my {homespun} life......

more bibs....

2012-01-27T18:10:00.000-08:00

I decided to make some more bibs for another little fella and was able to buy a mens t-shirt for 50 cents and then recycle it to use with the still leftover terrycloth that I had from my old bathrobe. I tried a new design applique with the x's and o's and thought it turned out pretty good. The 'Z' is the little lads initial. I packaged them all up today and sent them off in the mail. I'm sure they are going to be of great use and be fun to wear. Now all I need to do is to make some to have here at my house when my grandson comes over! Maybe I'll make some more next week.

slow cooking soup.......

2012-01-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

I have a soup recipe that is a family favorite and I thought I would share it with everyone. It's a meatball vegetable soup and it cooks in the slow cooker. This is a great way to let soup simmer all day long and have ready for a wonderful supper along with a nice grain bread with fresh butter (I'm still going to make my own butter soon). This soup doesn't have a whole lot of ingredients, but when the few do come together they make for a wonderful tasty meal.

The meatballs are prepared and baked in the oven before going into the crockpot and I recently have been making several batches of meatballs at once and then baking them all and putting the extras in the freezer for the next batch of soup. This is a timesaver for me because as long as I have the rest of the ingredients, I can put the whole crockpot together even before work and off I go. It really couldn't be easier!

I made 4 batches of meatballs on this day.....

ready for the oven......

baked and ready for packaging

ready for the freezer.....

Once the meatballs are baked and the rest of the ingredients are prepared they all simply go into the crockpot together and after you give it a stir place on the lid and set the crockpot to low or high depending on how much time you are giving it. I stir it from time to time if I'm home, but its not necessary to do so.

everything in the crockpot.....

The soup is delicious right out of the crockpot but I find that it tastes even better the next day when all the vegetables and the meatballs have had a chance to meld together and really lock in the all the wonderful flavors. I should also mention that my daughter would make this soup and when my grandson was just beginning on his solids she would mash it up and he loved it! If you want the recipe let me know and I will post it.

For now, I will leave you with a photo of a bowl of this great soup! Enjoy!

my laundry closet makeover........

2012-01-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

I am not one of the lucky ones to have a laundry room. No, I only have a laundry closet. In terms of a closet it is not a bad size and obviously is big enough for a washer/dryer and a washtub area. Above all of this there are cupboards and there a space above that where I do have some baskets (most are empty). All in all, this area is the messiest in my house. I struggle to keep it tidy and have made attempts to organize it (with the baskets) but it's just not working. I can truly tidy it up one day and within the week it's right back to the mess that it started out to be.Ugh!! It is a space where I finally figured out that I put 'stuff' on top of the washer and dryer and all of this 'stuff' needs to find a home. I think that is some of the problem that it's random stuff that needs to go somewhere.

I've been looking on Pinterest for some ideas and options and there are lots! I will have to put a plan together and hopefully come up with something that is going to work better and not make me so discouraged when I open those bifold doors. My dream would be to have new doors (they have never worked properly), and a folding counter on top of the washer and dryer. I would also love to have a cabinet that would replace the washtub and just have a small sink there instead. I would like to open the cupboard doors and see everything organized and looking fabulous! So, I going to do my best to make this a project that I can accomplish and be happy with. I'm going to post a pic of the current mess (I'm embarrassed to show you) and hope to post new ones in the future that show my new laundry closet all organized and looking wonderful!!

what a mess!! check out the lamp in the washtub...lol!

cluttered!

it needs work .....

new projects on the way.......

2012-01-02T03:10:00.000-08:00

I finish a project and immediately wonder what the next one is going to be. I really enjoy the process of creating and find such satisfaction with it. So I have two projects in my head that are forming and it's just a matter of which one to begin with. I need to go the fabric shop and see what they have available to work with and maybe that will determine my choosing. Both right now are for my grandson so they will be fun and inspiring. It will be either a color matching game or alphabet letters. I will post and let you know which one gets the nod.

Happy crafting everyone!

upcycling jars.....

2012-01-01T02:51:00.000-08:00

I saw this done on the Nate Berkus show and loved the whole idea of using store bought spaghetti jars and 'upcycling' them as a pretty storage jar! I discovered that these particular jars are actually mason jars once you strip off the label to reveal them. How cool is that! Even if I don't use the jars for an upcycling project like this one I can save them for my canning in the summer! So it's win-win all around for me and the jars. The toughest part of the whole project was finding the glass/acrylic knobs to use for the tops of the jars. I really had to look long and hard around my area to find them and really paid too much money for them but was excited to find them and I was impatient to put this all together. Since then I have found online sources that are much cheaper and shipping seemed to be not too bad even to Canada where I live. Next time I will order a bunch to have on hand.

Here's what I did. I took off the label and cleaned the jars. I sanded down the lids to remove the manufacturers labeling on them and then drilled a whole through the top of the lid that would fit the screw that came with the decorative knob. Place the knob through the lid and use the bolt to tighten it and voila you're done! I think they look pretty nice to sit on a kitchen shelf or even on the hutch in the diningroom and you can fill them with whatever you might like!

from sauce to 'sass' !

I love how they look :)

ornaments to love.....

2011-12-31T07:10:00.000-08:00

I discovered mercury glass a while back. I love how it is shiny and sparkles and yet it has a timeworn look to it. It shows it's age and it does so very well. I managed to run across these little ornaments at the gift shop where I work and I thought they did a good job of looking much like mercury glass. I bought 5 and went back the next day to buy 7 more so that I had a complete dozen. I'm not sure why that was important but it seemed to be for some reason or another. I just loved the way they looked on my Christmas tree!

aren't they gorgeous!

stunning!

And then I needed to find a way to store them so that they wouldn't become damaged or broken since they are so delicate. Well, I found the perfect solution! The 12 ornaments all fit perfectly in an egg carton and now they will all be stored safely until next Christmas when they will be able to once again shine on the Christmas tree.

the perfect storage solution!

bibs!

2011-12-31T03:06:00.000-08:00

I was browsing my latest and 'most favorite' site Pinterest and came across alot of bib ideas and saw some that were made from old t-shirts and old towels. I thought this was a great idea and off I went to the thrift store to find some t-shirts. I recieved a new housecoat for Christmas so I was all set to use my old terrycloth robe for the backing. I found 2 t-shirts that had some graphics on them and was all set to begin. I traced an pattern from a bib I already had and was on my way!

a very simple pattern

two t-shirts and an old robe

all pinned together and ready to sew !

I used to sew alot when I was in highschool. Well, we actually had 'Home Economics' when I was in highschool and I have to say I really think it was a good thing. We learned alot about cooking and sewing and for me it has stayed with me all this time. I'm sure there is no such thing anymore, but maybe it's one thing we need to go back to? Some would think it would be silly, but not I.

Anyway.......I began sewing my bibs together and then let the creative juices flow and came up with some simple graphics to put on the fronts. I think they turned out pretty great and my little grandson Brody will wear them well! He's a big drooler too so he can wear them for meals and also as a drool bib.

Here's how they turned out!

just added cut-out graphics from the t-shirts and freehanded the letter 'b'

for meals that require a 'tie' :)

the 'fork & spoon' bib

I'm really pleased with how they all turned out and might make another run to the thrift shop to see what I can find to possibly make some more! I think I'm on a roll, although I have some other projects in mind too! I'll be sure to share them with you when I get going on them.

Enjoy your day all!

quick breakfast........

2011-12-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to 'clean' up my act in regards to some foods that I eat. One of my biggest downfalls is butter! I will admit that I am a butter addict. Yikes! It's bad. Yesterday I went out and bought fruits and veggies and this morning my breakfast was simple and clean. Just an apple sliced and a bowl of balkan style vanilla yogurt. The vanilla part is my treat to myself because I love the flavor. I maybe should have had a bit more to eat but it filled me up and along with my cup of green tea it was 'all good'.

It was very tasty :)

organizing my life........ "a good thing"

2011-12-22T05:57:00.000-08:00

I love to have things organized although that doesn't mean that it transcends my entire life. Some of it I'm really organized with and other areas not so much. I love looking at tidy places in my home and recently I decided to finish up one of my kitchen cupboards. I have had some of the large and small size jars for quite a while but needed to focus on finishing the entire cupboard. My baking ingredients always end up with bits of so much stuff so it was a good time to deal with the clutter and clear out old things. I can certainly see what I have much better now than before and when I open the doors it all just makes me smile to see it so beautifully arranged. I still have a few things to deal with but it's well on it's way to being a 'good thing'.

Here's a pic of my great space!

a wellness project.....

2011-12-18T16:39:00.000-08:00

I work in a job where there is much stress and low morale amongst my co-workers. It's tough to go into work every day and see and feel all of this around me and it's hard not to fall into the same rut. I decided long ago that I had to go to work and do what I could to help others get through their day with a smile. Part of what I started to do during this holiday season was to take some homemade cookies in once a week. They were a big hit with everyone and became lovingly known as the 'wellness' and 'positivity' cookies! So this is my third week to take some cookies in and I'm sure they will get gobbled up not unlike the last two batches did. This afternoon I made the same batch that I helped my daughter make yesterday for her cookie exchange. I figure this is a small thing that I can do to help. Here's a pic of this week's cookies!

Mini Kisses wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough :)

a new find.....

2011-12-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I've just ventuered into the land of Pinterest. Oh my.....I am so an idea person and this site is like a little bit of heaven. I am the type of person who can totally go shopping and never buy a thing and yet come home with all kind of ideas for possibilities in the future. It could be ideas for my home, or for sewing or craft projects or my garden or who knows what, but I just love the 'idea' of finding ideas! So this new find in Pinterest is going to be a lovely thing because I can sit here at home and get endless ideas at my fingertips! Yay!!

tidied up.........

2011-12-16T04:48:00.000-08:00

For a long, long time I have been looking for new flatware. I can admit that I am somewhat picky although I guess that can also just be the desire to really like what I am going to buy. Why would I settle for anything less than that? So just earlier this week I was out with my daughter's fiancee and while he was picking something up in the automotive dept of the store we were in I was wandering in the kitchen section and lo and behold there they were! I finally found a set that I really liked and they were 40% off! Well, that's even better! So homeward bound I went with my new purchase and set out to make the exchange with my mismatched set (not really a set when they don't match). Of course I needed to buy a new cutlery tray so that was my next challenge. I stood in a department store in front of the selections and was worried for a bit that nothing was going to work and then I spotted the perfect one! Bamboo and expandable! Perfect! Then back home to put it all together. Now my drawer is tidy and the new flatware is beautiful!

And here is the before and after.............

early morning.......

2011-12-16T03:39:00.000-08:00

Part of my homelife includes time that I can spend early in the morning and have a quiet cup of tea and sit by the fire maybe journaling or reading my current book. It's this quiet time that 'sets' my day and allows me to move through it the best way I know. Sometimes it allows the creative juices to flow and takes me to places in my mind that lets me bring forth that creativity during the day.

I hope you can find some quiet time in your day and just take a few moments for yourself. Good morning all..........and have the best day you can.

a cookie favorite............

2011-12-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

These are one of my all time favorites fancy cookies! I just love the combination of the cookie along with the caramel, the pecan and the chocolate drizzle. It's just so perfect and tasty! The first time I made them was with my daughter for a cookie exchange she had at her work. Now I make them for myself and just this week took a batch to work for my co-workers to enjoy also.

first bake the 'thumbprint'

then add the caramel and the pecan.....

and then top it all off with chocolate drizzle :)

welcome............

2011-12-15T18:36:00.000-08:00

I've been creating things lately and it's been lots of fun. From canning, to sewing, to decorating to cooking I have been having a ball with all of it. I am by no means an expert crafter but have lots of fun creating. I am by no means a cook or chef but I enjoy creating foods that warm the heart and tummy. I thought it would be a good thing to create a blog that would be devoted to all of this and leave my other blog to deal with my deeper subjects. A place for everything I think. So I do hope that you enjoy following my blog as much as I will enjoy posting my projects.

Thanks for taking the time............