It took a few years, but I finally convinced my family to cut the cable cord! This will save us over 1,200 dollars a year!
We haven't been watching much TV for the past year anyway, most shows are of such poor quality that I can't stand to have them on. When we want to watch something, we have been relying more and more on Amazon Prime. We can watch movies, documentaries and the few TV series that we like WITHOUT ANNOYING COMMERCIALS! Sometimes I don't know which is worse, the amoral programming or the amoral commercials.
Well, now I don't have to put up with either. Santa brought us a new 'smart' TV for Christmas (all our other TVs are 20 years old - or older!) so we can access Amazon prime directly from the TV. My husband also bought a digital antenna so we can pick up our local news channels for weather updates. It is an indoor antenna positioned close to a NE facing window. We receive 18 channels! Many of them show old TV shows and movies from the 50's - 80's. They are a delight to watch! (In moderation, of course.)
I wish I could have done this years ago! However, when you don't live by yourself, life is always a compromise. I am just glad it has happened now!
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On another note, I apologize for my erratic posting lately! We are still looking for land and it has taken up much more of my time than I anticipated!
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Time to Make This Years Fire Starters!
These things are SO handy! We use them every time we make a fire at home and when we are camping. I just used the last one in the fireplace, so it is time to make more!
Normally, I make these outside in our fire pit. However, today it is cold and quite windy. I have decided to make them in the house (read that to mean I used electricity!)
I made two kinds, one using dryer lint and one using newspapers/shredded papers.
Dryer lint method:
At our house, making fire starters isn't a one day project. Actually, I am making them throughout the year. It takes that long to collect the ingredients I need to make them. I start with lint from the dryer. It takes all year for me to collect a significant amount because I don't use the dryer that often. Most of the lint I collect is from my husband using the dryer. I stuff the lint into empty toilet paper rolls.
Then, once a year, I dip the lint-filled toilet paper rolls in wax. You can use these without the wax, but they burn longer and steadier once you coat them with wax. It also makes sense to waterproof them for emergencies and times when you need to start a fire in the rain. Dipping them in wax is very easy, but it can be a bit messy. I covered the counter with freezer paper to make clean up easy. In addition to the dryer lint, you will need wax, string and scissors.
Start with a small amount of water in a pot. You need a double boiler to melt the wax and I don't have one. I used my small soap pot instead. You will also need a container for melting the wax. I used a Christmas cookie tin. I have used this one for years. I leave the left over wax stored in it from year to year.
Put the container with the wax into the boiling water. Once I did that, I turned the heat down some to keep the boiling water from splashing around.
After this wax started to melt, I added another pound of the Gulf Wax to the container and let that melt as well. Needless to say, please be careful, the melting wax gets very hot. If you touch it, it will stick to your skin and you can get burned.
While the wax was melting, I prepared the paper rolls. I tied them with string to make dipping in the wax easier. Make the string long enough so you don't need to touch the hot wax. The string also makes lighting the starters easy.
They don't have to look pretty, they just have to hold together so everything can be dipped in the wax and not fall apart. I dip one at a time so I don't make a mess. While holding the string, dip one and hold it under the melted wax (with a spoon, not your fingers) for a few seconds to let the wax penetrate both the lint and the paper.
When finished, hold the string up and let the wax drip back into the container.
When it stops dripping, place on a piece of wax paper or freezer paper to cool.
When the fire starters are completely cool and the wax has hardened, store until needed!
I store mine in a plastic bag with the newspaper logs in the garage.
Shredded paper method (aka - Fire Bricks):
FYI - making fire bricks also takes about a year to collect enough newspaper/junk paper to make them. They are a breeze to make and burn quite efficiently! They can also be used as the only fuel in a Kelly Kettle or volcano stove! Here is how you do it:
Place the shredded papers in a pail with water. Soak the papers well. If you shred by hand, you may have to soak them for a few hours. If you shred by machine, you don't have to wait that long.
Normally, I make these outside in our fire pit. However, today it is cold and quite windy. I have decided to make them in the house (read that to mean I used electricity!)
I made two kinds, one using dryer lint and one using newspapers/shredded papers.
Dryer lint method:
At our house, making fire starters isn't a one day project. Actually, I am making them throughout the year. It takes that long to collect the ingredients I need to make them. I start with lint from the dryer. It takes all year for me to collect a significant amount because I don't use the dryer that often. Most of the lint I collect is from my husband using the dryer. I stuff the lint into empty toilet paper rolls.
Then, once a year, I dip the lint-filled toilet paper rolls in wax. You can use these without the wax, but they burn longer and steadier once you coat them with wax. It also makes sense to waterproof them for emergencies and times when you need to start a fire in the rain. Dipping them in wax is very easy, but it can be a bit messy. I covered the counter with freezer paper to make clean up easy. In addition to the dryer lint, you will need wax, string and scissors.
Start with a small amount of water in a pot. You need a double boiler to melt the wax and I don't have one. I used my small soap pot instead. You will also need a container for melting the wax. I used a Christmas cookie tin. I have used this one for years. I leave the left over wax stored in it from year to year.
Put the container with the wax into the boiling water. Once I did that, I turned the heat down some to keep the boiling water from splashing around.
After this wax started to melt, I added another pound of the Gulf Wax to the container and let that melt as well. Needless to say, please be careful, the melting wax gets very hot. If you touch it, it will stick to your skin and you can get burned.
While the wax was melting, I prepared the paper rolls. I tied them with string to make dipping in the wax easier. Make the string long enough so you don't need to touch the hot wax. The string also makes lighting the starters easy.
They don't have to look pretty, they just have to hold together so everything can be dipped in the wax and not fall apart. I dip one at a time so I don't make a mess. While holding the string, dip one and hold it under the melted wax (with a spoon, not your fingers) for a few seconds to let the wax penetrate both the lint and the paper.
When finished, hold the string up and let the wax drip back into the container.
When it stops dripping, place on a piece of wax paper or freezer paper to cool.
When the fire starters are completely cool and the wax has hardened, store until needed!
I store mine in a plastic bag with the newspaper logs in the garage.
Shredded paper method (aka - Fire Bricks):
FYI - making fire bricks also takes about a year to collect enough newspaper/junk paper to make them. They are a breeze to make and burn quite efficiently! They can also be used as the only fuel in a Kelly Kettle or volcano stove! Here is how you do it:
Place the shredded papers in a pail with water. Soak the papers well. If you shred by hand, you may have to soak them for a few hours. If you shred by machine, you don't have to wait that long.
The papers will reduce down a lot. Stir and let them soak for a few minutes to a few hours. Stir again. Break up any lumps. The lumps are not saturated with water yet. If you had to break up a lot of lumps, wait a few more minutes and stir again.
Compact the shredded papers together (allowing the water to drain out). There are a couple of ways to do this:
- Get a mold. You can purchase a paper brick mold to do this - online stores sell them. I don't have a brick mold. I prefer to keep mine small so I use an old cookie press. When filling, compress the papers every so often then add more. Your brick will be bigger this way. Add the top and squeeze the handle. Remove the cookie cutter and squeeze the handle until the brick comes completely out.
- You could also use your hands to compress the paper, the same way you would make a snowball. It isn't hard, I have osteoarthritis and I do just fine.
- Let them dry completely. They are going to take a couple of days to dry. If you used a paper brick mold, it could take a few weeks. That's it! Here is a picture of one I did with the cookie press and one I did by hand.
We now have enough fire starters to last through next January!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
My Vision of Self-Reliance
I have a different point of view on what self reliance is. (Come to think of it, I have a unique point of view on everything!) My husband and I have decided that now is the time to focus our efforts on our future vision of self-reliance. Now is the time because we think (expect?) the US economy is going to kick into high gear now that we have a new president. This may put rural acreage out of our price range if we wait too long. So, we have been driving around for the past month or so looking at land that we can move to (in about a year to 18 months). We want this land to be something we can use now, and will also meet our needs when we retire.
So what exactly are we looking for?
Well, self reliance to most people means taking care of your self, your family and helping out your community when you can - and doing it all on your own, without help or handouts from others. Our family takes this to another level. We consider self-reliance to be not requiring anything on a continuous basis from any government agency or quasi-governmental agency. This includes our utilities. We don't want city water or sewer services. Nor do we want electricity or TV services. (While we don't really need internet and wireless phone services for our personal life, we do need both to run our business. Hopefully, that need will end when we retire in a decade.)
We want to live where we don't need stores either. Now, I don't mind going to the store once a quarter or so, just like the pioneers did, but not weekly or bi-weekly. Without a cow and chickens of my own, it isn't possible to do that. Cooking with powdered milk and powdered eggs limits my trips to the store, but having my own cow and chickens (as well as a larger garden) is truly self-reliance to me. When it is time to 'go to the store' I want to go out to my land to harvest what I need.
Different states and each county in those states, all have different rules! I have been spending a lot of time on the phone asking questions of local governments. One county employee actually told me that all homes in that county require a continuous source of electric power to get an occupancy permit, and that solar panels with batteries (and a whole house propane generator for back-up) are not considered a continuous supply of electricity! The problem with that is the land we were interested in was almost two miles away from the nearest power line! This is such a shame because those 20 acres we looked at in that county were beautiful! Another property we were interested in did not have access to a phone line (and satellite internet won't meet our business needs).
So on we go! I am doing most of the research, because my husband is super busy with work right now. I am learning a lot about building a house on rural land in all the southern states, and plenty about many of the counties we have targeted in each state as well!
We are praying for guidance from our Heavenly Father on where we should look next. I certainly hope we find what we are looking for soon - I want to plant the apple and peach trees on our new property this year!
So what exactly are we looking for?
Well, self reliance to most people means taking care of your self, your family and helping out your community when you can - and doing it all on your own, without help or handouts from others. Our family takes this to another level. We consider self-reliance to be not requiring anything on a continuous basis from any government agency or quasi-governmental agency. This includes our utilities. We don't want city water or sewer services. Nor do we want electricity or TV services. (While we don't really need internet and wireless phone services for our personal life, we do need both to run our business. Hopefully, that need will end when we retire in a decade.)
We want to live where we don't need stores either. Now, I don't mind going to the store once a quarter or so, just like the pioneers did, but not weekly or bi-weekly. Without a cow and chickens of my own, it isn't possible to do that. Cooking with powdered milk and powdered eggs limits my trips to the store, but having my own cow and chickens (as well as a larger garden) is truly self-reliance to me. When it is time to 'go to the store' I want to go out to my land to harvest what I need.
Different states and each county in those states, all have different rules! I have been spending a lot of time on the phone asking questions of local governments. One county employee actually told me that all homes in that county require a continuous source of electric power to get an occupancy permit, and that solar panels with batteries (and a whole house propane generator for back-up) are not considered a continuous supply of electricity! The problem with that is the land we were interested in was almost two miles away from the nearest power line! This is such a shame because those 20 acres we looked at in that county were beautiful! Another property we were interested in did not have access to a phone line (and satellite internet won't meet our business needs).
So on we go! I am doing most of the research, because my husband is super busy with work right now. I am learning a lot about building a house on rural land in all the southern states, and plenty about many of the counties we have targeted in each state as well!
We are praying for guidance from our Heavenly Father on where we should look next. I certainly hope we find what we are looking for soon - I want to plant the apple and peach trees on our new property this year!
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Is It Time to Tighten Your Belt?
Money wise I mean! The Christmas bills are coming in this month and we all could use some reminders on how to save money.
Here are some of the latest ideas I have found on how to save money this winter and spring:
Here are some of the latest ideas I have found on how to save money this winter and spring:
- 63 Practical Ways to Live a Frugal Life
- 50 Tips for Frugal Living
- People Might Call Me Cheap, But I Live a Rich Life. Here's How I Do It
These lists have a few ideas in common. In my opinion, that is the best place to start!
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Still Living Without a Microwave!
I updated the feature post (over in the left column), last week and just wanted to provide an update to it. I wrote that post 2 1/2 years ago and we still don't have a new microwave!
I don't miss it a bit and don't plan on getting a new one!
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Easy Ways To Add Moisture To Your Home This Winter
Is your house too dry in the winter? It is easy to tell, try going through the day without a static electric shock! You can always purchase a humidifier to solve the problem, but that costs money and electricity.
What is my solution? I offer three inexpensive ways to add moisture to your home!
#1. Set out bowls of water throughout the house. This is the easiest one to do! Once you set them up, all you need to do is fill them once a week or so. I fill mine when I am watering my plants. Note of caution, don't put the bowls of water on the floor, someone will kick them over. When I lived in a different state, the heat vents in our home were in the floor. I would put the bowls of water next to the heat vents. My family was always knocking them over. On top of a cabinet or bookcase where they will not be disturbed works better.
#2. Skip the dishwasher drying cycle and open the door to let the dishes air dry. I typically don't use the dishwasher, instead I opt to wash them by hand. However, if the dishes pile up and overwhelm (this usually happens at holiday time), I will grudgingly use the dishwasher. All you need to do is turn off the drying cycle. When the dishwasher stops, open the door. Quite a bit of steam and moisture will be released into the house! It will warm the air and the dishes dry quite quickly!
#3. Don't use the clothes dryer! Drying your clothes on a clothes rack in the winter is an easy way to add moisture to your home! In addition, there are quite a few other benefits of giving your dryer some time off:
What is my solution? I offer three inexpensive ways to add moisture to your home!
#1. Set out bowls of water throughout the house. This is the easiest one to do! Once you set them up, all you need to do is fill them once a week or so. I fill mine when I am watering my plants. Note of caution, don't put the bowls of water on the floor, someone will kick them over. When I lived in a different state, the heat vents in our home were in the floor. I would put the bowls of water next to the heat vents. My family was always knocking them over. On top of a cabinet or bookcase where they will not be disturbed works better.
#2. Skip the dishwasher drying cycle and open the door to let the dishes air dry. I typically don't use the dishwasher, instead I opt to wash them by hand. However, if the dishes pile up and overwhelm (this usually happens at holiday time), I will grudgingly use the dishwasher. All you need to do is turn off the drying cycle. When the dishwasher stops, open the door. Quite a bit of steam and moisture will be released into the house! It will warm the air and the dishes dry quite quickly!
#3. Don't use the clothes dryer! Drying your clothes on a clothes rack in the winter is an easy way to add moisture to your home! In addition, there are quite a few other benefits of giving your dryer some time off:
- You will save money. In my opinion, this is the biggest benefit in forgoing the dryer. There is a significant difference in my electric bill between the months I use the dryer and the months I don't. (Your mileage may vary if you have a gas dryer.)
- Your clothes will last longer. All that lint your dryer produces, isn't good for your clothes. What is lint? It is the breakdown of the clothing fibers. While you can do some creative things with the lint your dryer produces, your clothes will be better off if they don't produce it in the first place.
- It will help reduce allergens. If you have allergy problems, you can greatly reduce your exposure to pollen by drying your clothes indoors. While I am not opposed to drying clothes outdoors on a clothes line, many neighborhood associations forbid it (including mine). In addition, any sensitivities to the chemicals in dryer sheets can be eliminated when you air dry your laundry.
If you have a basement, you have a ready made area to hang a clothes line. However, not everybody does. I know someone who hangs her clothes on the back of her kitchen chairs. She lives in the southwest and the clothes dry very quickly there. Here in the southeast, our clothes don't dry that quickly, so I use another solution. I use drying racks. I set them up at night so they are not in the way. By morning, the clothes are dry.
Here is a picture of my racks in use a few days before Christmas.
I usually put them in the family room. With a hot fire going in the fireplace, they can even dry in just a few hours! If you are interested, there are many places you can get drying racks. Google it and you should find lots of sources.
Here is a picture of my racks in use a few days before Christmas.
OK, I will admit skipping the dryer does take some planning. If you need a certain piece of clothing right away, this idea may not work. However, I can state it is easy to do, and it will make your house warmer and add a significant amount of moisture to the air. In my opinion, when compared to using the dryer, the additional time it takes to hang the clothes on the racks is no more than a few minutes.
Almost everyone finds static electricity and very dry air in their home annoying during the winter season. (And we all know dry air makes your skin feel dry too!) These tips will help you to add moisture to the air without a lot of time and effort. This will raise the humidity and make the environment in your house feel warmer and more comfortable without turning up the thermostat. You won't get as many static shocks when you walk across the rugs or pet the dog either!
And best of all, these tips are a frugal answer to a common problem!
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
A New Way to Look At A New Year
One of the things I love about my Church is they have answers for any question about life you can think of!
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
The Best New Year's Punch Ever!
I originally posted this recipe a few years ago. However it is SO good, I decided to post it again!
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We have this punch every New Year's eve. It is easy to make and tastes great too! If the amount is too much for your family, you can cut the recipe in half.
Here is the recipe:
New Year's Punch
2 packets of strawberry or cherry Kool-aid (we like cherry better)
1 can pineapple juice (1 lb. 14 oz.)
2 two litter bottles of ginger ale
4 cups sugar (you can use half of this and it still tastes good)
Vanilla ice cream
My recipe says to combine all ingredients in a punch bowl and add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. However, after making this many, many times - I think it does make a difference in how you add the ingredients. I have found that if you add the ginger ale last, it will keep some of the fizzy bubbles in the punch much longer.
I start with the Kool-aid packet and then add the pineapple juice. Stir in the sugar and add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream (to taste). I usually add more later when these melt a bit.
Then add the ginger ale. The whole punch bowl will fizz up! Stir a bit and serve immediately.
This recipe also works well completely sugar free. Use Splenda instead of sugar and purchase diet ginger ale & sugar free ice cream. That is what we are going to do this year.
Happy New Year!
Here is the recipe:
New Year's Punch
2 packets of strawberry or cherry Kool-aid (we like cherry better)
1 can pineapple juice (1 lb. 14 oz.)
2 two litter bottles of ginger ale
4 cups sugar (you can use half of this and it still tastes good)
Vanilla ice cream
My recipe says to combine all ingredients in a punch bowl and add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. However, after making this many, many times - I think it does make a difference in how you add the ingredients. I have found that if you add the ginger ale last, it will keep some of the fizzy bubbles in the punch much longer.
I start with the Kool-aid packet and then add the pineapple juice. Stir in the sugar and add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream (to taste). I usually add more later when these melt a bit.
Then add the ginger ale. The whole punch bowl will fizz up! Stir a bit and serve immediately.
This recipe also works well completely sugar free. Use Splenda instead of sugar and purchase diet ginger ale & sugar free ice cream. That is what we are going to do this year.
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Merry Christmas!
My most favorite music video of all time is from the Piano Guys. While all of their music is wonderful, this one tops them all!
Enjoy!
You can go to YouTube and key in 'The Piano Guys' to listen to more of their wonderful music!
Enjoy!
You can go to YouTube and key in 'The Piano Guys' to listen to more of their wonderful music!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
More Christmas Blooms!
Since I have a lot of orchids, my house is full of many different blooming plants at Christmas time. Orchids are really not that hard to care for and they are so pretty to look at when they bloom! In addition to orchids, cactus is in bloom now too. (You really can't get a more easy-care plant than a cactus - anyone can grow one.)
Here are a few other blooms I have been enjoying this December.
Try your hand at some blooming houseplants! Many don't need much care are are so rewarding to display when they bloom!
Here are a few other blooms I have been enjoying this December.
Try your hand at some blooming houseplants! Many don't need much care are are so rewarding to display when they bloom!
Thursday, December 15, 2016
'Treating' The Poinsettia Plants - Part 3
I wanted to show you how pretty some of my Poinsettia blooms turned out to be. If you recall, I started the 'turning' process on October 1st. It really does take 60 days to get the beautiful red blooms from the plants when you are treating them at home. Here are the two super big ones. I have been 'turning' these at home for quite a few years and I didn't have any problem 'turning' them to get red blooms. (Light differences are because of the different rooms I placed them in - one gets morning sun and the other gets afternoon sun.)
For the baby ones that were only a year old, I got mixed results. One 'turned', but it took 75 days of treatment. This is entirely too long! If it doesn't turn within 60 days next year, I will toss it and get a new one to try. At this rate, it will be New Year's or beyond before it becomes a full, lovely flowering plant!
The other two.... NOTHING! These plants will be tossed in January. If they won't 'work' for their keep, they can't live at my house!
I have already purchased their replacements! I have two new poinsettia plants in small 4in (10.16 cm) pots. They will go into the bigger pots in January. These two currently are living in my bathroom.
I truly am in awe of God's wonder with this plant! (It is still one of my all time favorites - even if I can't get them all to perform for me!) I am quite happy with my work and the beauty they provide!
If you liked this post, you may also like:
Time to 'Treat' the Poinsettia Plants
'Treating' the Poinsettia Plants - Part 2
For the baby ones that were only a year old, I got mixed results. One 'turned', but it took 75 days of treatment. This is entirely too long! If it doesn't turn within 60 days next year, I will toss it and get a new one to try. At this rate, it will be New Year's or beyond before it becomes a full, lovely flowering plant!
The other two.... NOTHING! These plants will be tossed in January. If they won't 'work' for their keep, they can't live at my house!
I have already purchased their replacements! I have two new poinsettia plants in small 4in (10.16 cm) pots. They will go into the bigger pots in January. These two currently are living in my bathroom.
I truly am in awe of God's wonder with this plant! (It is still one of my all time favorites - even if I can't get them all to perform for me!) I am quite happy with my work and the beauty they provide!
If you liked this post, you may also like:
Time to 'Treat' the Poinsettia Plants
'Treating' the Poinsettia Plants - Part 2
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Time To Roast The Peanuts!
This is a favorite treat for us during the Christmas season! Dry roasting peanuts is easy!. At our house, roasting is the first step to the chocolate covered peanuts I make for Christmas every year.
We roast the peanuts we grow. BTW, anyone can grow peanuts. If it is too cold for peanuts where you live, you can grow them in pots. You can also purchase raw peanuts at the grocery store and roast them. They are a great treat at Christmas parties! The scent of roasting peanuts will fill the house!
Here is how you do it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the peanuts out on a cookie sheet. (A cookie sheet with a rim works best.)
Roast the peanuts for 20 - 30 minutes. If you have smaller peanuts like Spanish, roast for 20 minutes. If you have larger peanuts like Virginia Jumbo, roast for 30 minutes. At about the halfway point, stir and turn the peanuts over to prevent burning. This is why you use a cookie sheet with a rim. When stiring and turning the peanuts, they will fall off a flat cookie sheet. Ask me how I know this! It is quite difficult to reach the peanuts that fall to the bottom of the oven without removing the oven racks! Here is a picture of my peanuts at the half way point.
When the peanuts are done, remove from the oven and turn them onto a plate or another cookie sheet. They will continue to cook while they are cooling so it is best to remove them from the hot cookie sheet so they don't overcook.
Once they are cooled, you can store them in the shell until you are ready to eat!
Delicious!
We roast the peanuts we grow. BTW, anyone can grow peanuts. If it is too cold for peanuts where you live, you can grow them in pots. You can also purchase raw peanuts at the grocery store and roast them. They are a great treat at Christmas parties! The scent of roasting peanuts will fill the house!
Here is how you do it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the peanuts out on a cookie sheet. (A cookie sheet with a rim works best.)
Roast the peanuts for 20 - 30 minutes. If you have smaller peanuts like Spanish, roast for 20 minutes. If you have larger peanuts like Virginia Jumbo, roast for 30 minutes. At about the halfway point, stir and turn the peanuts over to prevent burning. This is why you use a cookie sheet with a rim. When stiring and turning the peanuts, they will fall off a flat cookie sheet. Ask me how I know this! It is quite difficult to reach the peanuts that fall to the bottom of the oven without removing the oven racks! Here is a picture of my peanuts at the half way point.
When the peanuts are done, remove from the oven and turn them onto a plate or another cookie sheet. They will continue to cook while they are cooling so it is best to remove them from the hot cookie sheet so they don't overcook.
Once they are cooled, you can store them in the shell until you are ready to eat!
Delicious!
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments for Just Pennies! (Victorian Style)
Middle class in Victorian times was much different than it is today. When the Victorians wanted to decorate their Christmas tree, they didn't go to the store to purchase ornaments. They had to make them!
(As a nugget of history: presents were also placed on the tree or in your stocking, not under the tree. Presents were much smaller in Victorian times because disposable income for middle class families was much less then it is today.)
So, in honor of our ancestors, I am going to show you some of the easiest (and inexpensive) ways you can decorate your tree this year.
The first one is quite simple. Get some ribbon that you like (this is a great thing to do at the after Christmas sales - then you can save it for next year) and tie it on the tree in a bow. It is just that simple and very Victorian!
Here is a picture of one of my bows.
The next idea involves aluminum foil.
Victorian children spent the entire year saving aluminum foil to decorate their trees. Aluminum foil was not available in the stores like it is now. Aluminum was use by florists, wrapped around cakes of chocolate, cream cheese, large packages of tea and inside the paper used to wrap tobacco. Now, this foil was quite thin. I can just imagine how many pieces were torn as they tried to make the ornaments! I can certainly understand why it took all year to save enough to decorate the tree!
For my ornaments, I used heavy duty aluminum foil and I still scraped many of them because they tore as I handled them! However I imagine in Victorian times, if you started making these as a child, I bet you got to be really good at it by the time you were a teenager!
I saw this idea on a Craft blog a few years ago. You can see the original post here. To make an ornament, start with a piece of foil. I like the look of smooth foil, but they shine in the lights at night just a much if the foil is crinkly.
I like mine small, but if you are making these with children, bigger is better so they don't tear. I used a piece of foil about 1 inch by 4 inches (2.54 cm to 10.16 cm).
Fold it in half and cut it with scissors as described in the original post. Basically it says to cut on opposites sides of the foil for the entire length. I spaced mine about 1/8 of an inch apart (.20 cm). Here is a picture of mine.
Open the folded foil carefully! Once completely open and laying flat, gently pull at each end of the foil.
What the original post does not tell you is that this technique steps the decoration like stairs. So it is either coming towards you or going back away from you. For best results, don't make them too long. You can either hang with string or ornament hooks. Here is one of mine on the tree.
(As a nugget of history: presents were also placed on the tree or in your stocking, not under the tree. Presents were much smaller in Victorian times because disposable income for middle class families was much less then it is today.)
So, in honor of our ancestors, I am going to show you some of the easiest (and inexpensive) ways you can decorate your tree this year.
The first one is quite simple. Get some ribbon that you like (this is a great thing to do at the after Christmas sales - then you can save it for next year) and tie it on the tree in a bow. It is just that simple and very Victorian!
Here is a picture of one of my bows.
The next idea involves aluminum foil.
Victorian children spent the entire year saving aluminum foil to decorate their trees. Aluminum foil was not available in the stores like it is now. Aluminum was use by florists, wrapped around cakes of chocolate, cream cheese, large packages of tea and inside the paper used to wrap tobacco. Now, this foil was quite thin. I can just imagine how many pieces were torn as they tried to make the ornaments! I can certainly understand why it took all year to save enough to decorate the tree!
For my ornaments, I used heavy duty aluminum foil and I still scraped many of them because they tore as I handled them! However I imagine in Victorian times, if you started making these as a child, I bet you got to be really good at it by the time you were a teenager!
I saw this idea on a Craft blog a few years ago. You can see the original post here. To make an ornament, start with a piece of foil. I like the look of smooth foil, but they shine in the lights at night just a much if the foil is crinkly.
I like mine small, but if you are making these with children, bigger is better so they don't tear. I used a piece of foil about 1 inch by 4 inches (2.54 cm to 10.16 cm).
Fold it in half and cut it with scissors as described in the original post. Basically it says to cut on opposites sides of the foil for the entire length. I spaced mine about 1/8 of an inch apart (.20 cm). Here is a picture of mine.
Open the folded foil carefully! Once completely open and laying flat, gently pull at each end of the foil.
What the original post does not tell you is that this technique steps the decoration like stairs. So it is either coming towards you or going back away from you. For best results, don't make them too long. You can either hang with string or ornament hooks. Here is one of mine on the tree.
If you want to make them longer, I recommend a different technique. Fold over the foil, but make the cuts all on one side (similar to making fringe). When you unfold the foil, use a stick, handle of a toothbrush or something similar to open the ornament for you. (Pulling on this one won't work.) I used a barbecue skewer because that is the first thing I thought of.
When cut this way, the ornament hangs straight down and looks much nicer as a long piece. Here is one of mine on my tree.
The last idea is also super simple. Decorate your tree with cookies! I have made gingerbread men in past years and placed them on the tree. If you have dogs, this can be tricky. I remember one year I had a beagle that tried to climb the tree to reach a cookie! (My cat was never interested.)
All of these ideas were used by your grandparents and great-grandparents to decorate their trees! They don't cost much and the whole family can do it together! And, I bet it will also be something your kids never forget!
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Five Dollars and 20 minutes to update the Christmas Door Wreath!
As you can see in the picture on the left, the ribbon on my Christmas Door Wreath was in very poor condition when I pulled it out of storage last month. I created this wreath about 10 years ago, and for the most part, it withstood the harsh weather conditions I put it through for 10 years! (I put my Christmas wreath up on November 1st and keep it there until about May 1st every year. It gets hot afternoon sun.)
I tried to bend the ribbon back into some form of shape and it looked OK for a few weeks. However, I looked at it Saturday morning and it just looked pitiful. The ribbon ends were all torn and falling apart.
It was time for an update! Just because it caught my eye, I purchased some new silk flowers a few weeks ago at the big box store the last time I was there. I got one bunch and it cost five dollars. I really liked the contrast between the gold and red.
The new ribbon came from my leftover stash. These three were the best matches. I chose the one in front because it too had gold and red in the ribbon and matched the silk flowers. Of course the one I wanted only had about 18 inches (45 cm) left on the roll! I wanted to use it like I did in the old wreath but 18 inches was not enough to go around the entire wreath! I had to make a smaller bow.
Step one was to remove the old items. The ribbon was attached with floral wire so I needed to cut that off and then I just pulled out the old flowers.
Now, start adding new pieces. There isn't any 'special' way to do it. Decorate it to please you. The only 'rule of thumb' I can give you is that an odd number of items looks better then an even number. For example, using three poinsettia flowers/ using one pine cone, etc.
Start with the first piece. I placed a flower on the wreath and pulled the stem through to the back.
Sorry for the blurry picture. I needed three hands for that one!
Now, just wrap the stem around the base of the wreath. No wire or glue needed. I usually wrap it a few times so it won't fall off. The only piece I attached with wire was the ribbon.
Continue adding pieces until you like the way it looks! It took all of 20 minutes (from start to finish) to make mine! Once I put it on the door, I adjusted it a bit more so the ribbon showed up better. This is what it looks like now.
Pretty to look at, quick to do, and very frugal!
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Light The World This Christmas Season!
This message was shared with us in Church this past Sunday: To help the world be a better place, you must serve others!
What a beautiful message this Christmas season!
Serve 25 ways in 25 days!
What a beautiful message this Christmas season!
Serve 25 ways in 25 days!
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Have You Ever Made a Gingerbread House?
My goodness it is super fun! I am going to start gathering my supplies to make one next week. What do you need? Your imagination is the limit on how you can decorate yours! In these three blog posts from a few years back, I take you through the steps on how to make one from scratch!
Make the cookie pieces ahead and plan a Saturday or a day off from school to decorate it with your kids!
Have fun!
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part I
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part II
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part III
Make the cookie pieces ahead and plan a Saturday or a day off from school to decorate it with your kids!
Have fun!
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part I
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part II
Make Your Own Gingerbread House, Part III
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
The Colder Weather is Coming! Completing Some Pre-Winter Gardening Chores.
I had some chores to do out back and decided to take one of the warm days we had last week to accomplish my end-of-the-year gardening tasks.
It was 75 (23 c) degrees outside late last week and I needed to change the water in our hot tub (I despise doing this in the cold weather and today it is only going to be 61 (16 c) degrees!!! I am glad I did it last week.) While I was waiting for the hot tub to drain, I decided to pick some of the last summer squash (I got 12!) and also wanted to take cuttings from one of my plants that grew too big.
This plant is a frangipani. I got it at the outdoor market in New Orleans 2 weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit there in 2005. It took 11 years to get this big. It is over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall! I no longer have room for it in the house. (It must come inside for the winter where I live.) Time to take cuttings to save for next spring.
Taking cuttings is so easy! Just cut off a piece. I used a hand held saw.
These will stay in the grass until the white milky sap stops running. I am going to leave them there overnight. That is it! Store them in a cool dry place until next spring! (The leaves will drop off as the pieces go dormant.) Then, in the spring, I will replant them to start growing all over again!
FYI - if you live in a sub-tropical climate, they can can be planted outside in your landscaping.
Another pre-winter chore I do every year is to prune the apple trees and grapes. To me, the apple trees are easier than the grapes. As you can see in the first picture posted above, my grapes grow on a trellis. It is quite challenging to figure out which vine to cut! I use the power of prayer to help me decide which of the pieces needs to go!
Here is one of my pruned apple tree. You can see, the pieces I removed are piled in the front of the picture (along with the princess!). I will cut them into smaller pieces and save for kindling for the fire place - they will not be used until next winter - they need a while to dry out. Apple wood makes great soap so I will be saving the ashes from the fireplace!
Pruning is necessary to make sure that branches do not rub on each other. (That invites diseases.) It also helps the tree to maximize the number of apples you get each year. Pruned trees produce more apples. The last thing I need to do is spray with dormant oil. I will do that when all the leaves fall for the year and the trees are truly dormant. That may not happen until mid December.
The hot tub was draining slowly so while I waited, I also decided to plant a few more bushes in one of the new landscaping areas I created this summer. This area has some encore azaleas (they bloom in the fall as well as the spring) and razzleberri chinense flowering bushes. These things grow 4 to 6 feet tall (1.2 to 1.8 m). They will be perfect to screen the view of the fence! I plan to mulch them tomorrow.
I also harvested some of the carrots and put up my mini greenhouse on one of the raised beds that is growing additional carrots, spinach and peas. This should produce all winter long!
It was 75 (23 c) degrees outside late last week and I needed to change the water in our hot tub (I despise doing this in the cold weather and today it is only going to be 61 (16 c) degrees!!! I am glad I did it last week.) While I was waiting for the hot tub to drain, I decided to pick some of the last summer squash (I got 12!) and also wanted to take cuttings from one of my plants that grew too big.
This plant is a frangipani. I got it at the outdoor market in New Orleans 2 weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit there in 2005. It took 11 years to get this big. It is over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall! I no longer have room for it in the house. (It must come inside for the winter where I live.) Time to take cuttings to save for next spring.
Taking cuttings is so easy! Just cut off a piece. I used a hand held saw.
These will stay in the grass until the white milky sap stops running. I am going to leave them there overnight. That is it! Store them in a cool dry place until next spring! (The leaves will drop off as the pieces go dormant.) Then, in the spring, I will replant them to start growing all over again!
FYI - if you live in a sub-tropical climate, they can can be planted outside in your landscaping.
Another pre-winter chore I do every year is to prune the apple trees and grapes. To me, the apple trees are easier than the grapes. As you can see in the first picture posted above, my grapes grow on a trellis. It is quite challenging to figure out which vine to cut! I use the power of prayer to help me decide which of the pieces needs to go!
Here is one of my pruned apple tree. You can see, the pieces I removed are piled in the front of the picture (along with the princess!). I will cut them into smaller pieces and save for kindling for the fire place - they will not be used until next winter - they need a while to dry out. Apple wood makes great soap so I will be saving the ashes from the fireplace!
Pruning is necessary to make sure that branches do not rub on each other. (That invites diseases.) It also helps the tree to maximize the number of apples you get each year. Pruned trees produce more apples. The last thing I need to do is spray with dormant oil. I will do that when all the leaves fall for the year and the trees are truly dormant. That may not happen until mid December.
The hot tub was draining slowly so while I waited, I also decided to plant a few more bushes in one of the new landscaping areas I created this summer. This area has some encore azaleas (they bloom in the fall as well as the spring) and razzleberri chinense flowering bushes. These things grow 4 to 6 feet tall (1.2 to 1.8 m). They will be perfect to screen the view of the fence! I plan to mulch them tomorrow.
I also harvested some of the carrots and put up my mini greenhouse on one of the raised beds that is growing additional carrots, spinach and peas. This should produce all winter long!
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