Hippie Chicks

You are What You........

2012-07-09T18:42:00.000-04:00

EAT!!!

OK OK, I know I haven't written a post in forever its been a crazy few months. I have said it before and I will say it again, the most amazing thing about living where I do is the fact that we not only get a Spring growing season like the rest of the country, but we get a Fall and Winter season too!! So, drum roll please!!!!!! This is what I am planting this fall!!!

But first a little about the company I order seed from. The company is called Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. In the vast world of seed they are a small company. Their company sells Heirloom Seed, which in easy terms means you can harvest the seed from the fruits, vegetables, or flowers and plant it again and again without the risk of unnaturally genetically modifying it. For the already garden savvy they are Non GMO. Please visit them at http://rareseeds.com/

First up Cowpeas, or as they are known in my neck of the woods, Black Eyed Peas. These grow amazingly in my area! Last fall I was able to pick and dry over 2 lbs. of beans on a shorter row than I have now! They will be planted mixed together on one row. The 2 varieties I will be planting on the same row are Purple Hull Pink Eyed and Purple Hulled Specked peas.

Next are the Green Bean types. Another fun fact about me is that I Preserve by canning, a lot!!! Green beans are my favorite thing in the world to can as well! I was able to put up 22 jars of beans over this summer, but that will not be enough to last through the winter and back into next summer as I learned last year. So, I am growing them again, but this time I am adding a variety at my Husband's request. The 2 varieties are the classic Blue Lake Bush 274 and the new is the Roma II Bush, which is a Italian style flat green bean. Each will have a full row.

Last in the Bean category are the Butter Bean/ Lima Beans. These like the Black Eyed Peas will be dried. I have never tried to grow Lima's but I have been told I live in a good area for them to thrive! They will be planted together on 1 row half and half. The 2 varieties of these are Dixie Speckled Butterpea and Henderson's Bush Lima beans.

In a category all its own is the Corn. I will be planting 4 rows of corn this fall!!! This spring I had only 2 rows and I really really hoped it would be enough to can, but no, not even close. I will be planting both sweet eating corn and dent feed corn for the critters. I am changing the variety of sweet corn after the really very sad sad yield I got this summer. On the other hand the Dent corn really produced amazingly and we already have a quarter of a 5 gallon bucket filled with dry kernels and still have more drying to add. The 2 varieties are Golden Bantam 12 Row, the sweet and Thompson Prolific Dent Corn the name is very fitting.

The final, I am growing you to stick you in a jar veggie, is Cucumbers!!! I love pickles so so much! Sadly because of all the rain this spring my cucumbers I planted didn't make because they were choked out be weeds before they had a chance and we couldn't fight them fast enough! Hopefully this Fall we will have better luck and I will get a TON to make up for it!!!!! These 2 varieties are Delikatesse Cucumbers and Parisian Pickling Cucumbers, awesome names I think!!!

Last, but certainly not least is the one type of plant any good fall garden should have!!! PUMPKINS of course!!! I hope we have a good yield, because not only do I want to have a fully decorated yard this year, but I would also like to sell a few to fund my makeup and beauty item habits!!! The varieties we are planting are Connecticut Field Pumpkins and Jack be Little Pumpkins!

Ok, now, this little beauty is the freebie I got with my seed order. Every order gets a free packet of seeds, I am not sure if there is a certain amount you have to spend before you get it or not, but I have received a packet with everyone of my orders. I do grow tomatoes, but I have a really hard time starting them from seed because of the spring humidity and rain and my lack of a green house for winter sprouting. I buy seedlings. So, in my other blog http://ssbeautyreview.blogspot.com/ , I am working on getting together a bunch of cool products to giveaway. I am going to be adding this packet of tomato seeds to my giveaway collection. I don't know when I will do the giveaway, so keep an eye out on both blogs!

A working woman with a Huge garden!

2012-04-23T19:56:00.000-04:00

Hey there patient readers, sorry I haven't been around. But I am now a working woman, lol! I am now the office manager at All Terrain Motorsports, which is my dear husband's, cousin's motorcycle and ATV shop. I have been hard at it trying to organize and make things run smoothly, so when I get home, work in the garden, feed the diva, and go to whatever practice or meeting we have to go to, I am dead beat. But I decided to share some pics of where I work. Hope to get some more down time soon so that I can fully update you on everything. But, now I need to make french toast for a hungry diva!

Inside the Showroom

From the Left Side

Straight on

Panoramic View of my Work World.

Sorry for my lack of blogging!

2012-03-22T14:19:00.001-04:00

Hey there readers, long time, no see! Sorry for my absence, but March is a super busy month for any farmer or gardener in the deep south! This month already I have planted all of my veggies in the garden, weeded, and watered til I was blue in the face. I have built a fence for my peas, which are now blooming, and thinned the carrots which are growing now at double speed. Then on top of that, I still have my girl scout troop and my diva girl has started playing Tball and practice is 2 times a week. So crazy busy spring thus far! Hopefully when everything calms down I will be able to blog on a more regular basis. Sarah should be back with us soon as well. She has been equally as busy with her awesome new job! Here are some pics of spring Tball! Enjoy!

Its Growing!!!!

2012-03-05T17:52:00.001-05:00

Another year, another spring, brings a new planted garden! As of now we have broccoli, carrots, and peas in the ground. Guess what, they are all up. After last fall's dismal failure in the broccoli and carrots dept. I am so happy to see them growing! My challenge at the moment is fabricating the fence for my peas to grow on as they already have tendrils growing. As of now working on the fence I already have 2 blisters and cuts all over my arms from the chicken wire. One row is completely done and the other row is short so it won't be as much work. Here are some pictures of the lovely growing world!

The two planted rows. The row on the left are just peas. The row on the right is carrots, broccoli, and a few more peas.

Peas!

Carrots!

Broccoli!

These 2 are pictures are of the fence I have thoroughly injured myself creating...

The pots on my front steps. The big pots have violas in them and the little ones are strawberries.

Strawberry plant, already has a strawberry on it!

Last but not least, these are my garlic plants! And there is a little strawberry plant in the planter on the right. It was the only one that grew out of my first attempt. Never buy strawberry plants that are closed up in a plastic bag.

On the Fronteir

2012-03-01T20:34:00.001-05:00

Yeah, it's been a while. I blame it on the moving, and then the post-work exhaustion. There's nothing like manual labor to remind you how out of shape you are!

So far, I am more than pleased with my new career choice (historic interpreter and farmer for those not in the know.) Its been a blast working with everyone, all of the animals, and all of the period gear!

I have three close co-workers, and then tons of peripheral people (volunteers, the lady that runs the gatehouse, our handyman, my boss, etc.) Heather is the farm wife (now widowed in our farm story since my predecessor left.) she runs just about everything, and is pretty spectacular. Tama is the other farmer with me (my younger, unmarried sister in our tale.) She's a crack up, and we end up doing a lot of our tasks together, and chatting all the while. J-D is the facilities manager (our neighbor on the farm.) He's pretty dang awesome too.

It's only been two weeks so far, but so much has gotten done, and tons more is in the works! Today, we read through all of the apprentice applications for children who want to work on the farm and chose our favorites (we chose 13 new ones, there are 63 total!) Tama and I have also been busy using the draw knives to make new clapboards for the farm house's roof, which is leaking like a sieve. I managed to get the smelliest chicken poop on me, so I had my jeans in the wash and was wearing my petticoat while they ran. Then Tama knocked the wind out of herself with a rogue board, and she recommended that I put my stays on to avoid such a terrible fate. Which led to this spectacular outfit:

I looked just as homeless yesterday when all of my clothes were in the dryer from being rain drenched. I love our dress code.

In crafty news, during the rain day, we got too lazy to do anything big, so Tama and I both made ourselves housewives, which is a fancy 18th century name for a sewing kit. Mine has three parts: two pockets and a pin cushion built into the middle. It's all made from scraps of linen and some raw wool for the pincushion stuffing. Did I mention that the entire bottom shelf in our 7' long fabric closet is free scraps? Yeah. Heaven. Anyway. I also made myself a leather thimble (because why not?) and added a nice chunk of beeswax, some needles, and straight pins. I think now it's time to go 18th century sewing accoutrement shopping... Oh yeah!

There's tons more to talk about it, but is 8:40 and I'm already ready to sleep! And apologies, I'm posting from my phone, and I have no idea what's going on with the pictures. I'm sure y'all are smart enough to figure it out ;-)

<3 Sarah

Teaching Charity Without Being Pushy.

2012-02-27T14:02:00.001-05:00

I am all about charity and giving in my personal life, but when it comes to teaching kids about giving its not easy. For my scouts this year we are going to be doing our service project through AnySailor.com. Since we live in a Navy area I thought this would be fitting, mostly because there are many in the Navy from here and other places serving overseas in combat areas. Any Sailor is pretty easy to go through. First you read through the units that have posted and see who they are and what they need. Then you pick the unit that you want and request their detailed information. Once you have collected the things for them you send them to the address provided. Tonight we will be collecting the donations for the unit and the girls will be drawing pictures to add to the care package. When we get done with our meeting this evening I will scan in their art work so that all of you readers can see their ways of giving!

Twisting away again...Working with grapevine!

2012-02-23T08:26:00.001-05:00

Every year a wonderful time comes around when my Dad prunes the grape arbors, and I reap the benefits! I love working with grapevine, as a weaving material it is wonderful! This year I am going to make baskets as well as wreaths. Today though I wanted to share how to make a grapevine wreath with all of you! You can find grapevine all over, growing wild mostly. Most home owners see it as a weed, so ask if you can cut it from their yard, or if you know someone who grows grapes ask if you can have the cuttings after they prune! Here you go readers, have fun! Hopefully we will start hearing from Sarah soon, she is semi settled and has started her new job as a farmer girl!

Step one: Start with a decent sized vine that can be made into a circle longer than the size you want the wreath.

Step Two: Make a circle with the vine tucking the ends like you would start tying a knot.

Step Three: Add another vine. Start it by tucking the thick end of the vine into an open area of the knotted first loop.

Step Four: Wrap the vine around and around the original loop taking care to hold down the ends so they do not slip out. Tuck the end into a open gap.

Step Five: Continue adding vines until your desired width is reached. You can go the same direction as you add each vine or you can go the opposite direction each time. I personally prefer to add each opposite, it seems to make them stronger. Tuck the last end securely, and you will have a wreath that will last years to come.

Sew excited!

2012-02-15T20:07:00.000-05:00

Hehehehe, see what I did there?? Did ya??? Today I found out that there is a JoAnns in Brunswick, GA that just had their grand opening. For those of you who don't know what JoAnn's is, its a fabric and craft store. I have been limited on the fabric and pattern front around here, especially for plus sized patterns for myself. Now, with this excitement you dear readers will begin seeing my toddler steps toward sewing my own clothes, since I can't ever seem to find anything I like in the regular stores! See you guys soon! Hopefully there will be pictures of popping plants!

As The Garden Grows!

2012-02-13T14:14:00.001-05:00

This year we have expanded our garden! It's going to be epic! We will be planting: Lima Beans, Peas, Carrots, Broccoli, Peppers, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Dent Corn (for chicken feed), Zucchini, Crook Neck Squash, Cucumbers, Sweet Corn, and Watermelons. On top of that I already have my Strawberries and Garlic planted in planters in the front yard. Most of my seed will come from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Sarah mentioned them in one of her posts, here is the site if you are interested. http://rareseeds.com/ Tomorrow or possibly this evening we will be planting the Peas, Broccoli, and Carrots. I really hope the Broccoli and Carrots make this time, they didn't last fall. Here is a pic of it all tilled, and Shane hoeing the rows!

New toys!!!! And SLIME!

2012-02-06T17:02:00.002-05:00

This weekend my husband and I bought our new washer and dryer. A lot of people probably don't see a big deal with that, but we do! This is the fist new set we have ever bought in our almost 6 years of marriage!!!! They are so amazingly quiet, I almost forget that they are on! Here is a picture of the pretty's!

Here is a fun activity to go with the little ones in your life! Last Monday my girl scout troop made slime, I love this stuff! Once it gets done it lasts forever and cleans up off of anything! Here is how to make it!

You will need:
Elmer's White Glue
Borax Powder
Food Coloring
Water
Ziploc bags both for mixing and for storing the slime.

Here is a link to the actual recipe http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryactivities/ss/slimerecipe.htm

I did make a couple of changes to the how to, like we used Ziploc bags instead of bowls to mix the slime, it cut down on the mess by a ton and with 6 girls doing the same activity lack of mess was a good thing. I also premixed the water and glue, and borax and water. Sorry there are no pictures of the girls actually making the slime, but I was going around helping each of them.

The table where I had everything set up.

The Glue and water mixture.

Food Coloring

This is what I had the borax and water mix in.

ProCRAFTination

2012-02-05T23:17:00.000-05:00

No, I don't have a lisp, I have a procrastination problem, and it involves a lot of crafting. Now before everyone starts lecturing me (mother), let me defend myself, as much as I can.

Although I know that my move is looming on the horizon (holy crap 5 days to pack!), the inevitable sifting through my belongings rakes up a multitude of lost and unfinished projects that beg to be addressed. Usually while enjoying a nice film, or an episode of Downton Abbey (anyone else obsessed!?) Some of what you will see here today were already completed projects; some were projects to give to folks before my departure. So although my time could have been better spent (in my defense, most of these were projects I took to work), they did accomplish one thing: They freed up valuable space. They also rock, but that's irrelevant.

And so, I bring you: The Already-Finished Projects That I've Probably Moved 500 Miles

I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but my friend and co-worker has pretty much the cutest baby on the planet. I'm kind of sad we aren't related, so that if something catastrophic happened, I might possibly receive custody of this giggly, smiley small person. Darn the bad luck. Anyway, said child has become the dumping ground for all my baby-nesting projects, as I am childless but still can't stop myself from making some of the adorable baby accoutrements I see. I think her mom is ok with it. And so, as I was sifting through the stuff still in my former-roommate's basement, I found these babies that I made while living in Virginia (2 years ago, cough cough...), when I re-discovered knitting. First, is the watermelon hat.


I have no idea why this is sideways.

Can we get a collective "Ahhhhh"? I can't wait to see this on a sweet baby noggin. Nothing cuter than children dressed like fruits. Which leads us to this:

This was originally supposed to be a lime, and was my first stranded knitting project, but honestly, it could be a lime, a turtle, or the outside of the watermelon to my over-imaginative mind. Whatever you think it is, I'm sure the baby will make it look cuter.

A non-baby project that I had sitting around will hopefully fulfill a friend's need for a brooch (if we ever get together, agh!) I made this like a year and a half ago, but hopefully it will fit in with her shabby-chic aesthetic.


If not, haha sucker, it's a handmade gift and now you'll have to keep it forever!

And so we move along to Projects Whose Parts Were Finished, But Not Completely Assembled (isn't that life?) I'm pretty sure I also made these in Virginia, 2 years and 500 miles ago. It was supposed to be stuffed with a foam cube, but I really just wanted it to be in chubby baby hands asap, so it's stuffed with fiber-fill, and as such is not square in the slightest, but I'm sure the baby won't critique my lack of geometry skills.

In fact, I'm pretty sure she'll just slobber on it.

Each side is a different pattern, which was great for learning new stitches. There's a purple, red, and green side that you can't see. Not that I don't love my friend, but I can't wait until babe is chucking this at her :-)

Which brings us to the final project of the night, Things That I Had Just Barely Started But Should Probably Finish Before I Leave: a headband for my roomie. She's a brave woman, and actually goes outside to exercise (run, what is that?) so I thought she could use one of these to keep her ears warm. Except that it hasn't really gotten cold this year. But whatevs, I started it before I realized this was going to be eternal fall. There's always next year. These are a good way to keep your ears warm without looking entirely like a snowman. Hopefully a little more stylish.

You can also see that I have packed nothing in my office.

They kind of remind me of a 20's turban. They're super-easy to make. You literally knit a rectangle long enough to go around your head (you can make it as wide or as skinny as you want it.) After you bind off, you sew the ends together, overlapped, and then pull the yarn to gather it. Then you just wrap some extra yarn around it to cover the join. I think this one took under 2 hours once I finally picked it back up. I made two for myself over Christmas, and I finished each one while watching one of the last installments of Harry Potter.


A better view. And yes, mom, I know my hair is a mess. I promise I fixed it after I saw this picture.

And there you have it folks. Moving is a process. And for me, it's achingly slow. But I also accomplish a lot in my efforts to not have to pack as much junk. Best of luck to you all as you do your spring cleaning, moving, etc. May many projects finally be finished!

~Sarah

Mooooooving!

2012-02-03T00:43:00.002-05:00

Hey every body! I am indeed moving to DC (or more correctly, Maryland) next weekend, so please forgive my spotty posting for the next little bit. I should get it done, but cut me some slack! There hasn't been a whole lot of packing going on yet, as I am still whittling down my belongings to what I *actually* need and want. Luckily, I've had a great helper.

I have a post for tonight, but then I realized it was all about surprise gifts that I'm delivering tomorrow (yes, it's still Christmas around here!) Bear with me as I distribute my goods, and I'll post them all here this weekend!

Today, I did receive my order from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. They're so lovely!

And I got a free packet too! Can't tell you what it is, because it's one of those pesky leftover Christmas presents I have going ;-) I was highly tickled that my invoice was signed by this guy

and the farm that I'll be working at is called Claude M(oore) too! Hilarious!

If you want to know more about my job, check out this post on my personal blog! It's definitely worth it!

Until this weekend,
~Sarah

Orange Marmalade aftermath... Orange Extract.

2012-02-01T23:31:00.000-05:00

After we got finished making our half a ton of orange marmalade we still had a ton of peels left over. So I went a googling to see how to make orange extract out of the left overs! I was in luck there is a whole how to on the Live Strong website. Here is the link if you would like to try it yourself using their precise instructions. http://www.livestrong.com/article/354088-how-to-extract-oil-from-the-skin-of-oranges/ Here is my how to, its a little less scientific.

What you will need:
Orange Peel
Mason Jar with lid and ring
Vodka

Step 1: Put cut up orange skins on a sunny shelf for a couple of hours to dry them.
Step 2: When peels are decently dry put them in a food processor until they turn into a dry paste like consistency. It will look something like this.

Step 3: Put the orange paste into a clear mason jar.
Step 4: Pour in vodka until the orange is just covered. Seal jar and shake.
Step 5: Put jar near a sunny window for 3 days, shake at least 2 times a day.

Step 5: Strain out the peel using a cloth so that the liquid goes into a shallow pan. I just used a thin dish towel.

Step 6: Allow the liquid to sit for at least 12 hours so that the alcohol evaporates. Here is a series of photos to show how it looks throughout the 12 hours.

Step 7: Restrain liquid to remove any chunks that might have gotten into the extract, I used a coffee filter.

Step 8: Pour into a seal able container and store in a dark area. I found this container at Michaels for 99 cent! Isn't it a lovely color!!! I had a little bit left in the container that I strained it in so I rubbed it all over my hands, they are so soft now!

While on the live strong site I found a page about purposes for orange oil here it is! I hope that some of you readers out there try it. Let us know how yours turns out! http://www.livestrong.com/article/185636-purpose-of-orange-oil/

Orange Marmalade. The Epic Tale.

2012-01-30T17:03:00.000-05:00

Orange Marmalade is a wonderful substance! Over the weekend my parents and I took the time to make 56 half pints of it. The oranges came off one tree in their back yard. We all took estimates on how many oranges there were. My dad said 40...Momma said 100ish...I said around 160. Dad, it turns out was dead wrong. Though we didn't count to see exactly how many there were there were a whole lot more than 40. Now onto the how to's. First things first, do not attempt to make this unless you have a full 2 days to devote to it. Also, you may want to invest in a electric juicer.

The recipe! We loosely used the recipe found in the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving. You can find this very handy book at most major retailers and book stores or on their website www.freshpreserving.com

2 cups thinly sliced orange peel (about 10 medium)

1 quart chopped orange pulp (about 2 medium)

1 cup thinly sliced and seeded lemon (about 2 medium)

1 1/2 quarts water

Sugar

Combine all ingredients, except sugar in a large sauce pot; simmer 5 minutes. Cover and let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Cook rapidly until peel is tender. Measure fruit and liquid. Add one cup of sugar for each cup fruit mixture, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Cook rapidly almost to gelling point. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot marmalade into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Alright, that was the basic recipe, now this is how we did it, again we loosely used the Ball recipe.

Step 1: Gather oranges.

Step 2: Cut and juice Oranges. Save the pulp.

Step 3: Cut skin off of the juiced oranges. Set aside.

Step 4: Slice lemons thinly as recipe stated.

Step 5: Either cut up peels until they reach desired size by hand, or put them in a food processor to break them up to the size you want. We used the food processor.

Step 6: Though the recipe calls for water, we had so much juice from the oranges that we just used it. Combine the ingredients except for the sugar, simmer 5 minutes and let sit for 12 to 18 hours.

Step 7: This is where our recipe and the Ball recipe differs. We wanted some more flavor in our marmalade than just orange. During the holidays we make a hot punch with cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. So we made sachets of these spices to sit in the orange slurry for the entire 12 to 18 hours.

Step 8: The next day... remove sachets, measure how much slurry you have. Add sugar to slurry, and mix well until sugar is dissolved.

Step 9: Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. It took us 20 minutes of constant stirring at a rolling boil to reach gelling point.

Step 10: When you believe your marmalade is at the gel point, use the spoon test to check its consistancy.

Side note: this is what our marmalade looked like when it was ready to put into jars.

Step 11: Skim foam and ladle mixture into jars leaving a 1/4 inch head room.

Step 12: Put lids and rings on jars tightly. This is another place we differ from the recipe. Because the marmalade is so hot when it is put in the jars, processing it again is not really necessary. All of our jars sealed without processing. And you are done! Here is the finished product, perfectly staged by my wonderful detail obsessed Momma.

Here Comes the Sun (Eventually!) And zombies.

2012-01-26T23:45:00.000-05:00

Even with my life in upheaval, not knowing what my job will be or where I'll be living in the next month, I couldn't help myself but buy seeds. I know. I know. ANOTHER thing to move if I do. But hey, if the zombie apocalypse happens in the next month, you're going to want to be on my team...

Everything I ordered came from Baker Creek Seed Co, which deals exclusively with rare and heirloom seeds, and operates a huge seed bank (in case of zombies I bet.) They're a family-run operation, and they're just so darn cute I can't help buy buy from them.

They also carry all kinds of neato stuff, which helps. And look at that guy's shirt!!

So what did I buy?

Haha, complete randomness! I'm currently at work, but I got a bee in my bonnet about ordering seeds (I have a secret project in mind and I really want to get started!) I couldn't remember exactly what I already have (pretty much all the essentials I think) so I just ordered odd and unusual things.

Here's the run through, and any running commentary I have to offer.

First up, I bought Aoyu edamame. I am obsessed with edamame. It's green, which is unusual for me, but these little guys are better than chips!

I go through phases, but sometimes I'll eat a bag a day, which I think might mean I need a 10-step program... So, as they say, grow what you eat. And I eat a lot of edamame. It's also sort of low and bushy, so I'm going to try it in containers and see how it does.

Next up, I got some Stuttgarter onion seeds. I've never done onions from seed, so I'm interested to try. I bought this variety for sentimentality's sake... We used to live in Germany, and we always said something REALLY big was "Bigger than Stuttgart!" I think these guys might live up to that name!

Whoa.

Then, I got some small Spoon Gourds. Because HOLY CRAP I CAN GROW FLATWARE.

No really. Holy. Cow. Isn't that neat? Again, when the zombies rise, I don't want to have to eat with my hands.*

Also, in case of zombie apocalypse, we're going to need a protein source, right? Well folks, quinoa is one awesome grain that also has almost entirely complete amino acids. (I'm pretty sure it's complete, but I thought I'd throw that qualifier out there for all you haters.) Quinoa is a grain, with a very light taste, that is delicious! It also looks to be easy to grow (doesn't do well in hot weather though, sorry Patricia!) and is lovely to look at.

This one is called "Brightest Brilliant Quinoa." Lovely!

I also got two other veggies, but those are the super-secret ones. As soon as I've completed my nefarious plans, I'll let you know what they are!

Then I did something I rarely do: I bought flower seeds. I don't know why, but I hardly ever think to start flowers from seed.

These zinnias caught my eye, and there's nothing like a huge patch of zinnias to brighten your day. They also make great cut flowers.

I've been wanting these Strawflowers forever, so I finally bit the bullet and bought them.

Not only are they pretty on the plant, with a neat papery texture, but they also dry beautifully and last virtually forever (or at least until my cats chew on them.)

Lastly, I got these little babies:

Dwarf Jewel Nasturtiums. Why? Why not! They're pretty, grow out of control (although these ones are supposed to be more compact), and, heck, you can eat the flowers. Do you need another reason?

I hope you all are as excited for spring as I am. All of this will likely be put in containers, so stay tuned to see how they turn out!

~Sarah

*I don't really plan for the zombie apocalypse. However, I do like knowing that, no matter what comes, I'll be fed. And spooned. And, ok, maybe I'm a little paranoid about zombie apocalypse. Just a little.

Warm Hands Warm Hearts!!!!

2012-01-23T20:53:00.002-05:00

Now that Christmas is over I can start posting about gifts that I crafted! The first one is going to be hand warmers!!! I made these as a present for my blogging partner, but I don't know if she has even gotten them, US postal service is not what it use to be! These are so easy to make I had everything laying around the house that I needed. Supplies you need are scrap material, rice, a needle, pins, and thread. To make them warm put them in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. They hold their heat for 45 minutes to an hour!

Step one: Cut out 4 of the same sized shapes, I chose hearts because they went with the theme I was going with, which was warm hands warm heart.
Step 2: Pin fabric back to back with the fabric front on the inside.

Step 3: Sew around the outer edge using small stitches, leave a hole. I found it easiest to leave the hole at the point of the heart.
Step 4: Turn outside in.
Step 5: Fill with rice.
Step 6: Stitch the hole closed! And you are all done!

Weekend Wrap Up!

2012-01-22T22:15:00.001-05:00

Hey friends!

Hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. Mine's been busy, full of classes and cleaning mostly, with a teeny bit of crafting thrown in.

This semester I registered for two classes: Fruit and Vegetable Production, and a Sheep practicum at the EKU farm. That means that every day except Saturday, I'm at work or school. Whew! Busy season again. Fruit and Veg is looking to be an awesome class. We plan out a large market garden, and we also try raising and selling a crop (ours are some Chinese cabbage types.) Sheep is HYSTERICALLY FUNNY. It's run by the sheep and pig manager, but there's definitely more to do with the pigs (the beauty of sheep is that they are super-low maintenance. Doesn't make for a very action-packed class though.) So I've been learning a heck of a lot about pigs. Mostly about how much they smell. Can I tell you how much they smell?

They smell so much that even after coming home and washing my clothes and SEARING the smell off myself, I CAN STILL SMELL IT. I catch whiffs of it EVERYWHERE. The smell of lard is overpowering when I cook. All I have to say is that I will never. NEVER. buy commercial pork again. Commercial pork raising is possibly the most disgusting thing I've ever seen, and EKU's farm is tiny in comparison to most, and pretty cutting-edge with technology. It's still. effing. gross. I've raised pigs on pasture, and happy free pork is incomparable. Pigs love to root. They love to roll in mud. They like to run around. Sometimes, they even like to catch and eat birds (true story.) Things pigs should never have to do include roll in their own poo instead of mud (pigs are actually fastidious), or stand in one place for their entire lives. Or be artificially inseminated.

It really looks like this.

I'm all about pork, I love bacon, and I am all about eating pigs before they eat me, but I'm pretty sure I will go out of my way from now on to find pork that is pasture-raised. Anything is better than pork that lives on concrete and only eats corn and soybeans. Even if it means they snack on the occasional sparrow.

In other news, we've already had a set of twin lambs born. Effing cute. Hoping there are more coming this week! There should also be piglets by Tuesday! Baby season! I think by now I'd actually feel better about eating lamb than pork. At least sheep aren't raised in barns without access to grass and sunshine and air. Ugh. People, this is why farming has a bad name.

Meanwhile, in Craft World:

Sebastian found a new bed. That's a dress I'm supposed to be hemming for a friend. I blame him for my slow turn-over.

I also cut out pieces for my next big project, a tshirt quilt. Everyone should know by now that I'm pretty much a hoarder (ok, there's no "pretty much" about it.) I've been lugging around dozens of tshirts for years because they mean something to me (bands I like, places I've been, gifts that have been given to me.) With the prospect of moving again looming on the horizon, I've been trying to do something about the "stuff" situation, starting with clothes. Friday, after pig class, and a butt-busting Zumba class with all the girls, they all came over to rifle through all the clothes I've decided to give away (the girls, not the pigs.) I definitely made a significant dent in my collection, but couldn't give away my beloved tshirts. And so, with friendly chatter cheering me on, I cut out 31 12" tshirt squares to be made into a quilt. If I can find 5 more, I can make a quilt that is 6'X6', which is intense. Or I can make a 5'X6' quilt and a pillow. Can't decide. Any thoughts, dear readers?

The stack!

I also finally found myself a cake plate! I've been looking for one for quite some time. Throwing cakes on a dinner plate never works out quite how I imagine it will. And so I christened it with a cream cheese banana cake, which is delish!

I'll leave you all with that!

Have a happy start to your week, everyone!

~Sarah

Knitting and the Past

2012-01-19T19:16:00.000-05:00

Or Knitting IN the Past? You decide!

Yesterday, I had an interview for a farmer/historical interpreter position at this historic farm outside of DC. I'm super excited about it... it seems like all of my favorite interests and hobbies into one job, and then PAYS ME to do it. Really. Effing. Exciting.

It did get me thinking though: If I actually get this job, I'm going to have to cover the tattoo on my forearm. You know what that means?

KNITTING PROJECT!!

I found a pattern on Ravelry for 18th century mitts (ie fingerless gloves), which were apparently very popular back in the day. They kept your hands warm in the winter, and protected from the sun in the summer. They also cover tattoos nicely. And so, the knitting began!

The pattern is really easy, and I modified it a bit, but not too much.

Kind of looks like some sort of torturous medical device at this point.

There's a really neat "seam" detail on the outside edge.

The whole arm

Hand detail

Inside out gives you a good view of all of the shaping in the forearm that makes it fit nicely.

Palm side

And finally, the thumb side!

I really like them, they fit nicely, and they should keep my hands toasty (and tattoo covered) nicely. It definitely is going to take another skein to finish the second one, so I stopped by Michael's today! For some reason, this one took me like 6 days to finish. Since I wrote down what I did on the first one, and I'm in the groove, the second one might not take is long!

So, my deal with the universe is that I will actually finish the second one, and so will get the job! Wish me luck!

Compost, It Does a Garden Good

2012-01-18T14:17:00.002-05:00

As so many other gardeners have been told and have learned over the years compost is great! I agree fully! Knowing I wanted to start composting I did a quick search to see how much a ready to go composting unit cost, and got sticker shock, to buy one is not cheap at all. So I began racking my brain to figure out how to make one. I wanted a something contained because I didn't want a pile of stuff in the yard. Finally, after quite a while I figured out a solution. Concrete blocks!!! We have tons of them all over the place collected from lord knows where. So I put them to use! My compost bin has 2 sections, one for now, and one for later. When the compost in one has fully broken down I don't want to add new stuff to it is the reason for 2 bins. Here are some pictures I took to give you readers an idea. It hasn't fully settled yet, but its getting there! Happy Composting!

You have questions? I have answers!

2012-01-16T18:58:00.002-05:00

I asked my facebook friends to post some questions they would like answers to and I got some nibbles! I hope these answers help more people than just the people who asked the questions!

From Tiffany: Gardening tips (fertilizer, bug issues, etc); Favorite recipes

   Fertilizer is always a big question. If you want full organic then composting is the way to go. I will actually be doing a full post about that on Wed. seeing as how I just built a compost bin from cinder blocks. If going fully organic isn't a big deal for you, in our area a good 10-10-10 mix is the most common to use.
                With bug issues, you can use your normal pesticides, but, then you run the risk of all the ickys going into your body, and that is bad. There are all different kinds of natural pesticides that you can use. Many herbs and flowers are great for some pest control issues here is a great site that tells what plant is good for what pest http://www.gardensablaze.com/Companions/CompanionPest.htm
                  And some of my favorite recipes are kind of all over the place. One that is always a big hit is called Stuff in a Bowl. It's super easy, full of flavor and pretty quick to get on the table. The ingredients are 1 box of long grain wild rice (flavored), one can of black beans or blackeyed peas, and 1/2 lb of GA Boy smoked sausage cut into bite sized pieces. Follow the directions on the box of rice as normal, when rice is fully cooked add beans undrained, when they have cooked down a bit add the sausage, serve when sausage is warmed through!

From Sarah: Gardening for rookies! How can I grow my own tomatoes in a pot....or whatever it is they can grow in!?

Tomatoes are so easy to grow not in a garden setting. I would get 5 gallon buckets or large terra cotta pots,if you want them to look prettier, to plant them in. I suggest for a beginner to buy the plant seedlings, all of my family even though we are old hats at planting still buy plants instead of starting them from seed. You can usually find these in the spring at your local home depot or hardware store. Use miracle grow or something like it when watering instead of using a larger garden space fertilizer. Good luck!

From Candice: I have some herb and sweet pea seeds i have no idea what to do with. The best glitter paint for accenting a mural wall ... and any ideas for what to with those tiny vinyl records with the big hole...im thinking bracelets.

              A 5 gallon bucket would be great for the peas, I would plant them there are built them a little trellis to grow up onto. For the herb seeds I would go to the dollar store, this time of year they usually sell the long planters, depending on what they are you can either plant them indoors on a window sill or outside in a nice sunny place. If you keep them fed and watered they should last quite a while!
              There is actually clear glitter spray paint that can be bought at most all home improvement stores! It should work well, but make sure the area is well ventilated.
              Bracelets are an awesome idea! I want pictures!!!

An interesting proposition.

2012-01-12T09:01:00.001-05:00

Yesterday evening a good friend and family member posted an interesting proposition on Facebook. This was the post:

I will make you something (handmade) before the end of 2012 if you are one of the first 5 people to post. No telling what you may get. Just be ready for something fun from Pinterest. :)

You have to turn around and do this as well. Pay It Forward. :)

I love random handmade things and crafting, but a lot of the time I get wrapped up in the where am I going to put it. This will give me an excuse to make things so that question won't over tax my brain! Plus I love making things for others! So I challenge each of you to try this! You never know what the outcome will be, and most people love to get a gift no matter what time of year!

Blackberry Pie!

2012-01-04T19:25:00.000-05:00

Sorry I have been AWOL for the last week, but I have been kind of ill. Every Spring and Summer when my happy little world is brimming in green I go blackberry picking. Then, in the winter I have a wonderful go to for dessert, blackberry pie! Here is the recipe I use, and a few pictures of the yumminess!

4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

Combine 3 1/2 cups berries with the sugar and flour. Spoon the mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup berries on top of the sweetened berries, and cover with the top crust. Seal and crimp the edges. Brush the top crust with milk, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.
Bake at 425 degree F (220 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Resolutions

2012-01-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the hiatus guys, but holidays just put me in the mood for crafting and family time, not computer time! I've actually really enjoyed my two weeks pretty much unplugged (from the computer at least.) Might have to try it more often.

And so, we find ourselves in a new year (2012! No way!), and along with the new year seems to come the endless resolutions, promises of fitness, healthful eating, stopping smoking, you name it. While I feel these are worthy goals, sometimes we set unobtainable goals for ourselves, and are confronted with disappointment when we fail to achieve them. And so, I bring you:

Sarah's List of 10 Somewhat-Lofty, But Mostly Easy, Goals For the New Year

Goal 1: Every other month is "No Buying Craft Supplies Month." Although I will make allowances for emergencies (birthdays, etc, not emergencies like "OMG, I have to make this!), every other month I commit myself to not buying random craft crap. Sad that this is my #1, but it will probably be the hardest.

Goal 2: No soda within 4 hours of waking. Sad again, but necessary. Really, I'd like to phase soda out entirely, but I'll accept no morning soda if that doesn't work out.

Goal 3: Do my dishes by the end of each day. I'm pretty good about this, but sometimes I'm lazy. I need to cut that out.

Goal 4: Make a chore calendar. Sadly needed. I think if I keep it to one big task per day, I can do it. It would be awesome to make this a spin-off craft project and do embroidered dish towels depicting the chores I've chosen. Nerd.

Goal 5: Ditto with pet care. I think just formulating the list will help me solidify a schedule.

Goal 6: Be physically active every day. This should be easy this semester at least, as I am taking an Ag course on sheep that involves working out on EKU's farm for a certain number of hours each week. This is my favorite way to work out ;-)

Goal 7: Cook more every week. Keep track of how many meals I cook, and try to increase that number every week. And, of course, eat more vegetables. I'm moving sort of towards the Paleo diet, but I have way too much dairy to deal with to go full-scale. Cutting back on starches and carbs should help though.

Goal 8: Sleep no more than 8 hours a night. The world could be ending this year, I would hate to sleep through the last year! Plus, I sleep too much.

Goal 9: Keep my room clean. Because I am 12 and need to be reminded to do so. Or maybe this one should be "Get rid of enough clothes that they can all fit in the spaces which are provided." I really thought about "Have no more than 6 pairs of non-wool socks", but that seems like the easy way out. Sweaters and jackets really need to be cleared out. I have a problem with having dozens of both. Maybe this should just be "Have less crap." I like that.

Goal 10: Don't overdo it. Sometimes hard to remember with all these lists and such, but I need to remember to just relax sometimes. I think we all do.

Bun sure knows how to relax ;-)

Happy New Year, Y'all. Looking forward to another year of homemaking-goodness with you fine folks!

~Sarah

Resolutions?

2011-12-27T20:13:00.002-05:00

For years I have made New Years resolutions that I couldn't keep. Like lose 50 lbs and other such absurdness. This year I am going to make some resolutions that I know I can keep. I resolve to expand my garden, experiment with vegetables I have never planted, and grow some fruit trees. And the #1 resolution I am going to make is to give my nephews lots of loves and kisses when they come home from the hospital. As you might remember they were born in October at 26 weeks. They are now almost at, and at the 4 lb mark. On Christmas day my Sister and Brother in Law were able to hold their boys for the first time! The anticipation of them coming home is growing and swelling in my heart daily!!! In January we will be throwing them and their parents a homecoming party since we weren't able to have a baby shower. Something else has been weighing on my mind as well on January 10th I will turn 26. I will be doing a lot of reflecting between now and then on both my past and future and goals I want to obtain!

To ring in your new year with luck and prosperity here is a nice recipe for Hoppin John!

1 (16-ounce) package dried black-eyed peas
2 large ham hocks (about 3/4 pound)
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
4 cups water
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 chicken bouillon cube
Hot cooked white rice

Preparation

Bring dried black-eyed peas and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven; remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain.
Remove skin from ham hocks. Chop meat from ham hocks, reserving bones.
Sauté meat in hot bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until slightly browned.
Combine peas, meat, bones, 4 cups water, and next 8 ingredients in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until peas are tender. Remove and discard bones. Serve over rice.

Oh my goodness could it be!!!

2011-12-21T23:08:00.004-05:00

4 days before Christmas!!!! Warning, if you have little readers you might want to send them away for this post.

This year my parents came up with a brilliant idea. Santa's special wrapping paper. Santa visits Diva at all houses, ours, Mema's, and Nana & Gda's. So, to make it really look like Santa visited all the houses my parents went and bought 3 rolls of the same wrapping paper to wrap a certain few of the presents Santa brings.

Since Christmas is so near here is a list of 5 things to do to make the build up to Christmas even more exciting! Have fun and See you next week!

1. Make Reindeer Food to put out Christmas Eve!

2. Make the cookies for Santa... Remember Santa might like a bit of bourbon in his egg nog!

3. Make your house smell like a winter wonderland!

3 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 lemon slices, fresh or 2 tablespoons dried lemon peel
2 tablespoons orange peel or dried orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 quart water

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat. Add more water as needed.

4. Sit the whole family down and read The Night Before Christmas or The Biblical Christmas Story. Or whatever your favorite Christmas or Holiday story is!

5. Watch some Christmas movies with your family! If you ask my mom, this entails watching all the Die Hard movies...

Hippie Chicks

You are What You........

A working woman with a Huge garden!

Sorry for my lack of blogging!

Its Growing!!!!

On the Fronteir

Teaching Charity Without Being Pushy.

Twisting away again...Working with grapevine!

Sew excited!

As The Garden Grows!

New toys!!!! And SLIME!

Pro*CRAFT*ination

Mooooooving!

Orange Marmalade aftermath... Orange Extract.

Orange Marmalade. The Epic Tale.

Here Comes the Sun (Eventually!) And zombies.

Warm Hands Warm Hearts!!!!

Weekend Wrap Up!

Knitting and the Past

Compost, It Does a Garden Good

You have questions? I have answers!

An interesting proposition.

I will make you something (handmade) before the end of 2012 if you are one of the first 5 people to post. No telling what you may get. Just be ready for something fun from Pinterest. :) You have to turn around and do this as well. Pay It Forward. :)

Blackberry Pie!

Directions

Resolutions

Resolutions?

Preparation

Oh my goodness could it be!!!

ProCRAFTination

I will make you something (handmade) before the end of 2012 if you are one of the first 5 people to post. No telling what you may get. Just be ready for something fun from Pinterest. :)

You have to turn around and do this as well. Pay It Forward. :)