Finishing up a few things around here...........

I did get the oven mitts felted last night and they are definitely smaller!  The directions told me to put them in a pillowcase and throw them in with another load or some jeans or tennis balls to agitate them and felt.  It also called for hot water.  Well,  they're bright red and would bleed so I didn't want to use a good pillowcase so I put them in a flannel drawstring bag and threw them in with a load of darks.  It worked and they felted for sure.  The only problem was they also stuck to themselves and it was like they were glued together and you couldn't get your hand in them.  So, after much tugging and pulling I got them separated and could get my hand and thumb inside.  I straightened them out and left them to air dry overnight.  But all that tugging did leave some wrinkles and weak spots, I think. I'm not sure they're really thick enough to use them as oven mitts at least not if you were having to hold onto something really hot for very long but we'll see and I'll let you know.  I want them to work so badly because I think they would make great gifts and you could stripe them like the original pattern and make different colors or use those transitional yarns that change colors.  Time will tell and then I'll tell you!  Here's a picture of the mitts that inspired me, aren't they just too cute?  You can get this free pattern and SO MUCH MORE on The Purl Bee.  They have knitting, crocheting, quilting, sewing, embroidery and more.  Check it out it's a wonderful site and sight!

Aren't they darling?  So cute and perfect (above).....now here's mine before I felted:

And after I felted:

There you have it folks!  They don't look much like the "inspiration" mitts but of course, they were knitted by a "professional" and it is pretty obvious that I am still a novice!  But onward and upward and tonight I start a new project....I'm actually back tracking.....from the book that gave me my knitting start........

 

I've posted this book before and it is one of the funniest books I've ever read...she's a stitch in more ways than one!  She also has a website under her alias of "Crazy Aunt Purl" and yarn "recipes" in the book.  I've made the first 2; Beginner Scarf #1 and Beginner Scarf #2....that first scarf was my best work so far...I think I'm regressing.  The second scarf was made using a very troubling "fancy" yarn that cost 2 arms and 3 legs!  But the yarn was gorgeous!  I would have been better off just leaving it in the skein to look at because after it was knitted up it wasn't that pretty.  So, the next pattern on my way to "knitting mastery" is called "The Magic Scarf".  I have the yarn because I have started this scarf and torn it out a few times but I am a more proficient knitter now...RIGHT???  Ok, don't answer that but I am determined to master The Magic Scarf!  It's called magic because you knit 5 purl 5 for 10 rows and then you switch to purl 5 knit 5 for 10 rows and it looks like a basket weave pattern.  My problem is...my mind wanders and I forget to stop knitting and start purling and back then I really thought I could watch television AND knit! LOL!  Boy was I wrong!  I could if it was all knitting but how often does that happen?  So, this is what separates the Women from the Girls in knitting.  REAL knitters can watch t.v. , carry on conversations and multitask while knitting.  I am a novice because I have to go to a safe room with no distractions or noises of any kind before I can emerge with anything that even resembles a knitted item.  In the book by Laurie, she drinks wine while knitting.  I haven't tried that yet but it seemed to help her!

I also finished a book I've been reading....

This is a used copy and I ordered it from Amazon  as it's no longer in print.  It was written in 1963 and tells about a young married couple who leave their professional lives in Boston and head out to live off the land in the Canadian wilderness.  I adore books about self-sufficiency.  He's not the greatest writer but it's a good read for sure.  He wrote 4 other books that I will be looking for too.  Have a great weekend and don't forget to tune in again for the adventure of Sam and The Magic Scarf!

FInished knitting my oven mitts!!!!!! Finally!

I spent the day finishing up my second oven mitt of the pair I've been knitting.  I still have to felt them in the washer so I'll post that later or tomorrow.  They're HUGE right now!

 

 So what will I knit next?  Well, it won't be my favorite owl yet.........isn't she a beaut!  Ashley made this one and it is my goal to make one...some day.  It is a PurlSoho pattern and free but you have to be a better knitter than I am!  That owl is SO soft too.

 Here's some more yarn at the shop....she carries Cascade yarn in various types but mostly natural fibers which is fine with me since I rarely use anything else.  YUM!!!  Look at all those luscious colors!

The Quilted Heart and more...........

Here are just some of the views of our local quilt shop where I learned to quilt and now I'm learning to knit!  She has "the gift" when it comes to decorating and all around creativity and her daughter inherited it from her too!  They are both VERY talented individuals!

 

See that cute scarf she knitted out of fabric?  She has kits to make them!  Too cute!

 This is my knitting instructor, Ashley on the left (I know you can't see her and she's such a cutie!)  and Linda, another student on the right.  They are both far better knitters than I!  Linda made that beautiful green shawl they're working on.

This a DARLING felt and wool hand appliqued quilt that depicts snow people for every month of the year.  She won a prize at the county fair for it.  I have the pattern and the  material but have I done it yet?  NO!  Another UFO! 

This a SO CUTE wall hanging that I would like to do........

 

Jamie has her shop decorated with all kinds of antiques and "old stuff" we both love!

 Look at this needle keeper and tote bag.......LOVE!!!!!

and quilts galore......

Of course this is my favorite....Mary Engelbreit!  Who else???

 

It's Springtime in the Ozarks!!!

Look what I found in my back yard yesterday!  The robins have been here a few weeks too!  Yesterday was in the 60's and today it's supposed to be in the 70's!  Now, I have to get outside and start working.....it's double duty again until next Winter but I love the outdoors and all it entails!

 Oh, I almost forgot....look what else came in the mail yesterday.....I haven't even looked at it yet!  But the cover alone is a feast for the eyes...lots of ideas right there!  Enjoy your day and Happy Springtime!  It's on it's way to a neighborhood near you!

Look what I won from the Cranky Queen!

Isn't this just the CUTEST!!!  She makes these from recycled vintage materials and see the pin in the upper left hand corner?  She is SO creative and she had a drawing for several of her creations and not only did I win but I got my favorite and hers too!  Those are MY colors...let me tell you!  And look at the trim and the pompoms on the sides.  It is my treasure!   Thanks, Tiff!!!!  Also, she had it wrapped in old sewing pattern tissue...and a little note pinned to it ....if you can see it.......... I take terrible closeups...I really need to learn to take photographs one of these days!  Anyway, it says ""Old Souls"..once forgotten, but now found again..Items made from re-purposed, vintage materials by Tiff.  Enjoy a piece of the past!"

 This cute old photo was on the front of the package too.

 Isn't that just the sweetest card...these pillows she makes are a piece of the past and it brings back such wonderful memories for me.  To see more of what this talented "Southern Belle" has created and her wonderful blog, please visit The Cranky Queen    You really made my day, Tiff, thank you again SO MUCH!!!

Quiet, restful day yesterday.....so nice.........

     I got off to a nice start yesterday morning making myself a nice breakfast as opposed to my daily ritual of yogurt and toast.  I also tried something new.  I "baked" my bacon in the oven!  You cover a baking sheet in foil and lay your bacon on the pan overlapping just a bit.  It said to bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes but I about doubled that because I like my bacon crispy like my cookies! LOL!  It did require less cleanup for sure and the bacon doesn't curl...it stays fairly flat.  I got my recipe at my favorite site All Recipes.  Like I say about Johnson's Hardware Store in our area..."if they don't have it, you don't need it!" 

 

I also got out my "free" old waffle iron that a lady gave me with the old cloth cord which I would like to rewire if possible but it's in good shape for now. 

It even has a lever on it that you can set from light to dark.  It's well seasoned and I spray it with butter flavored  baking spray and I'm "good to go"!

  I have a favorite pancake mix that I use for pancakes and it said you could use it for waffles too.

It's their blueberry mix and it makes delicious blueberry pancakes!

And of course, you must have maple syrup!

Looking good...........

Taa Dah!  Yumm...can't wait to dig in!
well, after eating here's my "expert analysis"............ I live alone and in order to make it worthwhile to heat the oven and cook up that bacon I cooked more than I usually would using a pan.  Now, that's alright as I will reheat this week (in a pan...microwave makes it soggy) or I could turn on my oven again but probably not for a few slices.  I'll use it for blt's but for me, personally, I will cook my bacon in the pan unless I have company.  This is how many restaurants cook their bacon now because they go through a lot of it and I sure could have used this method when my children were growing up and I had a houseful but for little old me, not a very efficient method.  Also, although I drained it on paper towels, it seemed there wasn't as much bacon fat left in the cookie sheets as when I fry it up in a pan which means that more of the fat is staying on the bacon and I sure do not need any more FAT! LOL!  And I tended to eat more because I made more. 
I told you I love my pancake mix but for waffles it really didn't work well at all.  I know they looked good but they tasted like they were the frozen waffles.  They were tough and I couldn't get them to brown or get crispy.  A friend of mine suggested I try Krusteaz mix as she has good luck with that and even uses it for Belgian style but she also has one of those newer professional waffle makers too.  I have made waffles before in my waffle maker that were very good now if I could just remember how I did it?  The moral of the story is that just because it makes great pancakes that does not ensure good waffles!  But I ate it all regardless!  I was hungry!

Thanks for the memories.....

 

 

Well, yesterday was my last day at The Frugal Fox where I help out on Saturdays or whenever she might need a hand.  Sue and Andy are the owners and the kindest and most giving people you could ever want to meet.  It's been a true joy and added so much to my life to be able to share in their adventure but because of  numerous reasons they are closing the shop.  Part of the proceeds also funded the animal rescue operation in our community and I think Sue started that and it is still going strong.  They have rescued and "saved" and found "forever" homes for so many animals and continue to do so.  Bless you all!  Here are a few pictures of Sue, a dear friend, and the shop which is actually getting pretty empty now with sales and consignors picking up their things. 
This is Sue....decorator extraordinaire!

 

 Cute dresser huh?

 

I love this piece too!

This is a beautiful "gate-leg" table and there's a darling "star-studded" blue and white tray and you can see what wonderful "treasures" I had to try and resist every week!  Let me tell you it was NOT easy!

 This says it all............Gratitude for the wonderful memories, the great people and the inspiration.  Thank you Sue and Andy and thank you Frugal Fox!

My FAVORITE cookie in the whole wide world!

Thank goodness I'm not allergic to peanuts because peanut butter cookies are my all-time favorite cookie.  They're also pretty quick to make and you usually have all the ingredients on hand.  I've probably posted these cookies before since I make them almost monthly.  They're practically a staple in my house!  I'm not sure I've included the recipe before so here it is. 

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter (I use creamy but you could use chunky)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Thoroughly cream butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.  Sift together the dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture.  Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  (I use parchment paper on my cookie sheets and that way I just have to wipe them off and put them away when I'm done, no scrubbing involved!)  Criss-cross the cookies with fork tines dipped in the sugar so they won't stick.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.  Cool slightly and remove from pan.  Makes 4 dozen. 

I bake mine a little bit longer as I like mine browner.  I am definitely a crispy cookie kind of gal!

See what I mean about baking mine longer....those are PERFECT for me! LOL!

 

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! 

How to make your own laundry detergent and save $$$$$$!

I've been making my own laundry detergent for a few years now.  I got my recipe from Mary Jane's Farm magazine but I think originally it was posted in the chat room there.  Anyway, here's the ingredients and the process and it's SO EASY!
I chop up a bar of castile soap which I found to be the least expensive so far.  I used to use a food processor to grind it up but it "died" awhile back and I haven't replaced it yet.  I just lay the bar on my chopping board and slice it thinly and in doing so it falls apart.  I then cross chop it to ensure it's chopped up good.  You could also use a grater.  I forgot to take a picture of it after I chopped it up but I would technically call it "minced"! LOL!  You can also use Dr. Bonner soaps and any other pure soap.  I've used Fels Naptha soap before too and ran it through my Kitchenaide grinder and it looked like shredded cheddar when I got done.  Very pretty but non-edible!

BTW this is perfectly fine to use in high efficiency washers as that is exactly what I have.
I have a nice sized Lock n' Lock storage container I use and I throw the chopped up Castile Soap in there.  I then add 2 cups of Washing Soda, 2 cups of Borax and 1 cup of baking soda. 

 

 

You can also scent your detergent which I like to do.  I need to get some natural pure oils but for now I had to settle for what Wal-mart had which is called a concentrated fragrance oil made for those warmers.  I'm pretty sure it's probably artificial but it does scent it but I prefer the all natural oils.  BTW, I got all the ingredients at Wal-mart except for the Castile soap which I get at my local grocery store.  I have also used Dr. Bonner's natural soaps which are already scented, or not and they are pure but cost more.  The more you can do yourself the more money you save.  The scents below are Lilac and Linen but you can use whatever you want.  Some people use Tea Tree oil for it's anti-bacterial properties.  I like to use scents based on the seasons too.  In Winter I like pine scent.  When I use my dryer I don't notice the scent so much but when I hang on the line I can smell it which is an extra  benefit for hanging your clothes on a clothesline.

 

 For mixing and storing I use a 3.8 quart Lock n' Lock container I purchased from QVC but you can use whatever you have on hand.  I like the Lock n' Lock because it is waterproof and I can throw all the ingredients in there, lock it up and then just shake it like crazy and it all gets mixed perfectly, scent and all.

There you have it!  How to EASILY make your own detergent and save yourself some money!  It cleans to my satisfaction and I get pretty dirty sometimes as I garden and do everything myself around here.  When you hang your clothes out in the sun it bleaches them a bit so I always hang my whites and lights on the front lines where the sun hits and my darker clothes in the back.  In the Winter I hang in the basement but it's also an energy savings and when I hang in the basement they are wrinkled and I end up doing much more ironing which is an energy hog plus I'm taking my life in my hands going down the stairs with a basket full of wet clothes!  Although, with the front loading washer the clothes aren't nearly as heavy!  I've been using my dryer a little more this Winter.  If you want to really chop $$$$$ off your electric bill stop using your dryer!  It is one of the most expensive appliances you own. For softner and a rinse agent I use white vinegar.  You will not believe what a coating those commercial softners and dryer sheets put on your clothes.  If you use vinegar there will be no more soap residue left in your clothes and your towels will be much more absorbent and your colors brighter!  Try it....you'll like it!  And you'll be saving money...lots!

I use 1/4 cup of the detergent per load and I use 1/2 cup white vinegar for softner.  Now go out there and save yourself a bundle!

Got called into the shop yesterday.....

     I got a call from Sue in the morning that her Mother had fallen and she asked if I could come in and watch the shop from 12:30 to 3:00.  I said no problem as I rushed around to get dressed, eat breakfast and get out the door! LOL!  I used to be such a morning person but not so much anymore....more like a slow boat to China in the mornings!  Anyway, it's 35% off right now and she's closing a week from this coming Saturday so this Saturday will be my last day!  It's so sad and I will miss it as it's been so much fun!  But my journey continues and so does my cleaning out!   I have some empty spaces to prove it too and hopefully more in the future!  Here's few for now.

 

This is my little stove (non-working) in my kitchen which is a t.v. stand for now as you can probably tell by all the wires!  QUESTION:  IF we have wireless phones and pc's and printers  why can't we have wireless t.v.'s??????????  I despise wires...they absolutely ruin a decorating scene, dust runs to them and my Edna cannot tolerate them at all.  So, if anyone out there in t.v. land is listening....get with the program and the technology.....let's "go wireless or go home"!

I got the blue bookcase at a garage sale last summer.

The bookcase below isn't really destined to remain here in the kitchen but I picked it up at the consignment store and that's as far as it got for now.  There are glass sliding doors for it too.  It's an antiqued green.  Notice how I am already beginning to fill it up though?  Not a good sign!  Please ignore the wallpaper and curtains as they are SO not me!  That was my Mother's decorating...bless her heart and 40 years old too....the decorating, not my Mother.  If she was still here she would have been 96 this year.

So, that's my kitchen right now.  I have the material for the new curtains which doesn't match the wallpaper but that hasn't stopped me so far! LOL!  Oh and look what else I found that I forgot was "heart-shaped" on Valentine's day....there's little hearts in my tablecloth that I never even noticed before. Yet again...another Thrift Store find!  Have a great day...and don't worry...I didn't forget the fact that I still have more cupboards to clean out....ugh.