Camper Mug ~ Adult Christmas Game Idea

 

I was recently gifted a new mug.  I love it!  It's a camper, and inside the mug, says "home is where you park it."

Sometimes, what mug you drink your morning coffee/tea in, can create your mood for the day.

It was not from my husband, and not a Christmas present.  It was just a gesture of love.  

Speaking of new mug, there is a Christmas game that involves gifting a new mug. You each buy a mug of some sort, and fill it with small gifts.  You all sit around the room and either pass left or right when told, and then when the game ends, you keep the one you are holding.

I thought I would share, as we are trying to think of adult games that are fun, but don't break the bank.

Homemade Fajita Dry Mix

 It's very convenient to buy the packets of dry fajita mix at the grocery store, but you can make it yourself.  I've been making our dry taco mix for several years now.  

You most likely will have all of the ingredients to make this at home.  I buy some of my ingredients in organic/non-gmo bulk, which saves us money and allows me to have extra on hand to make many other dry mixes homemade.  Let me know if you make your dry Fajita mix without the sugar, and if it changes the flavor.  

Homemade Fajita Dry Mix

(makes about a 1/4 cup of dry mix)

I use all organic/non-gmo ingredients, and bulk buy some of them, as I make a lot from scratch

4 tsp. Chili Powder ( I buy bulk)

2 tsp. Ground Cumin (I buy bulk)

2 tsp. Paprika (I buy bulk)

1 tsp. Garlic Powder (we use homemade from homegrown)

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (use more for more heat)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Optional:

1/2 tsp or more of onion powder (we make this homemade)

1-2 Tbsp. sugar or brown sugar if your heat seasonings are on the spicy side, otherwise there is no need for sugar

2 Tbsp. = 1 store packet of dry mix

Packing Your Emotional ToolKit ~ Struggling During the Holidays? Or not Struggling?

Off the subject of homesteading, but on the subject of life. . .

However, homesteading is work, so it pertains to it in a way too.  It can be stressful.  Physically and mentally.  Or you could be the one person who zips right through the day without a thought.

We all have an emotional toolkit.  Whether we realize it or not.  We reach for a mood booster or a stress reliever when our chips are down or when we are feeling at our lowest.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are so close together here in America, it can be very stressful and many are struggling for various reasons.

It could be a loss of a loved one, an estranged adult child, someone close who is sick/ill, or anything really.  Just cleaning the house for a large gathering can be stressful.  The cost of buying all the food, and the time making all the dishes can be overwhelming. It could be an unexpected medical bill(s) for some.  It could be an tragic accident, or even unexpected home repair bill.  

We have a friend who is struggling due to the loss of her husband.  Another friend is worried about her unborn grandbaby (doctor stated it will have health issues), and at the same time her Dad fell, is in a nursing home and was recently diagnosed with cancer.  

What do you have packed in your emotional toolkit?  What is your mood improver?

Ideas:

-Gardening (hard to do here in winter)

-Exercise

-Cooking/Baking

-Cleaning/Deep Cleaning/Purging 

-Going for a walk

-Travel

-Music

-Getting off social media 

-Read a book

-Call a friend or meet up with your "tribe"

-Journaling (writing a thankful page can be very helpful for some)

-Praying

-Do something nice for someone/donate a meal or service

-Volunteer somewhere

-Work on favorite hobby or start a  new hobby

-Go to the library and browse books for free.  It's a great start to looking for a new hobby, home project, or just find a good book to read.

-Watch funny or feel-good movies.  Do you have a list?

-Update your home with a new look.  Move furniture around, paint a room, change your curtains, or add a rug or new pillows.  The list is endless for this one, and can perk you up.

-Get outside

Any positive way to increase your positivity is the way to go.  

It's easy to get outside and get some sunshine when you have pets or farm animals.  Do you try and get sunshine in the winter?

What is your winter mood improver?  Holiday stress mood improver?

This and That

 Not much to talk about right now.  Going into the Christmas holiday, and winter time seems idle at the moment.  We've now had more rain, and the weather is said to be rain all weekend.  Not what we wanted to hear, with the coop work in progress.

I'm still not listening to Christmas music, nor decorating anything else.  Maybe I'll get there, and maybe I won't.  I tried to listen to Christmas music at the beginning of the week, and I just couldn't do it.  Not yet.

I'm missing my Mom this Christmas. Last year, this exact time, we were ripping out our entire living room floor and replacing the joists and flooring.  I think we were so busy working, that we didn't have time to "feel" during the holidays.

I did dig through some Christmas totes (was not easy to get to), for one daughter's Christmas stocking.  She came home from the hospital Christmas Eve in this handmade stocking (donated by a local resident).  

I can't believe all the ornaments we've accumulated over the years.  I will be going through those totes whenever we get a day to purge the garage.  

Buying more yarn at the check out at our local Meijer.  Yep.  Out of all the yarn I own, I did not have enough to make a matching scarf for my husband.  Luckily, Meijer had 2 skeins left.  Oh, and by the way, they had a section of hooks up now.  The last time I went, there were zero hooks for sale.  Anyway, I'm hoping I have enough yarn to finish his scarf. 

I do not have all of my yarn put away in their homes.  Not yet anyway.  I had some in every room in the house, ha ha!  I have also written down all of my unfinished projects and tucked it into my planner, so I can focus on getting them all done (before starting a new one).  My poor husband.  I had so much yarn in the bedroom, that I had to put it in bags to take back upstairs, ha ha!

I am working smarter this time around with unfinished handiwork.  The half-made items, along with their patterns, were all put inside one tote.  I was even smarter, by writing down the hook size on any pattern that did not state size.

I have already crossed off one unfinished project.   The ends are all sewn in, and the hot pad is tucked into my kitchen drawer.  These were fun to make, and it is a way to use small scraps of cotton yarn (on the inner areas anyway).

I have lost one knob for the master bath hardware.  We took one to the hardware store to make sure the screws we bought were correct.  Well, now that knob is hiding somewhere.  I am sure it's in a bag around here.

I made a batch of Einkorn peanut butter cookies.  However, I warned my husband that these have brown sugar in them, and are rolled in white sugar.  I sent some home with one of the kids, and next time I make them, I will try monk fruit in them.

I do miss all the holiday baking I used to do.  I miss the kids sitting around the table helping roll the buckeyes, and frosting my famous butter cut outs.  There maybe cut outs this year.  I guess we'll see.  

I would love to return a tradition with my grandkids, but  worried my grand daughter would want to eat all the candy.  They built sugar cube candy castles.

Question:  does anyone have a sugar free powdered peppermint mocha coffee creamer recipe?  I'm looking for something that is giftable (why I said powdered), but sugar free, and sugar substitute free (other than monk fruit)?

I looked online, and found some with liquid vs powdered. Thanks in advance!

Last Craft Show

 

The weekend went pretty fast, and with ugly weather.  The rain never stopped.

The craft show is over with, and we did okay.  I have also sold the blanket yarn I have in stock (what I had left), that I used only for the water balloons.  I have emptied a few totes thankfully.  However, like my husband said, no one has money right now.  Most of what was sold, was very low priced items.  

The cost to participate with a 10 x 10 foot area, was a whopping $45.00 this year.  It will be marked as the very last craft show for us.  It was a dreary, rainy day, and not many people went out, plus there were a ton of other area craft shows going on during the same day.  So many people, who told me they were coming to the show, never even showed up.

I gifted hats to a few of the kids, and packed up displays to put up for sale at a later date.  

A local lady, who ordered 6 knitted dishcloths picked them up at the show.  She was thrilled to get them.  She said craft shows are not "craft" shows anymore.  She is right.  There are so many other vendors using cricut machines to sell shirts/mugs/bags, pampered chef, Tupperware, and the like.  There were about 4 booths with crochet work there.

Now the abandoned, unfinished projects will resume.  There is much to work on yet around here.

Chit Chat

 

Beautiful sunrise we had here a few days ago.

Have you heard?  There is a mysterious dog illness nationwide right now.  We still plan to install a dog fence, but it's a scary time to adopt a dog. 

Have you been heard about all of the cantaloupe recalls lately?  There are many.

The weather continues to cause delays on the coop build.  The joy of homesteading.  It's raining here again today.  It rained all day yesterday.

Are you an evening tea drinker?  What is your go-to tea to wind down at the end of the day?  Is it something you grow perhaps? 

My husband asked why the Christmas tree didn't have ornaments yet.  I laughed.  I have told him over and over, that we never organized the garage, so he has his "things" blocking my access to the Christmas totes.  He has promised to clean that up soon. 

Do you give yourself rewards for good behavior?  Ha!  You know, like rewards for goals met?  Or breaking a bad habit, starting a new good habit, and rewards along the way?  Or for finishing a project you have dreaded to finish?

Do you pamper yourself to perk yourself up on days you are just dragging through it?

Paperwork ~ Pricing Continues

 Goodness, we went from snow, to freezing conditions, then up to the 50's and then more rain.  The weather is all over the charts.  The outside work awaits us.  

I turned on the outside Christmas lights, the small light up fixtures and the tree now.  My husband is very into Christmas decorating for the first time.  I am still not ready for Christmas spirit. 

Now a days, everything is online, so I spent almost 2 hours on the computer accessing several accounts, downloading forms, scanning them, uploading them...just for getting medical bills paid.  Good gravy!   The worst part is that since I had to print stuff, then I have to file it until the year is over with.  Oh I do not like paper work days like that.  It doesn't help when a site is down or having issues with a claim or what not. 

The good news, is I'll be caught up at the dentist, only to rack the bills back up again.  Long story short, when we first moved here we had to go to a chain dentist due to insurance.  After they ruined teeth on two of my kids (literally verified by another dentist), we got back to our original dentist, but they are still fixing everything they did wrong.  One of my kids had an emergency visit this year, only to find out her new dentist was angry at how the chain dentist so called filled cavities on her teeth.

So after several visits this summer, guess who is having a problem that stems from a crown done by the chain dental location?  Yep.  Me.  An expensive one, but they (my current dentist) say they can do it without replacing the crown with a brand new crown.  Geeze.  Merry Christmas to me!  

Pricing continues.  Golly, I think I started making these over 5 years ago.  Honestly, I don't even know if I still have the pattern.  These are the last of the last of these.  I will not be making anymore.

  They are crocheted mug covers, with matching coaster, and come with a mug or cold beverage travel cup (100% cotton yarn).  Pricing continues. . .

I love the pink and gray one I made.  Totally forgot what colors they were, until I unpacked them to price.

We used to have a pop up camper.  When we went camping with the kids, I had crocheted a specific color for each kid, so the cups/mugs were duly noted (as the camper mugs/cups were all the same).  Plus, the hot cocoa (or coffee) stayed warmer longer.

I  finished this Monstera leaf cup/mug coaster set, that fits in a "clay" pot for a fun look.  I have another pot crocheted.

I had already loaded up and packed a tote with these, and found more in another tote.  I counted 36 more!  These are those fun water balloons that are eco-friendly.  Oh boy.  I think I may gift some to the grandkids.   I doubt I'll sell any during winter time, but these need packaged up yet. 

How do these work?  You soak them in a bucket of water and toss.  Wash, dry and reuse. Summer fun for kids on a hot day.