Shopping Day!

 

It's been a helluva week.  Dreary, rain, plans going ba-zonkers, now expecting more car repairs (when the car comes back it needs new brakes - guy is just putting in a new engine)......sigh.

However, one daughter was off work, so I was able to get to town for some last minute stock up items.  I also wanted to get to the dollar store for some waxed paper, tissues etc. 

I couldn't resist picking up a few more towels to rotate (in the bathroom) and some small ornaments to decorate the shower curtain and the small tree in the bathroom.  All at the Dollar Tree.

A breakfast I made a few days ago - tossed it together with sweet potatoes, bell pepper, onion, fire powder, eggs and dandelion greens.

Snow is predicted for us this weekend.  We are going to just go with the flow.  What gets done, gets done.  I'm working on a new crocheted Christmas ornament.  More news on that later.

Update on the home good store.  I went in to inquire on rental cost to sell my handiwork, as they requested.  First, the guy took forever to come to the counter, second, he was not nice from the get-go, and third he made a comment "everyone here gets along, so if you are not that type...."  Then he tells me $45 for one table (2 is not allowed).  Yeah, I won't be selling my items there.  Rude, too expensive and my instincts told me from the get-go he was not someone to rent space from.  I'm okay with that. 

This and That

My new Christmas bed quilt.  I have never done this for the holidays, so when my husband sees it, he's going to shake his head, ha ha!  Not a great day for drying outside, but better than hiking up the electric bill.  It's not handmade sadly.  Quilting is not something I have yet to teach myself.  

Things have just gone a bit wonky this week.  One day I put my shirt on backwards, one daughter went to work and forgot her purse, every time we try to make plans to cut wood Mother Nature stops us, one daughter's package is delayed in the mail, ....can't wait until next week.  I think we are all a bit stressed with the virus, lockdown, car repair expenses, election etc. going on this year.

We had another entire day of rain.  Like boat loads.  I need to wash several rugs, but the weather is just crazy for October.  I'm thrilled it's filling up the well though.

I emailed the home goods store (sells handmade items).  No answer back.  I was talking to my husband, and he feels I should just advertise on my blog/social media and hold off shows for next year.  I plan on going in to talk to them to ask about their booth rental rate though.   Just to know if it's even an option.

If you didn't see it (or follow it), MRH blog has a post for how to make your own homemade pectin.  I just wish they'd have a print friendly form of the article, but anyway for those looking for more self-sufficient ways to do things.  I've never tried it, but I may if pectin is in a shortage.  The last pectin (liquid) I bought, I brought home to find out that it expired last month.  A grocery store that is notorious for not fronting the shelves and selling expired foods this year.  Check your dates before buying anymore.

...from the handiwork journal

 

. . .crocheted 4 dishcloths and they all sold.

. . .crocheted some soup bowl cozies.  I had a special request.

. . .have gotten this far with one daughter's cardigan for Christmas. The SM are marking the spots for the pockets.

. . .got 2 more jar openers made.

(sorry no photo for some odd reason)

. . .got a few more dish scrubbies made

. . .started back on the "f" bombs

. . .got infusible web onto scrap fabric and traced.  Just have to cut them out and put them on the cards.  I used old greeting cards to make my templates.

My Aunt always wrote to me.  One thing she always reminded me, was "always take 5 minutes for yourself."  I did that yesterday.  The day still went too fast, but I got some handiwork done (not all of this was done in one day, ha ha!  I've been wanting to post for a while, but had zero free time).

Possibility ~ New recipe and other randomness

I have a possible place to set up and sell my handicrafts before the year ends.  Although I didn't think it would happen, I'm considering it.  However, I have to go in and speak with them directly about a one day special event cost.  I have a feeling that it will be more than I can really spend to do this.  I'm gathering photos to email them prior to visiting their store, so I guess we'll see how it goes.  The store is a filled with handmade vendors, and I'm told the building is large, so if they charge what the flea markets charge it's still a possibility.  It's a new permanent business, open daily with workshops almost every month (like learning to make a blanket with large blanket yarn etc).

I have also realized in taking photos, that I have only 2 dish scrubbies made.  Yikes.  Where does the time go?

I had to switch up dinner last night.  Sweet potato chili.  I needed a one pot complete meal.  Wood splitting was planned.  That plan went out the door when rain arrived about 3:30pm and never stopped.

New breakfast casserole we tried.  I used organic ingredients (yes our store sells non-gmo tater tots, but pricy).  The family loved it. (Buns in my Oven, Tater Tot Casserole recipe found online)  I'm just trying new breakfast dishes for Christmas morning.  The recipe however is not an overnight recipe.  You use frozen tater tots.  You could however cook the meats ahead of time and toss it together in the morning.

Purged some books from the garage.  I would have loved to set them out for free, but with Covid and stuff, they all went to Goodwill.  Luckily, my daughter's hair salon is almost next door to Goodwill.

Strained my sage tincture.  

I finally got more orders done online.  I even bought some books and picked out a free one I earned.  Now to find jumper cables for the girls for Christmas, which will be the gifts they "need" this year.  I may get into town this weekend if someone is home.  Got a call about the car.  He had to put it off, due to someone from FL up here who had an emergency (needed a new engine).  My car doesn't even have the new engine in it yet.  So frustrating.

Teabag Tidbits

 

Not a teabag, but works like a teabag.  Another new tea infuser I bought.  It fits into any regular size canning jar.  However, when I went to infuse a quart jar, I realized that the tool is not large enough to hold the amount of herbs I use for a quart.  It's great for a pint though.  Easier to do that straining with a fine mesh strainer and coffee filter.  

So that's the "bits" for today.  Short and sweet.  Yesterday went way too fast and dinner time snuck up on me like a fish flying out of the water and slapping me.  There are many things on the to-do list that didn't get done, so I'm up early to hopefully earn a day off this week.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Woke up to 40 degrees Sunday morning.  Just a hair warmer than Saturday.  

Whelp, one hen flew out of the fence yesterday.  Guess it's time to re-clip wings.  I have never had this problem, so when we get it moved, a permanent fencing with a top fenced cover will be built.

Last nights dinner.  Perfect for a pretty cold day.  We never got up to the 50's.  Soup beans, fried cabbage with bacon and cornbread.  I had a ham bone in the freezer from my numerous attempts at a grad party this year, and put it to use.

Red onions left the dehydrator and shallots made their way in.

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

The weather . . .

Rain.  I woke up to rain.  Again.  No work outside, and as we planned to split wood tonight.  Making plans has been exhausting.  48/37 degrees (now I cannot use symbols on this blog for some reason, tried to use the degree symbol the last few days and it goes directly to google page)

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Frustrated.  My husband was still working on the car, so I turned the TV on and the news was on.  I stopped watching the news and what a mistake that was.  

On my mind . . .

Yesterday is on my mind.  Oh man. If anything could go wrong it did.  So, my husband started on repairing the brake line early morning.  It was plum dark out when he finally finished.  From parts sold to him in metric and numerous trips back to the parts store, and problems with the repair, to not having another vehicle (at first) to even go get the parts...the day was overly a headache.  I'm praying today is not that sort of day.  Her car is fixed by the way.  Still...still...no word on my car. Oh, and some tools he needed were in my car.  He sent text messages out for tools and no one responded.  We never got any wood split either due to the car repair.

I recently read about how Mercury is in retrograde, and I'm not really into Astrology.  If you get a chance read the article at the Almanac site.  Sure fits the bill why nothing is going as "planned."

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover blueberry pancakes, sausage and coffee

Right now I am . . .

Getting this post typed up to publish. I'm also cooking breakfast sausage and bacon for our "go to" breakfast for the next few days.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing.  I am looking at buying some right now online.  With my car (still) at the repair guy, I have not been able to utilize our library.  Using it is frustrating this year anyway.

On today's to-do list . . .

-drain new bottle of homemade vanilla extract

-place a few online orders

-clean master bath and vacuum master bedroom

-try a new snack recipe

-make more Kamut bars (the girls loved them and asked for more).

And if all plans go wonky, I will simply turn on the cooking channel and crochet.  And put pj's on no matter the time.

On my TV . . .

Back to watching Good Witch

From my camera . . .

Nothing sadly.

Looking around the house . . .

The dogs can really turn up a rug around here.  Sigh.  I think I will light a few candles today.  It's dreary out and it will perk me up.

To relax this week I will . . .

Crochet.  I have a new item.  I'll be posting a handiwork post soon.

On the menu . . .

-Fried chicken, crockpot glazed carrots, mashed potatoes

-Crockpot meatballs/sauce, quinoa, smashed sweet potatoes

-Crockpot pork chops/mushroom sauce, veggie rice, roasted asparagus

-Salmon patties, BBQ crockpot green beans,  sheet pan sweet potato hash

In no particular order, and I may change it depending on supplies and time.

 Something I want to share . . .

On my prayer list . . .

Our state right now.  The country as election is arriving.  There is so much fake news from the media and certain sources to try and disrupt the election.  Us.  Lots of stuff on the "plate" right now.  Dad's upcoming surgery (he has no cancer though, which is good).

Scrap Fabric Cards ~ Red Onions and other Tidbits

 

Here are the scrap fabric cards I am making.  I made heart ones to gift my Mom.  I'm considering making other ones for a few other people, but gifts won't be exchanged with either side of the family this year.  I may work on them for next Christmas though.  A great way to use up scrap fabric, and I am so blessed for the people who send me their scraps too.  I don't sew a lot, so what I get is a blessing for crafting/gifting.  I have a how-to on my S.C.R.A.P. blogspot too.  Gosh, I just realized I haven't posted anything on there for a good long time.  I just may get something posted soon.

Pinto beans were soaked for soup beans and fried cabbage today.  It was suitable for our current weather.  Brr.

Red onions made their way to the dehydrator.  I sometimes get into a situation during winter when I need red onions and have no vehicle or the weather is too bad to travel to the store.  Who wants to go out for one red onion in winter anyway?  It'll come in handy.

I went out to see what I could pull from the garden on Saturday and ended up bringing in (oh my heart sings) a bit of chard and collards.  I got those blanched and in the freezer.

I pulled the last of the green pepper plants and found this out there.

We sent our  21 year old to the store for a few items.  Not long after she called.  The brake line went out in her car.  My husband drove there, they switched vehicles and he drove it home.  She was too frazzled to shop, so she returned home too. No word on my car being done either.  First thing to do today is fix her car, then we start on outdoor work.

Later, she took the truck to the store and brought me this home.  It is so cute.  It lights up and blinks.  It was $2 at the Dollar General.  It's a small decoration and adorable.