where the only two colors in 2-ply.  It makes a thinner cloth and dries faster. I simply used single crochet for these. (I really like the 2-ply for a hand towel, versus the 4 ply cotton.  I will be making more until my  yarn is used up)

A few asked how I make my laundry detergent.  I simply grate a bar of unscented homemade goat's milk soap (you can use a bar of Zote as well), add 8 cups of water, and heat until melted.  I then add 1 1/2 cups borax and 1 1/2 cups washing soda, and continue to heat and stir until dissolved. . .

The mullein leaves I ordered have arrived.  I mixed up a tea with dried spearmint leaves and a bit of honey.    I downed a cup immediately after it arrived yesterday.  Not too bad either. Once I have a few more days of the tea, I'll let you know if it worked.   Also, the tea was shipped in a clear plastic zip bag, so now I am on the hunt for tins or amber glass containers to store it in.

Although I cannot share my homemade Christmas to-do list (and secretly it's not really finished yet), I can share some other lists I have started (my family reads my blog, so I don't want to spoil the gift ideas this early).  Here are shortened versions of a few lists. List for Winter Handiwork/Activities 1. Crochet myself (not sure what color yet) another "Ma Ingall's" shawl. 2. Finish crocheting hot pads and pot holder sets to go in hope chests for the older kids.

Sunday we got the gokart out.  The kids rode it all day long.  Do you see two of them in the middle left of the photo?  They took me for a spin a few times.  We had a blast until....

Remember the cloth napkins I found while cleaning?  They are now getting embroidered.  I found a fun iron-on transfer from Sublime Stitching and love it!  The patterns are a bit pricey, but I ordered mine during a half-price sale.

I'm still deep cleaning.  I came across cloth napkins, that at one time, I had planned to embroider for gifting.  Not sure what I had intentionally planned, but I did tackle this unfinished project. Now, at this point, I could have just given them away or even donated them, but I tossed them all into the washing machine instead.

(garden before we tilled it)   The garden is getting back into shape.  We secured the pea fence again, dug out the plastic and stakes, and mowed down weeds.  We started to till it, and get it ready for next year.  We battled tons of mutant lady bugs though.  Just standing to take the photo, I ended up covered in them.  I moved back pretty far to take the photo, and even then, you can't see all of it.

Without a television to watch in the evenings, I am finding myself working on my crafting projects more and more. I just started the art of "stitched stationary" and love it. I was looking over a few patterns over at Sublime Embroidery, and saw "Stitchable Stationary" but found it was out of print. Looking a little deeper, I located the blog, The Stationary Place .  She posted instructions that got my mojo going to give it a try. I searched the internet for coloring pages that were printable.  I re-sized them to fit my note cards.  I used her tip on punching holes over the pattern, and into my cardstock.  I simply held the printed picture with an office clip, and used a bright light to see where I was punching holes with a pin. I then took embroidery floss and connected my dots, using my pattern for guidance.  I started with this basic cat.  But one thing led to another.  I found this cute goat, and made him too.  And it k...

Found this unfinished project buried.  I pulled it out to work on a bit (hand towels).   I work on these in the evenings. Today, I am just now putting 4 jars of relish in the canning pot, made 4 jars of hot pepper jelly earlier, put two loads of laundry on the line, watered all the gardens (lacking rain here again), weeded, harvested, and now have to get the clothes off the line.  I was hoping to finish earlier, but did not.  Here are more projects I am working on when I have the time. Finished another pot holder set. I'm still working on this Christmas crocheted lap blanket. I started working on my handmade Christmas ornaments.  You'll soon see what these are for. I'm continuing to knit washcloths for my Aunt, using a country blue cotton yarn. Speaking of my Aunt, she sent me a surprise box of books.  I was so excited to have it delivered on a day where I needed a "pick me up."

I had to look over my stash of current library books, and write down the titles to re-order them again. I love getting a bunch of different types of books and seeing what I would like to read. I'm reading "Sarah Ann" and love it so far.  I've learned that when she was a child she mixed with items to dye with - used rusty nails, vinegar and alum to create a purple.   I learn a lot from books.   I've learned that the pioneer women hand sewed buckshot into their skirt hems to help hold them down in the wind. I always wondered how they kept them down. I don't have as much time to read anymore and wish I did.  I just watched a 1 hour webinar on stress management (required by our health insurance or we pay higher prices).  It mentioned putting a time slot for just me, but I have no idea how.  I'd have to let cleaning go, at least until school is out.  However, until then, I have been adding flowers to the front and back porch. One of...

  I am working on sprucing up my front porch.  Here is my new addition - a wooden porch sign.