from the handiwork journal . . .

. . .got more fridge magnets made and packaging them. There were more that didn't get in the photo.

. . . more recipe card holders in the making.  They need embellished with buttons, and packages up for a craft show this year.

(sorry no photo yet)

. . . finishing up the back panel and started one sleeve on the cardigan.

. . .more progress on the wine cork ornaments

. . . got the black netting cut and rolled into balls for the order I received.  It took me almost 3 hours to cut and roll the entire 10 yards, but I got it done.

. . . finished my latest craft project.  If I have enough scrap wood, I will make these to sell as well as gift.  I love it.  Instructions are on my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.  I may make some with coffee packets too.  Maybe even small packages of candy or mints?  Lots of ideas for this one.  Makes a nice random act of kindness too.  While cleaning my craft supplies, I had everything already packed up to give to our daughter.  Sigh....I just couldn't help myself.  

Resourcefulness Tidbits ~ Wood Splitting

 

Medicine Cup Bird Feeder Ornament

The other day I suddenly realized I got my "resourcefulness" from my Dad.  Years ago, he gave me a container of craft supplies from my Grandmother.  Somehow I was the new owner of a bag of medicine cups. I think I should have added some bird seed to that medicine cup.  Anyway,  I think this trait I inherited had something to do with my S.C.R.A.P. Blogspot.

I was literally searching through my crafting supplies for a container I kept old keys in.  I caught myself laughing, because I realized how much I don't throw away - container of bottle caps, old jewelry, wine corks etc.  Oh boy.  Stay tuned for some future posts on my S.C.R.A.P. blog.  I have a few up my sleeve right now.

We were back to wood splitting yesterday, but we were delayed with repairs on the splitter.  We finally got some split about 1pm, after a full morning of running our for parts etc.

We are back at it today.  Snow is in the forecast for Monday.

This and That ~ Finishes!

Although very prosperous on January 1st, I woke up the 2nd with no ambition whatsoever.  Quite possibly from not being a normally physical, while crafting.  We contemplated cutting wood, but never got off our bums to do that.

I sent an email to Pampered Chef.  I had a consultant tell me she had a ring replacement for me years ago, and never ever emailed me back.  I have a very old pastry model, and so far have not heard back from the company either.  It is no use to me without the ring.

I also emailed a nursing home in the "Big City" requesting a list of what they take for donations.  If you are purging be sure to ask nursing homes.  They will even take flower vases.  One time we brought flowers but forgot the vase when "P" was in there.  They had vases that had been donated for residents.  I may have mentioned this before.

I spent over an hour in the garage.  Filled the trunk for the thrift store, filled the trash, and brought in two old bed covers to wash and dry and re-use for Romeo's bedding. 

Finished the baby blanket.  Older photo, but it's completely done.

Finished the spool Christmas tree ornaments!  Another UFO checked off the list.  I'm already onto the next UFO.  I used the ice cube tray to hold them upright while the glue dried.


I'm also working on purging a freezer currently.  Our menu will be designed based on what needs used in there.  I found a package of organic chicken pieces that were purchased to feed Jesse, so it's already out of the freezer and cooked up for Romeo.  He's loving it too.

Hubby gave me the green light to write him a list of things that need done.  He is either so busy, or so tired, or we have commitments, that he hasn't tackled jobs around here.  I've already got him set up now.  He told me his "mental" list is not working out for him.

I'm finding a lot of very small balls of yarn in my closet, so I plan to email the school and see if the art teacher can use them in her classes.  If not, I'm not sure what to do with them.  Other than the centers of misc. granny squares for a future "scrap" blanket. And I do not need another "new" project right now.  

I have emailed the elementary school office, but didn't see an "Art" teacher listed for the school.  I wonder if nursing homes do art projects with residents?  I guess I find out from both and decide where to donate the balls of yarn.

Woke up today with warmer temps and rain.  No fire in the wood stove oddly.  It's a strange January already.

This and That ~ Finishes  © Jan 2020 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Wacky Weather

The weather is just like any other year here in this state can you have a thunderstorm, hail storm, and snow in 24 hours.  Tuesday it was 52 and warm, no wind.  Suddenly we had a major thunderstorm, which quickly turned into a major hail storm. 

Wednesday morning the snow rolled in, along with cold temps.  I woke up to a stone cold wood stove.  Not good.  Took me forever to heat up the house again.  I think Hubby and I both were just too tired to remember to do the last stoking of the fire.

Dinner has been "on the fly."  One night it was breakfast for dinner - biscuits and sausage gravy, fried potatoes and scrambled "farm fresh" eggs.  

It would have been homemade pizza last night, but someone forgot to restock the mozzarella cheese.  

Here is a better look at my new candy dish.  We joked we'd put celery in it, ha ha!  Not sure what I'll put in it just yet.  Maybe organic mints.

(click here for the instructions)

I started making these ornaments way back in 2014.  Yikes.  As I removed the ornaments from the tree, I realized I had never finished them for some reason.  I will be adding this to my winter list.  First, I'll need to locate the box they are located in, ha ha!  I just may get them done this year.

There has been many breaking and enterings going on.  One recent one was a Cashland not far from home.  Oddly, the driver's ed used to be in the same building but moved over the years.  The guy probably drove past our homestead.  Either way, I'm always on guard and house kept locked.  I have two dogs here too to alert me.  I'm babysitting Mia again.

It's closing in ~ Camper Christmas Tree Ornaments ~ Daughter's first paid hair cut

The holiday is closing in now.  It's time to step up and tidy up.  The overnight rolls were made and will be baked later today.  The ham will be cooked too.  There is a lot of turkey warnings going on, so I'm not even sure I'll eat turkey if it's brought here for the meal.  

Check out these cuties!  More are getting made.  I made a few for the first upcoming craft show.  Hubby and Youngest love them.  I'll be working on more color options too.

Oh my.  I have to share this, ha ha!  Hubby got his first hair cut from our Hair stylist-in-training.  He worked over, and got home late, but she was able to check out trimmers and sheers from her school.

He was yelling through the house for me to come sit in the kitchen and watch.  I literally sat down and he told me to leave.  I pulled out my phone and filmed our daughter working away.

He told me to leave again.  So I did.  Ha ha ha!

A few minutes later I hear, "Babe?  Babe? Where are you?"

I walk back out and sit down to watch him taking selfies on his phone, so I show him the video.  He immediately says, "You have to leave."  HA HA HA HA HA!  

He was apparently nervous to get his hair cut by her, and didn't know if he wanted me to watch or leave the room.  This went on and on until his cut was finally done.  

She did great too!  I do believe we have a hair stylist on our hands, and Hubby paid her for the cut too.  We both told her to start a savings for her future salon, and she agreed.  I sure hope she sticks with it. She has many talents, and has already earned her certificate to run tanning beds too.  She can do nails, hair, eye brows, etc.  She is really going all out for her first year.  We are so proud of her.  It's nice to know she can check out trimmers and sheers from her school, bring them home, do cuts, and return them for free.  It's great practice for her too.

A Peek at One Christmas Tree

I really need another tree for all the handmade ornaments I have. They are either made by me (80%), my grandmother, or my kids.  This one, I made.  I purchased a pattern from Etsy a few years back, and sold them at the Farmer's market.  They were well loved.  I should make some more if I have time.  Many of these ornaments have been shared on my blog before too.

Candy cane crocheted by my one Grandma.  She also crocheted us tree ornament stockings.  I haven't found mine yet in the box.

Only one of these were made (by me).  Our library closed, and we had to drive to the "big city" to another library.  I went home with a ton of Christmas books, and found the pattern to make this guy.  I have yet to find the same book (should have written it down).  I just love it.  Made from a wooden clothespin.

A drum, created from half of a toilet paper roll.  The drum sticks are toothpicks with tiny pom poms glued to them.  I made enough of these one year for an entire elementary class.

I loved participating in my kids Christmas parties when they were in elementary school.  Each year I tried to rotate the holiday's so each kid was spoiled with the Christmas one.  I would make an handmade ornament (with great detail), and wrap each one for each student.  Of course there were goodie bags and a homemade snack too.  Oh those were the good ol' days.  Some classes had up to 30 students too.

Those are the only ones I took photos of this year, but if I take more I'll share more.  Just for nostalgic reasons, I may drive up to the "big city" some day and check out the Christmas book selection.  I miss that.  I do miss making the ornaments too.

Each Christmas I'd make one for each family member.  When Mom downsized her tree, she gave away all of my ornaments.  Sort of made me sad.  So, I stopped doing it.  I also got the hint that another had enough.  Again, it depressed my Christmas spirit.  However, I now want to make more for the kids that have moved out, and will have a tree of their own (one already does).

Thanks for listening to my Christmas tree ornament ramble.  It brought back a lot of good memories.  I'll leave you with a photo of one of  six snowmen.  My Aunt gifted them to me before she passed away.  They now decorate the house, in various places, leaving smiles along the way.

It's a full blown rainy day here today.  I slept in until almost 9am.  It felt great too.  Breakfast was made yesterday, so I don't have to even do that today - blueberry, wholewheat pancakes, and sausage.  And coffee of course.  I'm feeling better, but guess who has the sniffles?  Hubby.  He is working to hard, so I hope he takes it easy today.   He has repair work to do on the truck, and we can split wood under the barn roof, but it's easy-does-it for him today.

How to Make a Plastic Canvas Santa Money Holder Christmas Ornament

Front

Back

I simply used regular yarn (scraps) for these ornaments, and a yarn needle.

Cleaning is discovering treasures again (and garbage too)

In the midst of cleaning my desk, I found a bookmark my 18 year-old made me when she was seven years old.  Ha!  I'll have to laminate it now.

Winter Slow Down ~ Making Decisions ~ Christmas Ornament

I'll admit, the chilly outside air has kept me indoors more often.  I do have to enjoy it and slow down.  So far, we have avoided the flu, although our 15 year-old recently came home from a sleepover sick.   The more I am home, the less contact I have of airborne and other nasty germs.  I am, however, considering banning sleepovers during the remainder of the winter (flu hospitalizations are up in our area).   I just want to keep sickness out of our home.  This is the second time this season that she has come home sick from a friend's house.

Although it is snowing right now, we did have a warm up, and the weather was perfect for drying laundry outdoors.  And it was warm enough to let the ladies out and clean the coop.  We tried last week (to clean the coop), but everything was simply frozen to the ground.  

I've taken some time to think on things, and ....

After-Christmas Clean Up ~ Tidbits

We did not get a nasty storm as predicted.  In fact, we did not get as much rain as I thought we would, and we got zero snow.  Today might be the last warmer weather day for a while, but no snow.

In fact, the sun is already shining here today.

I'm worn out with running here and there for gatherings.  We all sat around the front room last night and watched a movie, sipped hot cranberry punch, and nibbled on leftover food and cookies.

Merry Christmas!

I made myself one last handmade Christmas ornament. . .

Handmade/Homemade Christmas 2014

Here is what I gifted extended families this year (hint: not the baking dish):  

Handmade Christmas Ornament ~ Infused Honey Update

Although these can wait to be finished, I did get one done for photo sharing purposes.

Here's this year's next (I say next, because I'm always making more than one) newest Christmas ornament:

Junk Drawer Christmas Tree Ornament

Today I reveal to you the junk drawer inspired Christmas tree ornament. 

Are you ready?  I know, I know.  The suspense has to be driving you nuts.

Random Tidbits ~ The Hawk and the Hamster

Hubby was out putting the new mower belt on the mower, but was back inside just as quick.  It did not fit.  Back to the store for another one, but today the rain has arrived. 

Tidbits and To-do's ~ Surprise Mail ~ Millet Skillet

With a growling stomach yesterday morning, I randomly wrote out my "to-do" list.  It never has a particular order, and anything not completed simply rolls over into the next day.  Interruptions can do that.  

It was still too wet outside, and everything was still dripping in the bright sun, so I concentrated on the indoor work.  

The weather however, was excellent for laundry on the line.

Sunday Review

Despite having to drive up to the ICU again for one of Hubby's sisters, we got more wood cut.  We are about 1/3 done for a season, so you can see how far behind we are on that job.  What can I say?  Hubby works a lot of hours and with my son gone, I don't have a wood splitting partner to speed up the job.

Farmstead Fun & Another Rooster Gone Wild

Hubby and I have been busy weeding flower beds, herb gardens and the vegetable garden. I also cut some oregano and thyme for drying.

Knitting Basket Christmas Tree Ornament

These are one of my favorite handmade ornaments to make at Christmas.  It's not really made from "scraps" so I decided to post it here.

What you need:

Finishing Up ~ Surprise Mail

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."