Decision made!

I've finally made the decision on what edging pattern I am going to use for the bathroom shelves.

The pattern can be found here - Fancy Crochet Edgings

The one I plan to use is the one at the bottom - though I really like the one at the top, and may use that in the kitchen. We'll have to see how much I enjoy crocheting edgings before I make that decision though...

Random Ramblings

It seems there is a lot of thought to having a home made home...It's funny how much you don't really feel the need for if it's up to you to produce it. It's too easy to walk through a store and decide you really love, want, or even "need" an item sitting upon the shelf. Now that I've rearranged the bathroom to where there is more space - we now can use the built in corner shelves for more of an attractive display of items to be stored there. I'd like to crochet an edging for the shelves. I've already purchased the thread - a sage green. Now, the task gets seriously involved. I have to find a pattern I can use that I would want displayed. Plus, it should be one I can work into a curtain to cover the bottom shelf of the unit - since it only displays a venting hose for the heat to DD's bedroom. Hey - that's not my design. It's just a hidey hole for the kittens, and an unsightly dust collector. It will look much better hidden from view.

I would also like to crochet a bathroom rug - the one we have now is functional enough, though we purchased it with the intention of moving it to the hall between the side door and kitchen.

**Please note - this post was interrupted by a kitchen table session with my youngest - he did homework, I wrote letters and prepared for the trip to the market...and then I went to the market. Randomness of this post may therefore be intensified....**

Well, despite saving $36 and change between coupons and purchasing only items we needed that were on sale - I still feel I spent way too much money for what I got. Depressing. I did get a gallon of milk for $.99, and a $12.99 razor for $2.99 (it was on sale for $6.99 and I had a $4 coupon) But - everything else just added up so quickly. Granted, I do tend to purchase in bulk - and I did get a few items to add to the pantry for future use. I have to admit - I don't get out much. Esp. in the winter months. But, I saw jars of spaghetti sauce for $6-$8. Granted, I purchased the $.99 per can sauce. I'm only going to doctor it to our tastes any way... As always, a trip to the market further solidifies my determination to have an extensive garden...well, as extensive as we can get with our postage stamp of a yard. Bordering more on the side of intensive gardening, I think.

At the market, I did qualify for a $10 gas card I'll have to mail away for. Even though we do not drive ourselves - the card will still come in handy for when we catch a ride, or for Dh's carpooling to work. Ten dollars is Ten dollars. I'm really not sure how that fits in with my tracking our spending though...I guess, it counts - we will spend the gas card, saving us the cash...

Fun as it's been. I think I'm going to put this randomness away for now, and start searching for the edging pattern I started the day out thinking of...

Well...

it's been awfully quiet around here. Hubby is home between jobs for a bit. It could last until the season officially starts - or he could be called in come this next Monday. Who knows. In the mean time, we're working on getting the house set up a little more productively for us. Cleaning out the basement - it's the only place any of us have for storage for either apt. in the house. We had the Total Gym down there - but once the boxes and totes started piling up it was more of a work out to get to it.
So, now the table is back in the kitchen, and the total gym is in the living room. It's not exactly a decorator move, but sometimes functional ability has to take precedence. We can fold it up in the event we host a dinner or something. In time, I'd like to get a decorative screen that can "hide" it in it's corner. In the mean time - at least it's accessible for us to use it.
We're also going to be building the platform for the washer and dryer down stairs. Steve has put together my laundry tower, and we'll have to get some more hose to vent the dryer from it's new place to be. Again, we're just trying to create some workable space down there. Canning season is going to be upon us sooner than we think - and the last thing we want is to be sticking jars of preserved food in wherever we can find a spot until...later. Esp. since by then, hubby will be in full swing of his working season - and he is NOT going to be wanting to come home to more projects.

I have no pictures to post of our progress...oh, how I wish I did though. I've lent my camera out, and don't expect to get it back until tomorrow. I hope I get it back tomorrow. I think I'm addicted to my camera.
That's about it for now. Nothing particularly exciting going on here. Just waiting out the weather, dreaming of our first garden season here. Other than that. Much to do about nothing.

Home Management Binder

I'm working on my Home Management binder - no photo's as of yet - it's hardly anything you'd actually want to view at this point...plus, I've lent my camera out until Saturday. I've decided to use those pages you keep collectible cards in for my weekly routines. There is just no way for me to keep the same routine week to week. Plus, with gardening and crafting seasons - it's bound to vary. Yes, I am the type to have to schedule those things in, or else they will end up being put off until everything else is "done" ... I really should know better by now, I know.
Here are sites I am using for inspiration for my binder.

Organized Home - free printable forms, weekly/daily/and seasonal routine ideas.

FlyLady-free printable forms, routine ideas, baby step encouragement if you're just getting started in time management at home.

The Family Homestead menu planning, shopping for 2 weeks at a time, free printables, recipes for MYO cleaners, and lots of inspiration.

Keeping the Home A must see - gives a good idea of how personal a binder really is. Between them all (and there is more if you choose to google for more) it gives a good idea of the many ways they can be put together. Do take the time to look around. The idea is to create something that will work for you.
I suggest you start small - the FlyLady site has wonderful basic routines to use. Keep track of your time for a week or so - see what it is you do have done, and how often. Then take a look at it and see if there is anything you feel you are missing you need to fit into the routine. Many times I see Vacuum on a weekly schedule - this would not work for me. We live in a very small home with 2 cats and a dog...if I were to vacuum weekly we'd all be in jeopardy of needing a flea dip! Well, we'd be fuzzy for sure any way.

I'm home alone!!

For a couple of days, any way. I'm thinking I'll get finished up on my cleaning. Go through my patterns and fabric stash and see what I can get into. I have something in mind for a livingroom curtain...we shall see. May be I'll sneak a trip to the fabric store, or better yet - the thrift shops. Could be both. Dh and DD left yesterday to spend a couple of days with friends out where we used to live. No one has called me since they left - and the cell phones do not work out there. I was up until after 3am, and again before 7am. Couldn't sleep. Now, I know if anything happened (car accident, any kind of drama/trauma) I would be notified...but still, I had a hard time sleeping not getting the call of "Hey, we're here, all is well - see ya in a few." Of course, now I'm not so much worried as tired and annoyed. I'm going to get cleaning here so I can have a clean slate to work with. It will be nice to clean the house and have it stay that way for more than 20 minutes!

SO close...and yet -

No yarn needle!

I've got the messanger bag almost completed. Why just almost you ask? Because I can not find a single yarn needle in this house. I've checked both sewing boxes, my tote of yarn - nothin' no where to be found. There has to be one here - heck, there should be at least a dozen! I know I haven't used one since we've been here.

Oh well. Guess it's going to have to wait until tomorrow - here's the progress so far

The circles need to be sewn on and so does the button - oh yeah, the button Not a very good picture, I know. But it says "imagine", which I thought would be appropriate since it's for her art supplies. I just want to get it completed. It's been so long since I've really worked on any kind of crafts at all - it feels good to be able to focus on something to make, rather than runnin around trying to grab all the loose ends of life. Yarn is much more yeilding...unless you've lost your needle...

Valentine's Day Crochet

I finished this up this morning - it's the first Valentine's Day decoration I ever made (the first one we lost in a fire) and I was able to find the pattern at freepatterns.com - so it is our first Home Made Valentine's Day decoration - again ;-)
I found a few other things I'd love to do as well - we shall see. Today, it's cold and windy - so it seems to be a good day to stay in surrounded by yarn.
It's hard to beleive it's almost time to start seeds for the garden - but it is...

From one end of the spectrum

to another...yesterday, I went and got my hair cut, my eyebrows waxed, got to the post office to pick up stamps, visited my sister at work, came home - Baked cookies

Baked Bread

Kaya had her "play date" with my cousins puppy pit

And then there's today - it's almost 3pm. Hubby didn't have to work today - and we're both still lamping around in our PJ's....Good thing the kids aren't here to see it. We'd never hear the end of it, LOL....

~Keeping Focus~

This morning, as I gathered up our newspapers to pack up to bring to my sister for work I seperated the coupons from this past Sunday's edition and came across the JoAnn's Fabric Store flyer. I shouldn't have opened it - but I did. Not only are they having a sale on Butterick patterns, but they have the cutest flannel on sale as well. Flannel I would love to make pjs for the family with...but, that's just not where I'm at right now. So, I had to talk myself down from a serious case of the "I wants" to move on with my day. There is no way I'm going to clutter up the space I've just created with more stuff I don't have time to get to just yet. It will only be upsetting to me later when I'm having to work around it doing what I need to be doing at this time. So, I had to let it go. They'll have another sale, and I don't doubt they will always have at least one fabric for me to love.
Black thread - that's all I need at the moment. To hem a pair of pants for a friend. I decided that since today is Tuesday - and that is the day that I can get a haircut for just $9 where I like to go - I would go out to the mall. See a few people I haven't seen in a while. Bring my sister lunch, which is another thing you can always do with your left overs - bless someone else with them ;-). There was just enough chili and rice left to make a good lunch for my sister. I also met the new store manager, she seems very nice. I bought my thread, got my hair cut - and my eyebrows waxed for what it would cost me for just a hair cut say...tomorrow. My sister showed me the new yarns they got in stock - and I was so good - I left it all there. With the gardening season coming upon us, there is no way I'll have time to be crocheting for a while. I'm struggeling to finish the messanger bag for Sammy - and all I have to do is put it together, and make the closing flap for the top - and attatch it...No, no more projects for me at the moment.
Right now, the soup is on the stove. The bread is rising. I'm getting ready to make some cookies for Steve to bring to work tomorrow. Oh, and I'll have to get to them pants so Steve can meet my friend on his break tomorrow. He's working very near where we used to live - and it will be easier for her to get them there from him than to come all the way out here to get them...but part of me wants to hold them hostage for another visit. But I won't. :p

Re-making meals...no leftovers left behind!

We hate to waste food. Of course, there is only so many times you want to eat a single meal in a week as well. One way around this is to make a different meal with it. When I plan my menu for the week - I also plan to use the leftovers.

This week, I made spaghetti with meatballs and used the remaining meat sauce to add to the tomatoes for the chili I made later in the week. The left over chili will be for chili dogs for the guys to have during the game tomorrow. Plus, I can add some shredded cheese to some, melt it down, top with sour cream to use as a dip for snacks during game time too.
I've got the last of the roasted chicken simmering on the stove right now. I'll freeze some of the stock for later use, and the chicken and the rest of the stock will be used for Chicken and Noodle soup this Monday...That's 4 dinners, a lunch and a snack from 2 meals.

There are many ways to re-make leftovers into another meal so that you are not throwing food away - therefore throwing away the money you spent on it - and the time you already spent on preparing it!

When you plan your menu for the week - you pretty much know what meals are going to create leftovers. Plan to use those leftovers by planning a casserole, soup, fajita, stew, soup and sandwich night, add it to a salad, or toss it into a sauce for a pasta dish. It not only saves you money, but it saves you time as well - think of how much extra some people are paying to purchase precooked meats, just because it makes meal preparation quicker. You're doing the same thing for yourself without the added expense.

Even if what is left over from a meal is minute, you can add it to a side dish. If you're making a potato or macaroni salad - toss in some diced up left over chicken, ham, or beef. Make a dirty rice with what was left from the last meal or two. Use it as a little something extra in a pasta side dish. Make a little gravy and serve it over pasta or rice as even a side dish if it's not enough for a main course.
While wasting food is a major budget buster - using leftovers wisely is a major time saver, and it will stretch your menu options, not to mention save you time in the long run.

~Still Organizing~

We're still organizing the house to make things a little more productive here. We had another power outage - fortunately we had the candle chandelier and sconces hung up this time - so it was easy to get the house lit up enough where we could relax some. My BIL had stopped by, because he was driving home (he and sis live only 4 blocks away) and he noticed the power was out at our end - he wanted to make sure we were all OK. He stayed long enough to have a beer with DH and get us updated on what's going on over their way...Of course my sister keeps me updated - but he's putting forth an effort to be sociable, so I didn't say so.
I can't wait for garage sale season to hit - almost as much as gardening! We really need to scale down our furnishings. Everything we have seems so blocky here - and there is no continuity to anything. It makes it hard to be very comfortable. Even when it's immaculate - it feels...off.
We're still working on stocking the pantry and freezers - well, actually the freezers are full right now. We even purchased my first set of canning jars (for jelly), and a box of pectin to be prepared for the first jelly of the year - Dandelion Jelly. I'm going to be purchasing at least one case of jars each week in preperation of our garden harvest. We're also going to order a pressure canner so I am going to need a LOT of jars. One thing at a time though.

Free Cycle is my friend

Seriously, I just joined today - and I already have a bunch of stuff to list tomorrow. It's time to part with a few things that we just don't have room for here. The funny thing is - I was reading the posts, and someone has asked for a hutch - we just moved ours into the kitchen, and I've already decided it's more of a hinderance than a help in that little space. I'm taking a picture of it to see if it's something that will work for this other person with the huge kitchen but no cabinet space. Hmmm...Seemed like a sign to me. We shall see.
I'm still working on DD's messenger bag for her birthday. I'm hoping to finish it while she's off at her friends - that way she'll forget about it until her birthday...if she knows it's finished, she'll just pester me for it now instead of waiting until March - then I'll be left wondering what to give to her then. Yeah she's a clever one, but not this time chica ;-)

~The unplanned experiment~

We've been slowly trying to re-stock our pantry and freezers. Between our not really shopping on a regular basis, and the costs of everything going up so much - it's turning out to be a much slower process than I remember it being in the past. Of course, since we didn't have a garden last year - we're having to keep stocked up on canned and frozen produce from the market as well. I was beginning to wonder what it is exactly we need to stock up on most/first - The conventional pantry space upstairs is all set -and now that we know we can fit in extra pantry space in the basement - there's actually a room down there with shelves already. We just wanted to make sure we were not going to have a problem with water or dampness down there. When we first bought the house, it was quite damp down there. Of course, one of the hot water heaters was leaking, and there was no outside vent for the dryer - we knew that didn't help - but we were not sure that was the only reason(s) it was damp down there. Once that was rectified - we wanted to be sure that it was going to stay dry enough to use for storage. Now that we know it is, and we have a dehumidifier to use as well - I began to wonder what it is we could actually need.

I'm a bit out of practice really - I honestly could think of 100 things - but couldn't narrow down what should be first. Then, we had an experiment. We experienced a minor cash flow problem - Somehow, our address was changed at the payroll office for hubby's job. His checks come in the mail. So, for 2 weeks - his checks were mailed to a nonexistent address, and returned to the main office for where he works. We spent virtually nothing for 2 weeks. We don't own a car, and he carpools to work. The guy he rides with was still going to work for the 2 weeks any way, and accepted being paid late for his share of gas money. If he were driving himself to work, we would have actually been in more of a bind - Mobile or Exxon isn't going to let you gas up for the week and catch up with them later for the bill... OK, we were fine as far as all meals went - but we did fall short on a couple of things. Bread, milk, and eggs. Really - milk and eggs. If I had enough of those two things, I could make the bread. We used to bake our own bread before I went back to working outside the home...now that I'm home again, I've just gotten lazy. There is a Stewart's 2 blocks away, and the kids are big enough to send to the store....Yeah, lazy is the word. I had actually considered buying powdered milk - but it's so expensive. A box that 'makes' 4 gallons costs almost as much as 4 gallons of milk - so it didn't really seem all that cost effective. Especially since no one actually drinks it. Of course, now I can see it's really a very good idea to keep it on hand. I know you can freeze eggs, and while I've never been a fan of that idea -because I've been trying to lean away from the freezer for long term storage as much as possible. We do get power outages, and I'm afraid of loosing too much of an investment so easily. Still, I'm thinking maybe I should try it. I'll also have to get some flax seed to use as an egg substitute for baking. All in all, it was actually a good experience. It helped me get a better idea of where we need to focus our efforts. It also reminded me that it's really not just one of my quirks that urges me to keep a stocked pantry - it really makes a difference. While hubby was not at all thrilled about the situation - I know it helped that it didn't put us in any dire need of anything. We also learned that we need to keep more cash on hand at home. It's just something we've never been too good at. With the economy as it stands - it's definitely time for us to take our own efforts of sustainability a little more seriously. While we tend to be the most/best prepared for everything in our little circle of family and friends it doesn't really mean we're actually prepared for anything at all.

~ Just another day ~

Today was pretty much a quiet day. We rearranged the living room and the kitchen some. We now have the kitchen table in the living room, so at least we have enough space for us all to sit and eat together. That's a plus. I've really missed that. We took the hutch from the living room and put it in the kitchen. I'm really not sure how I feel about that just yet. It's going to take some getting used to I guess.
I started working on a crochet project yesterday. Once I set up DH and my brother for an afternoon of football - it seemed like a good way to pass the day. I'm making her a messenger bag for to hold her sketch book and pencils. I'll post pictures of it when it's finished. I'm not using a pattern - so it should be interesting to see how it turns out.
Tomorrow is going to be our sewing day. We'll start working on the window quilts. No doubt having the computer near the living room window will be extra encouragment to get that project finished. The first time I sat down here - I swear I felt a breeze! In fact, I had to caulk the window frame there was such a gap at the bottom it's no wonder we were always cold sitting on the couch when it was along that wall! Now that the couch has been moved - it's obvious. I know with the economy the way it is a lot of what we hope to get done in the way of renovations may have to be put on hold - I really hope replacing the windows isn't one of them!
Oh yeah, we'll be sewing tomorrow. In fact, I'm going to start the cutting tonight. It's COLD over here!!

~ Window Quilts ~

The first project I think DD and I are going to tackle is window quilts. The first ones will be for our bedrooms. For the boys' room - I will make it from denim scraps. They prefer it darker, and don't want anything 'cutsie' in their domain. For the livingroom and master bedroom - I am sure I have enough fabric in my stash to come up with something. For DD's room - we're going to have to get to the fabric store for sure. Hers is the largest window in the house, and she's got a theme going in her room she wants it to match. She is seriously going to do much of the work herself on that one. Quite honestly - mostly because I doubt I've got the skill ;-)
Here are a couple of links so you can see what I'm referring to, I'll post pictures as we work on our own as well. Window Quilts
Notes from the North Woods

~ Home Made Dreams ~

I've always dreamed a dream of simple country living. Putting food up from our own garden. Sewing all of our curtains, quilts for the beds and windows, table cloths, crocheting borders on shelves and towels, afghans and pillows to match all through the house. Really having a home made home through and through.
While I'm not done dreaming of living in the country - I am done putting the rest of the dream on hold until we get there. Maybe we can't exactly keep chickens and goats, both due to city ordinances, and lack of space...but I can have a garden. Granted, it will be a small garden. Well, small gardens. In the front, we will have 2 dwarf fruit trees, surrounded with flowering herbs. I'm thinking maybe apples. In the back, we'll espiral a couple of dwarf pear trees. We already have the remnants of a grape arbour out back, and we plan to rebuild and plant with grapes again. In the main garden out back for the summer, we will have peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and beans. Along the side yard, we'll have melons going up the fence. Cantaloupe, and small watermelons - nothing too large. Spring and Fall, we'll have radishes, carrots, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and lettuces growing. That's as far as I've gotten with my list. It's difficult - because while I could easily think of more to grow - I want to be sure what I grow makes the most sense for us because our space is limited. Corn is still relatively cheap at the market, and while it is we can stock up on that some. It takes up too much space for too small a yield to make it practical for our little postage stamp garden.
We live in zone 5 - so cold frames could be used to extend our growing season for some vegetables. Because we've only lived here since this past July, I'm not really confident where the best placement for that would be. This year - since we won't be busy repainting, replacing hot water heaters, carpets, floors, and light fixtures - I'm hoping to get a better idea of where one could be placed. We're fortunate that we can see grapes, apple, and pear trees in neighboring properties - so we are pretty sure they should grow well here too. Plus, there had been a garden out back before, and from what I am told - it did very nicely.
While I'm waiting for Spring, and planning the garden on paper and in my minds eye - I'll be working on some other projects. Slowly turning our new house into a home that suits us. I'll also be collecting patterns and recipes, trying to put things together to live my dream as best as I can from right where I am.