Gesso on my pants

I cleaned my studio today. 

Well, not quite. 

I cleaned off my table & then wanted to create. 

So the rest of the studio still needs some work.

I get Gesso on my pants, which can only mean two things:

1.  I was painting

2. I was playing   

I made a couple of art journals. One is to document my inspiration on my journey to Tibet. 

The other journal is for everyday creating.  It felt amazing to be messing around in my studio making this journal just for myself.  I have gotten so caught up over the years trying to make art that is marketable, that I had forgotten how to create  for myself. I haven't painted, really painted in 6 years. I use to paint A LOT. It was at my core. It was what I did. It was who I was. 

I became pregnant & then had babes around.  I couldn't find the time to steal away to paint. I took up knitting for a creative outlet. I LOVE KNITTING, but it does not express my heart the way painting can.  I still haven't really painted, but making this journal, making something for myself that doesn't have to be liked but anyone is a start. I am making a promise to steel away time on a regular basis for my self, to create.

... and then I was pig piled!

A Giveaway

In going through my house for garage sale items I came across these two vintage canning books.  I thought it would be fun to have a little giveaway with these books.

These books are published in 1948 & 1949.  Their pages are full of unique & traditional recipes for canning fruits, vegetables, meat & even milk.

{sorry this page didn't turn out so well}

They have great instructions on how to can if you have never done this & would like to learn how.   Look at how cute the little characters are in the instructions.

To enter just leave a comment on this post. Tell me a story about your experiences canning. Or if you haven't canned before, tell me why you want to start. I will leave the comment section open until next Sunday (8/2) when I will choose a winner randomly.  Send your friends my way, & you can receive an extra entry. If your friend wins, I will send you a little extra something for playing along! Good luck

The winner is.....

MamaRose 

I love your "About Me". Yes, it is quite amazing to be able to connect with women near and far, who share the same passions! As for your giveaway...I had been wanting to learn to can and pickle for quite some time. I finally learned 2 weeks ago at a friends house and am thouroughly excited about it! I've heard of the Ball Blue Book as being the canning bible-loL! I will definitely keep my fingers crossed for this one!! Thank you for the opportunity!

congratulation Mamarose! Please get with me for your contact information.

Thank you for everyone who played along.

Even more camping finds

{Photo found on flickr by linanneblack}

Having cancelled our camping trip a couple weeks ago, I have been spending more time planning for when we actually do get to go camping.  It seems as though this time of year everyone is camping or vacationing & I have been able to find some great tips & ideas.

I thought I would share some of what I have found with you.

:: Some great camping tips here.

:: DIY car organizer for kids here.

:: A packing list for kids here.

:: A helpful travel list here.

:: A great "First Aid" bag found on Maya*Made; tutorial coming soon!

:: Herbal First Aid Kit by silvermoonherbals on Etsy

:: Camping Handmade Soap by DiMikaSkinsations on Etsy

:: Herbal Insect repellent & Sting Relief by mirasolfarm on Etsy

Hope everyones summer is going well, that you are spending lots of time with family, & that you are staying safe.  Most importantly I hope you are having lots of fun!

Recession Garden

This past spring I heard people say that they had decided to have a garden this year. Following the statement with "it's not a recession garden".  I found that interesting. Would having a recession garden be admitting defeat. Admitting that you could use the economic help that having a garden can offer?  

I like the point of view that these posters take from WWII.  Gardening wasn't a sign of defeat, it was a weapon. It was a way people could save their resources to use on more important needs- like winning the war.  

Today people are looking to resourcefulness as a weapon once again.  Meatless Monday is a movement of people who are committing to go without meat on Mondays. Why you ask? Well there are many benefits for this decrease in meat consumption, like health for one. We've all heard of the health benefits that come from eating less processed, red meats so I won't go into that here. The benefits that I found most interesting were the ones made on the environment.  By reducing the amount of meat you consume, you can help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.  After watching this video, I was amazed of the impact that meat industry has on the environment & our natural resources.  

I've decided to join this movement. Not because I think that the meat industry is evil.  Not because I am concerned with how animals are being treated. But because i want our family to be more responsible with the resources that God has given to us.

  

50 Life Lessons

{Photo taken by Phil}

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Each of these lessons seem so simple, yet they take a lifetime to learn.  This week I am working on #42.  I am going through every room in our house to purge the useless, ugly, non-joyful things.

This list was written by Regina Brett of Cleveland, OH. I really enjoyed this list & thought I would share it with you. 

What lesson(s) are you currently learning?

County Fair

{County Fair 2008}

{County Fair 2008}

{County Fair 2008}

{Tom Thumb Doughnuts. My Favorite!}

It's Fair Week everybody!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Living among the amish has cause me to take a closer look at living the "simple life".  I've always considered myself to live a fairly simple life.  I love staying at home to take care of my family, & I am happy to sacrifice all the extra "stuff" in order to do so.  Taking a look into the lives of those who are living around me, I have seen a new value in living a sustainable lifestyle.  The more I look at ways to meet our needs with homemade alternatives, the more fulfilling my my choices have become. By growing our own produce & buying what we don't grow from local farms I know that I am helping my neighbor provide for his family. ( Not adding icing to the cake of a corporate retailer).  By finding homemade alternatives to products I normally pay a high price for I am saving my family money.  Money that can be use to provide for other needs. One of these homemade alternatives that I have started using is homemade laundry detergent. It works fabulously. My clothes are clean, they smell great, and I am saving our family money.  

Here is the recipe I am using:

1/2 c. Borax (found in the laundry section)

1/2 c. Washing soda (can be ordered online)

1 c. of Fels-Naptha  (found with the bar soaps)

Use the grating disk to shred the Fels-Naptha bar.

Use the food processor blade to mix the Borax & Washing Soda with the Fels-Naptha.

Use 1 tbsp for a light load, 2 tbsp for a regular load, or 3 tbsp for heavily soiled load.

1 batch will wash an estimated 75 loads.

Cost:

Borax $2.oo

Washing soda $8.00 (1 box will make approx. 6 batches. Price is including shipping)

Fels-Naptha $.79

This works out to be $2.50 a batch or .03 a load.

If you decide to try this out at home, let me know how it goes.

5 Senses

I hear :: a bird sing in the trees

I see :: Best of Friends

I feel :: wind blowing in rain clouds

I smell :: fresh cut grass

I taste :: the ice cream of my youth

Stop just for a moment. What are your 5 senses telling you?

Mohawk Baby

You've all seen these sun soaked curls...

His bangs were in his eyes. The in-laws kept wanting to cut his hair. 

I tried to get him to where a bandana to keep his hair out of his eyes. 

I wanted the bangs to grow out like the rest of his hair.  

I wanted to hold on to those sweet curls.

It all came to an end when one morning I asked Jake what we should do that day.

His reply "I want my hair cut like a mohawk!"

& that was the end.

Sidewalk Paint

Today we made sidewalk paint. It was such a great activity. The paint is very simple & inexpensive to make.  We took our paint to the park to paint on the sidewalks there. The paint washes off so I didn't worry about painting at the park.  Here is the recipe I used:

Mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of corn starch until the corn starch is complete dissolved.

Add food coloring to make the desired colors.  Here is a list of colors & the amount of dye that should be used.  We made a double batch to fill 4 containers.

Red = 8 drops

Orange = 4 red + 2 yellow

Yellow = 8 drops

Green = 8 drops

Blue = 8 drops

Purple = 4 red + 4 blue

I was really happy with how the colors turned out. They were nice & bright even after they dried.  Once dried the paint has a really smooth texture which my kids found fascinating.

.................................................................................

On another note :: Friday my Father-in-law was told that he needed to have open-heat surgery. They scheduled this operation for Monday. Needless to say we chose not to go camping this week & to stay home to support our family. Thank you to those of you who were praying for our family. The surgery went well & dad is recovering. He should be going home on Friday.

A Gift for a Friend

I made this baby sweater as a gift for a dear friend who is expecting her second child in August. The pattern was found on Ravelry. It is offered for free by Debbie Bliss.  I used 100% Yak Down yarn from The Rocking Yak. It offers the perfect combination of softness & warmth for a precious little one.

I absolutely loved knitting it. It was quit simple & knit up quickly.

I've decided that this sweater should be my standby for handknit baby gifts.

Making a list

I have made a list (well, a few lists actually), & I'm checking it twice.  We are getting ready to take our family camping.  We chose a campground that my husband grew up going to.  I can see that this trip will bring back all kinds of fun memories from his boyhood.  I've already heard a few.  We are all very excited. I am a little overwhelmed with all of the packing & food prep that will need to be done in the next few days, but it will all get done.

I thought I would share with you some information that I have found useful while preparing for our trip. Maybe you too will find some use of these links.

:: A great camping pack list

:: 10 activities to do while camping

:: Scavenger Hunt List

:: Making walking sticks

:: Camping recipes

:: Clues for Letterboxing

I won't be Between Hitching Posts for a bit.  Can't wait to catch up with you after our trip!

Treasure

A long time family friend recently moved across the country. Not having any little girls of her own, she passed on some of her childhood treasures to Nona. 

:: an old box filled with 2 dolls and a barbie.

:: beautiful old fashioned baby doll clothes.

:: a precious baby doll bed with an inflatable mattress.

:: an antique baby scooter.

Nona & I both were equally excited as we sat together looking through all the wonderful gifts this dear friend had blessed us with.

Waiting for Darkness

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

{ Yarrow }

Yarrow has been valued since ancient times for its ability to stop bleeding, hence its folk name "nosebleed." 

Today, yarrow is valued for its ability to fight off colds and flu.  This plant is easy to dry & keeps it's color well.  I love how these flowers look tied up & made into a garland for my kitchen window.