tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:38:31 +0000movingbaby afghananimalsBin LadenHatsquiltcraftingoutsidemoviesafghan from hellorganizationfunny videostreatsThanksgivingnaturehomesteadingpuppieshome makingcutekaznashi flowerswinnie the poohlaundryIdentity TheftclothingHalloweenhomemade dog treatsfamilyhomeschoolingbreadsweaterblanketodds and endscrochetafghanrecipesswine fluProject Linusmushrooms in the fieldcommentsupdateSewingkidshumorapplesblueamigurumiSt. Patrick's DayRelay for Lifecherry coffee cakecookiesdogsChristmasWarm Up AmericaholidayfeltCinnamon BiscuitspopcornThrifty ThursdayKnittingtoys4th of Julycraftivismpearsjewelry makingcraftfoodPumpkinsgardeningbook reviewpatternFree Food Fridayfunny picturesHaitiyarnpeacheshoodiehttp://craftivista.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)Blogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-1827484644260320753Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:34:00 +00002012-02-09T16:38:31.724-08:00 One of my favorite Texans, Hossboss, over at hoof and barrel nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award.  I first found her blog when I was visiting her husband's blog.  I ended up originally visiting her husband's blog because of his name, Yeoldfurt.  I mean, really, with a moniker like that how could I not click? Anyways, I loved his blog, so I figured her blog would be worth checking out ashttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/FQh8iM8yE2I/liebster-blog-award.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/FQh8iM8yE2I" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/02/liebster-blog-award.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-1553602500232376237Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:05:00 +00002012-02-01T19:05:33.092-08:00home makingorganization I've been plugging along in my quest to declutter my house.  We've purged many useless, out dated, and outgrown items from our nooks and crannies and, as a result, I've found that I have all of this space that is housing stuff that actually belongs there, but is doing it in a very haphazardly sort of way.  I need a little organization so I've been on Pinterest finding inspiration. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/qDxB_tHdzz0/declutter-challenge-update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/qDxB_tHdzz0" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/02/declutter-challenge-update.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-5321427365900632287Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:44:00 +00002012-01-23T18:44:06.106-08:00cookiesrecipesfood These chocolate chip cookies are a family favorite. I always make them at night after the kids and after the hubby has fallen asleep on the couch because that way I can eat about 1/3 of them without anybody bothering me.  Don't judge me, I have to do it that way otherwise I would never get any at all.  Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 stick salted butter, softened 1/2 c. shortening 1 box vanilla http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/MJhUMAMJ6Fw/chocolate-chip-cookies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/MJhUMAMJ6Fw" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/chocolate-chip-cookies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-8131284147698748335Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +00002012-01-20T11:58:23.474-08:00cutecraftingcrochetcraftMy trips to Wal-mart usually are few and far between and typically consist of me heading straight for the produce section or the pharmacy aisles.  It's not that I don't like Wal-mart, I just don't really have much use for it.  I don't go grocery shopping all that often and when I do I usually go to our local Meijer.  So, the fact that I took a meandering walk through Wal-mart last night was http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/EDI1yRu-2TY/bracelets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/EDI1yRu-2TY" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/bracelets.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-7424736537383263197Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:16:00 +00002012-01-14T19:16:24.882-08:00 Our decluttering is going well.  So far we have way more than the 14 items required by the challenge inour little bag heading for the veterans truck. It really isn't hard to find items when you have 3 young kids and a mother in law who cannot pass up a department store sale.  About a third of the clothes they outgrew were ones they only got to wear once or twice.  All this and we only went http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/BMxFsrouhNs/on-track.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/BMxFsrouhNs" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/on-track.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-8989662991082220232Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +00002012-01-08T20:59:50.547-08:00homesteadingcrochetcraftcraftivismI've decided to go ahead and join the declutter challenge mentioned in my previous post.  If anybody else wants to join in go ahead to Hoof 'n Barrel where I heard about it first or head directly over to the Single Saver blog.   Around here we have a donation truck that stops by every so often where you can donate items to various causes (veterans, lupus, or the kidney foundation).  You place a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/pLENNmsyIjw/im-jumping-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/pLENNmsyIjw" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/im-jumping-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-4525321908338759240Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:04:00 +00002012-01-06T20:04:43.974-08:00home makingAround here we are definitely experiences a strong case of end-of-the-week doldrums.  The kids are feeling it.  The hubby is feeling it.  Even the dogs are feeling it.  So I thought,  "what better time to explore the jungle that I call my kitchen cabinets?"  No, that's not an exaggeration.  They are a complete mess.  Picture those closet avalanche scenes in any children's movie...that happens to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/A2dcbEd_IgI/doldrums.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/A2dcbEd_IgI" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/doldrums.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-6805413092611260080Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:49:00 +00002012-01-04T12:49:53.436-08:00kidshomeschoolingDespite the rough December we've had, life and homeschooling must go on. So, we've been learning the very basics about polymers. We started with a basic definition and have moved on to the best part, the experiments! Our first project: Make our own bouncy balls! We made our first bouncy balls from a store bought kit.  They've turned out pretty well.  They bounce without falling apart http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/iAPeiSq1Q-s/bouncy-balls.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/iAPeiSq1Q-s" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2012/01/bouncy-balls.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-3723923806503266539Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:42:00 +00002011-12-28T12:42:16.891-08:00I hope everyone had a merry Christmas.  Things around here were pretty hard.  We lost our baby on Dec. 5th, buried him on the 13th, and then had to rush DH's grandmother to the emergency room three days later because of a pulmonary embolism.  She had just found out she had incurable cancer a few weeks earlier. The hospital treated her bloodclot but she had become so weak and sick from the cancer http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/tav-alGQBs8/post-christmas-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/tav-alGQBs8" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/12/post-christmas-post.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-8979288738581267758Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:25:00 +00002011-12-17T21:25:05.555-08:00craftingKnittingblanketafghancraftanimalsI just finished the monkey square for youngest's "monkey in the middle" knitted afghan.  The square is actually intended to be an 8"x8" dishcloth but I increased the size a bit by using a much larger needle (size 7 US) than what was called for in the pattern so my square ended up being about 10"x10".  The square is super cute but the pattern, which you can find for free here, is not one for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/kawGN5DENyg/monkey-in-middle.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/kawGN5DENyg" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/12/monkey-in-middle.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-6624169542476522363Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:21:00 +00002011-12-12T22:21:36.456-08:00kidshomeschoolingcraftOur homeschooling curriculum has been focused around a Christmas theme for the last week or so and as a result the kids have made a lot of Christmas projects and decorations. It's been a fun way to keep them busy while teaching them all about Christmas customs around the world, the history of some of the decorations we use,  as well as the Nativity story and other holiday gems like The Gift of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/j98HzaF5LDs/weve-been-decorating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/j98HzaF5LDs" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/12/weve-been-decorating.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-9114449676881379026Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:45:00 +00002011-12-03T19:02:35.524-08:00home makingbreadhomesteadingfood I made this cinnamon swirl bread for my father-in-law who really didn't believe that I knew how to make bread without a bread machine. He absolutely loved it though!   I ended up making four loaves, two for my in-laws and two for us.  The recipe is a basic egg based white bread except, instead of shaping it into loaves, you roll each divided half of dough into a 15x7" rectangle and sprinkle http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/BG80ZrxWaVE/cinnamon-swirl-bread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/BG80ZrxWaVE" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/12/cinnamon-swirl-bread.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-351448779137807371Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:20:00 +00002011-11-29T16:29:55.222-08:00odds and endsfunny videoshumorI came across this video of Chondra Pierce the other day and it's hilarious.   If you've never seen Chondra Pierce she's a Christian comedian and seriously one of the funniest ladies in the comedy business and this is one of her best.  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/8rrExJBb03E/just-for-laughs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/8rrExJBb03E" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/just-for-laughs.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-1045931967711987702Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:31:00 +00002011-11-26T10:51:29.220-08:00home makingbreadhomesteadingfoodHopefully everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Our turkey day was pretty standard.  We had food and football, both in very large quantities.  I was in a food comma for most of yesterday and didn't manage to get much done except a little cleaning from Thursday's festivities and I turned some of our over-ripe bananas into banana bread with vanilla frosting.  I used a different recipe than http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/mtlmMfiG0I4/banana-bread.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/mtlmMfiG0I4" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/banana-bread.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-4824651226829176698Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:47:00 +00002011-11-22T17:14:00.607-08:00breadhomesteadingfoodEver wonder if what type of flour you use really matters?  The above loaf of bread  was accidentally made with cake flour.  See, I buy my flour in bulk and keep it in the bags in a metal trash can (clean, of course) with a tight fitting lid.  When it was time to make bread this week I figured that I had plenty of flour in the can and I was right.  I still had at least half of a 50lb bag.  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/zp_JLPsSBms/cake-flour-vs-bread-flour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/zp_JLPsSBms" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/cake-flour-vs-bread-flour.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-460980607384319481Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:27:00 +00002011-11-19T22:51:15.290-08:00homesteadinggardeningpopcornfoodMy Father-in-law grew an acre or so of popcorn this year and had brought over about 40 ears for us to sell at our little stand.  Fortunately for us, they didn't sell!  For the life of me I can't imagine why it didn't sell other than perhaps most people didn't know what it was and didn't realize that after they decorated with it they could eat it.  I mean, this is useful stuff, it's not like http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/ZSsLz6d8RnY/popcorn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/ZSsLz6d8RnY" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/popcorn.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-4668827330328279239Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:33:00 +00002011-11-16T18:08:38.485-08:00I spent a lazy last night crocheting and watching reruns of Amen on GMC instead of cleaning or doing dishes like I should have been doing.  I was also eating my weight in homemade 3 musketeers bars.  I found the recipe at The Open Pantry.   If the good Lord had decided to take me at that moment last night I would've died happy :)  Not productive, mind you, but happy.  I ended up crocheting twohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/ZQVEBi0Rv_I/crocheted-dishcloths.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/ZQVEBi0Rv_I" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/crocheted-dishcloths.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-8372196086866039962Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:55:00 +00002011-11-15T05:13:52.102-08:00cherry coffee cakehomesteadingrecipesfoodAfter many, many, many loong weeks of not having a camera, I have finally gotten a new one.  Well, it's not exactly new.  I just managed to save enough money to fix up an old one.  The picture quality isn't great (as you'll see soon enough) but at least it's something.  Who knows, maybe Santa's elves have something in the works for me for Christmas.   The last couple of months here have been http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/v87lKR-hiNk/i-finally-got-my-camera-back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/v87lKR-hiNk" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-finally-got-my-camera-back.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-6347993435597816226Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:05:00 +00002011-09-11T13:05:43.838-07:00 "I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains."                                                                               -Anne Frank  I can remember where I was on Sept. 11th 2001.  I was a freshman in college.  I was with a friend of mine in the student lounge, getting a sandwich before our morning classes.  There was a big screen tv in the lounge and a group http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/MfQ-7e_p3_U/i-remember-sept-11th-2001.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/MfQ-7e_p3_U" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-remember-sept-11th-2001.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-3480247883976478739Sun, 21 Aug 2011 03:57:00 +00002011-08-20T20:58:21.031-07:00kidsPumpkinspuppiesdogsMy brand new camera (the one that Oldest dropped a few posts back) finally completely gave up the ghost this week.  So it is in loving memory that I dedicate this post to the cameras I've loved and lost with a pictorial tribute from photos past. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/WyvWgmacKSM/in-mourning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/WyvWgmacKSM" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-mourning.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-1987964889984314494Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:31:00 +00002011-08-08T13:33:54.713-07:00homesteadingfoodOur rock candy suckers are coming along nicely, although they aren't quite done yet due to the humidity and other factors that slowed our rate of evaporation down around here the last week.  BUT, they are forming and in another few days we should be able to eat them, which is clearly the best part! Now,  I have a message for all those out there who buy over processed, neatly packaged egg http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/1F67KDcC9Cc/egg-noodles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/1F67KDcC9Cc" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/08/egg-noodles.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-4990659229696619943Fri, 22 Jul 2011 04:12:00 +00002011-07-21T21:12:38.451-07:00kidshome makinghomesteadingfood 90 degrees today at 2pm in the shade.  By the time the sun had set we had reached a peak temperature of 94 degrees with a heat index of 103 or 104 depending on who you ask.  But it gets better.  Tomorrow is supposed to be one of our hottest days on record, if not THE hottest day on record, with temps crawling at least to 95 and a heat index somewhere between 105 and 115.  Yep, you read that http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/w1PzrjiwUa0/its-little-hot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/w1PzrjiwUa0" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/07/its-little-hot.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-875026119905875046Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:47:00 +00002011-07-04T15:47:54.820-07:00family4th of JulyFor independence day this year we spent the morning cheering for Oldest and Middle as they walked in the Fourth of July parade, then we picked raspberries.  I've got burgers and chicken breasts on the grill and a yard full of friends and family.  And tonight we'll be heading to the fireworks display in town.  Doesn't get any better than that.  Hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/N3qVksNJdoc/happy-4th-of-july.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/N3qVksNJdoc" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-4th-of-july.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-9172578675747625520Sun, 26 Jun 2011 01:53:00 +00002011-06-25T18:53:38.074-07:00kidsI was reading an article on a blog this morning that was talking about how this woman liked one of her kids more than she liked the other and how she felt guilty for it.  The comments about the article made it seem as though this was the 'norm' but that most people wouldn't openly admit it and saying, of course, that it would be wrong to show to your children that you liked one more than the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/Fza4jfEDaXk/is-it-normal-to-not-favor-one-or-two-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/Fza4jfEDaXk" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/06/is-it-normal-to-not-favor-one-or-two-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221138636585875651.post-4395420588332073471Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:57:00 +00002011-06-03T21:57:43.249-07:00craftingkidshomesteadingI finished staining and hanging the first gourd birdhouse of the batch a couple of days ago.  I used an acrylic stain and finished it with about 4 coats to get it to the desired color. The picture came out a little dark but you get the idea anyways. Now I just have to finish Oldest's birdhouse that she's entering for the fair.  She decided what birds she wanted to attract and I cleaned, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~3/SLAjO4r7uOw/alas-its-finished.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (The Craftivist)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheCraftivist/~4/SLAjO4r7uOw" height="1" width="1"/>http://craftivista.blogspot.com/2011/06/alas-its-finished.html