Re-purposing Idea

Yesterday, I dumped this 50 lb. bag of birdseed 

into the bin that we store it in on the front porch.

Every time I empty one of these bags,

I feel like there is something I should be doing with

the bag rather than adding it to the trash.

It is some sort of woven plastic fabric;

and I don't think it's recyclable.

So I saved it, cleaned it out and brought it into my sewing room.

One cut, and a few seams later and here is the repurposed bag....

Ready to use for groceries or storage....a tough tote bag.

You can make two totes from one 50 lb bag.  

Simply cut the bag in half across the middle.

Open the bottom and top seams.

Sew a seam across the bottom

and square your corners.

Fold down the top and hem.

Add straps.

And that's it.

I'm On a Roll

Apron number 2 is finished!

Order complete.

This was to be modeled after an apron 

that I had made in the past

called Minerva's Laundry Day Apron.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find that vintage

laundry fabric.

So, although the fabric is different,

the idea is the same....large roomy pockets 

perfect for filling with clothespins.

How easy to hang up laundry,

when your clothespins are right at your fingertips!

And, I added a cell phone pocket at the top...

although, it could also be used for a granola bar or chocolate bar.

We all need a little extra energy when hanging up the laundry.

Oh, but chocolate on your fingers while you are hanging up 

clean clothes might not be such a good idea after all!

As Promised....

By golly, Henrietta has been busy!

She's gone and hatched another everyday work apron....

Perfect for chores around the homestead,

 or trips to the henhouse....

With ample pockets for egg collection,

or stuffing with fresh produce!

Extra long ties.

And, a button almost as yellow as the yolks of our eggs.

This apron is one of two that were ordered specially.

I will be starting (and hopefully finishing) the other

some day this week.

Why Is This Child Smiling????

It's because he is watching his Grammie dance and sing!

She finally had some time for sewing!!

WaHoooooooo!!

I received a request for a couple of aprons.

One is finished and I will share pictures with you

on Monday or Tuesday.

I have also started a second special order!

Oh, it feels so good to spend some time in my sewing room.

And Tyler loves when his Grammie celebrates!!!

PS....does he have my chin, or what!

Jack's Juice

Move over Welch's!

Hubbs has his power juicer going....

(no, we're not stomping them with our feet!)

and we are making fresh-from-the-farm grape juice.

Our grape arbor is full of juicy, ripe Concord and Mars grapes.

This year's harvest is the best yet.

We planted our grapes about 4 years ago.

Each year's harvest is better than the year before.

Fresh grape juice.....so much better than store bought!

Well Preserved

Well preserved!

Isn't that what we all hope we end up being?

Living on the farm may not keep me well preserved,

but it has afforded me the opportunity to make plenty of preserves!

Here is this summer's bounty, preserved for use this winter.

Fear not, I am not yet finished.

This morning I am going out to the garden to pick more tomatoes

and start another large kettle of spaghetti sauce.

Puttanesca sauce to be exact (we love olives)

Everything in the sauce will be home grown,

except for the olives.

Which, believe me, if I could I would grow olives.

They might be my most favorite food of all!

(Did I mention that at one time I could fit 18 in my mouth all at once?)

Don't ask me whatever possessed me to try that!

(Or was it grapes...oh well, same size!)

Oh, and here is the kitchen help....

Joe Cool!

No, his feet are not that big....it's just the camera angle!

Speaking of buddies,

Here's Hickory.

She has just discovered (after 15 years if life... in her previous home)

the world of toys!

See how she's smiling?

Who would have known that balls can be such fun!

Especially ones that we can keep away from Maddie!

Still in The Kitchen

This summer has brought us a wonderful harvest.

Most of my spare time has been spent either in the garden,

or in the kitchen dealing with what comes out of the garden.

I have canned spaghetti sauce, salsa, stewed tomatoes,

peaches, beets, pickles, and hot pepper spread.

Blueberries and blackberries have been transformed into jams.

I have frozen green beans, corn and broccoli.

I have also tried my hand at infusions.

This jar is the start of Blueberry Basil Vinegar.

This concoction has been brewing in my cold cellar for a month, now.

Four weeks ago I put 4 cups of white wine vinegar

4 cups of crushed blueberries (from our bushes)

1 cup of basil (from the garden)

and the zest of one lemon
into a large pantry jar and covered it.

Every 3 days I would gently shake the jar to mix the contents.

Then this morning I filtered the mixture

 through several layers of cheese cloth.

One lastl filtering through a coffee filter....

And here is the final product...labelled.

I am happy with the clarity 

and will use this vinegar for salad dressings.
The label is courtesy of the Graphics Fairy.
I imported it into photoshop and added the text.

In the Kitchen With....

Tyler!

I remember when my kids were babies.

My saving grace was a front pack.

With baby in the front pack carrier, 

I could cook, clean, do laundry...

just about anything that I needed to do....

with hands free.

It seems so natural to strap Tyler on,

and work around the house.

(With an apron on, of course.  I find that the 

apron adds another bit of support, 

and keeps splatters off of baby.

Tonight we cooked dinner together.

Mexican night.

Cilantro and lime rice

Chipotle chicken and beef

Salsa Fresca

Topped with sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Yummmy!

Look how we've grown in the last 6 weeks!

My Little Buddy

It has been a while since I have posted one of Tyler's pictures.

Most of his pictures are "sleeping" baby pictures.

He still has his days and nights a bit mixed up.

Periods of wakefulness during the day are short lived.

So I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures

while he was wide awake.

Oh, how I look forward to the days when he is toddling around.

What fun adventures we will have.

BlaCKbeRriEs

Every so often I hear a faint call from the second floor.

I climb the stairs and look longingly at the sewing room door.

"Come and play, Bev" I hear faintly.

Unfortunately the only time I have spent in that room lately

has been to whittle away at the pile of ironing that has been accumulating.

Now, I am not complaining,

because the things that are keeping me from playing 

are outdoor activities....gardening, picking berries, harvesting veggies, etc.

But, oh how I miss spending the afternoon humming away on my sewing machine!

Today I headed out to the woods to pick berries.

We have had just enough rain to plump up the blackberries and black raspberries.

That means it is time to make my yearly batch of triple berry jam...

blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry....

yummy, berry goodness to enjoy throughout the coming months.

I donned my purple Wellies,

(boots to help keep the chiggers from crawling up my pants!)

loaded the 4 wheeler with camera equipment and a bowl,

and headed out to the woods.

I picked for an hour or so

and came back with quite a bounty.

Now to get busy in the kitchen!

I use just a small amount of sugar in my jams.

Mmmmmm, what a delicious aroma this gives off as it cooks on the stovetop.

4th of July Party

We had the pleasure of meeting our Amanda's beau (Tim)'s 

parents for a 4th of July celebration on Sunday.

(Amanda and Tim)

Amanda and I fixed lunch...lots of fresh fare from the garden and herb garden.

The menu included

Hamburgers from local grass fed (only) beef

Salad Nicoise

Cucumber Salad with oregano mint vinaigrette

Deviled Eggs

Fresh snow peas and scallions with curry dip

Fruit salad

Homemade tortilla chips with mango salsa

Drinks in patriotic mason jars

Mango salsa 

Salad Nicoise 

Cucumber and fruit salad 

Veggies with fresh curry dip

And my cute photo of the day is baby Tyler

dressed in his swim suit.

Have you ever seen a baby laugh in his sleep?

Tyler does it all the time.....so funny!

Canning

Besides new grandbaby activities,

(oh my, we are both asleep!)

this is what I have been up to lately.

Canning, canning, canning.

This week I made 10 pints of blueberry lime jam.

I turned a few piles of these...

into Dill Pickles.

Yumm!

Oh, how I love preserving summer's bounty

to enjoy the rest of the year.