Creating Space for a Clothesline

Last fall, I had Dave ask our landlord if we could put up a clothesline in the backyard.  The answer was… yes, as long as it can’t be seen from the street.  As you can imagine, that limited our options considerably.

I had hoped to put up two posts, one at the back the house and one at the back of the yard and then run a pulley line between the two.  But that would have been able to be seen from the street.

Instead, we ended up going much smaller in scale.

The spring before last, we had purchased one of those gazebos with the canvas tops.   No matter how we tried to anchor it down, every time there was a storm with a big wind, the gazebo would end up flipped over on its side until one day the canvas top was torn beyond repair.  We finally did anchor the corners by screwing the frame to cement paving blocks but by then we found we weren’t able to get a replacement canvas as that particular model had gone out of production and newer canvases won’t fit our gazebo’s configuration.

And there the gazebo sat, uncovered and unused until one day, earlier this spring, I was out in the back yard once again trying to figure out how we could put up a clothesline that couldn’t be seen from the street, when I looked at the gazebo and realized that we had the perfect frame for a clothesline or rather several small clotheslines.

We already had the clothesline wire in the garage, so it didn’t take long at all for Dave to string it and we were in business.

And isn’t it wonderful to sleep between line dried sheets.

Have a look around your home or yard and see if you can’t find a creative spot to run a clothesline.

This post has been added as part of Frugal Friday over at Life as Mom.

And also over at BeingFrugal.net as part of Tightwad Tuesday.

Independence Days Update – Jul 20th to Aug 2nd

It seems like the only thing I have the time or inclination to post lately are these Independence Days updates.   And even then, this update is for the past two weeks, since I didn’t get around to posting last week.

For Sharon Astyk’s latest post… Independence Days Update: A Day On, A Day Off.  Make sure to check the comments section for even more updates.

1.  Plant something: Potted up seven more strawberry shoots.

Purchased some small herb plants at the farmers’ market and will get those into larger pots this week.

2.  Harvest something: Nothing from the garden.

Picked up the fruit and veggies from our CSA.  Bought Georgia peaches from farmers’ market

3.  Preserve something: Corn relish, canned chicken breasts, canned peaches

4.  Reduce waste: Dave made our regular trip to drop off the recycling.

I’ve forgotten to mention this in previous posts, but we continue to use reusable bags for any shopping we do whether its at the grocery store or the farmers’ market.

Used water from canning to water plants.   We also save the water when we’re waiting for the hot water to come when we shower or fill the sink for dishes and use that to water plants as well.

All veggie matter got composted.

We purchased a new set of sheets for our bed, since the fitted sheet had worn so thin it kept tearing and repairing the tears was no longer lasting more than a day.  So I’m cutting the good parts of the old fitted sheet into several 17″ squares and after hemming, they’ll make really nice, soft hankies.   The top sheet and pillowcases are now stored with the rest of the extra linens.

5.  Preparation and Storage: Purchased good quality spade.

Found two old matching oil lamps at a farmers’ market/flea market… for lighting should power go out.  They need a good cleaning, but they are good sturdy glass.

Bought more canning jars and extra lids.

Stopped off a Costco on way back from a farmers’ market on Saturday and picked up sugar, olive oil, coffee and dried cranberries.

6.  Build Community Food Systems: Supported local farmers’ markets.

I put up an ad on Freecycle asking for canning jars and the lady who responded offered to drop off some jars she’d been given.  We got to talking and she mentioned that she’d like to learn to can, so I offered to teach her.  We’re going to be getting together the next time I get enough from the farmers’ market to can something.  And then again in the fall, once it cools off, we’ll get together again so I can show her how to use the pressure canner for canning soups and stews, etc.

7.  Eat the Food: I cook most of our meals from scratch, so the food definitely gets eaten.  This is some of what I made over the last two weeks:

Potato puffs from lefover mashed potatoes and fried chicken tenders (I cut these off of the chicken breasts before I canned them.)

Pasta with Pesto.  I’d never made pesto before, but we’ve got a basil plant that was getting tall and starting to flower and needed to be cut back more than just the little handfuls that I have been taking, so I decided to give it a try.  And the pesto tasted great, what I didn’t like was the after taste that last all evening long.  Oh well, not all culinary experiments work out.

I had a bit of corn relish left after filling jars.  That got put in a bowl in the fridge and I’ve been using it in toasted cheddar cheese sandwiches.

Yellow beans from our CSA as a side dish one night.

For snacks, we ate the melons from our CSA.  They were so sweet and clean tasting.  Melons bought at the grocery store simply can’t compare.

Used the sauerkraut that didn’t get canned to top off hot dogs and hamburgers.

Fried up zucchini with onions (both from CSA) as a side dish.

Made Peach Kuchen with the peaches that were too bruised to can and the cream I skimmed from our raw milk.

There was more, of course, that I’m not remembering right now.  I guess that’s what happens when you wait two weeks to do an update.

9 Patch Quilt Along Blocks Completed

Back in April, Amandajean from Crazy Mom Quilts started a one-a-day quilt along, in which participants would complete one 9 patch quilt block per day resulting, at the end of 10 weeks, with 70 finished scrappy 9 patch blocks.

I soon discovered that I didn’t have nearly enough fabric scraps to make a truly scrappy quilt as I had purged my fabric stash when we moved from Hawaii to Florida and then again when we moved from Florida to Georgia.  To complicate matters even further, as I began cutting 2 1/2″ squares and picturing in my mind how they would go together, I decided I wanted an anchor fabric in the center of each square to tie all the finished blocks together.  That meant that even some of the fabric scraps I did have couldn’t be used because they didn’t match well with that fabric.

However, at the end of the ten weeks, with the leftover fabric scraps I had on hand and some purchased (after rummaging through every remnant bin at every fabric store around) I managed to complete 70 blocks.

As you can see, I chose 10 different fabrics for the contrasting squares and then made up 7 blocks in each.  While I was cutting squares, I also cut out 20 extra of each to be used for the border.

On one of my trips to search for matching fabrics, I was lucky enough to find more of the center fabric and purchased enough of that to use for the sashing.  But that will have to wait for another day.  For now, I’m just pleased to have completed the 70 blocks needed for the quilt.

Make it Monday – How to Make a Rice Hot/Cold Therapy Bag

Rice therapy bags are great for soothing and helping to relax sore, aching muscles.  They can be heated in the microwave to be used warm or stored in the freezer for use as cold packs.

They are also a super, simple easy-sew project that can be made in whatever size you need.

For our oldest daughter for Valentine’s I made one to drape over her shoulders after a long day in front of the computer doing medical billing and transcription.

To make your own shoulder hot pad:

Cut a strip of fabric 7″X48″ from a 100% white cotton thrifted sheet or if using cotton yardage, cut two pieces 7″X24 1/2″.

Fold fabric in half so that you have a piece 7″X24″.  Sew ½” seams along the two long edges.  Sew a second seam 1/8″ in from first seam.  If sewing two pieces together, sew another double seam across one 7″ end.

Trim seam to ¼”.

Turn right side out.  Press.

Press under ½” hem around open end.

Fill approximately 2/3 full with long grain rice.   (Do not use minute rice.)  I used a canning funnel to make it easier to fill.

Pin opening closed and sew close to the folded edge.  Sew a second seam 1/8″ from first.

Your therapy bag is now ready to be used.

To heat: simply pop them into the microwave on high. Each microwave heats differently and you don’t want to overheat them and burn the rice, so it’s best to start with one minute and then if that’s doesn’t get the bag warm enough, continue to heat in 30 second intervals.   It will take some experimenting to find out how long works best in your microwave for the size of rice bag you are heating.

Then sit back, relax and let the heat ease away any muscle tension you may be experiencing.  Or on cold nights, heat it and put in under the covers at the foot of the bed to warm your feet.

To use as a cold pack, store them in the freezer until needed.

Click on the link for instructions on how to sew a cover for your rice therapy bag.

Pay It Forward – Lovely Surprizes Arrived Yesterday

Every once in a long while, the mailman brings something besides bills.  Yesterday was that day.

Just look at the surprizes that were inside the package he delivered.

Aren’t they lovely!

Several months ago, I left a comment on Katherine’s “Pay It Forward” post over on her blog Sew Me Something Good.  And as if the above wasn’t more than enough to fulfill her promise to send a small handmade gift to the first three commenters, here are the treasures I found inside the zippered bag:

Notice that the strips of fabric on the back of the bag match the pin cushion.  And don’t you just love that strip with the cat peaking over the strip of fabric beside it.

You can find info on the little needle book on her post “Give your needles a pretty home.” I really like the idea of repurposing thrifted shirts.  The fabrics are just so beautiful.

Each little treasure, has found it’s way to their new homes amongst my sewing and crafting supplies.  I can’t thank Katherine enough.   Everything she sent was just wonderful and put together with such thought and care.

Oh and of course… you have to know that the chocolate didn’t last long. 

Note:  Just to update those who commented on my Pay It Forward post… I’m working on your surprizes and hope to have them ready to go out to you soon.

Waste Not Want Not – Use Up That Last Bit of Goodness

Before you wash those empty  bottles of barbeque sauce or mustard or Worcestershire sauce to get them ready for recycling, be sure they really are empty.

Pour about 1 tsp of vinegar into the bottle, swirl it around and then empty it into an almost empty bottle of Ketchup.  (I save those for just this purpose.)

This past weekend we used up the last of a bottle of barbeque sauce.  And I remembered that I had maybe one squirt of mustard left in the bottle in the fridge.  So out came the vinegar and I got to rinsing.

Rinse containers with vinegar

You may have to rinse the bottle with vinegar a couple of times to get out that last little bit of goodness.  Then once you’re done, put the lid back on the Ketchup bottle and give it a good shake, label it and put it back in the fridge.   Add more bottom-of-the-bottle goodness as you use things up.

Then when you’ve got about of cup or so, use that as a barbeque sauce. Or what I most often do is put some frozen chicken pieces into the slow cooker, pour the homemade sauce over it and let it cook all day on low.  The chicken comes out fall off the bone tender and juicy and so flavourful.

This post has been added as part Kitchen Tips Tuesday

And also over at beingfrugal.net as part of………

Puppets Are Great Imaginative Play Toys

When our youngest was little he loved to put on puppet shows.   The couch was his puppet theatre of choice.  He’d hide behind it and then up, over the back would pop his two bear puppets and the show would begin.

This year, my husband’s grandson is about the age our youngest was when he started putting on puppet shows.  Since we’re having a mostly homemade Christmas this year, I decided to make simple puppets and a doorway puppet theatre for him.

The puppets cost next to nothing to make.  Each one used two felt squares (32 cents each at WalMart) plus some felt scraps and bit of black embroidery floss to make the faces.   The inspiration for them came from this site.  

But the patterns printed out way too small for hand puppets so I started from scratch and created a basic outline and then adjusted it for each individual puppet.   I also made changes to the cat’s face and slight changes to the bear and frog.  They turned out cuter than I dared to hope.

For the doorway theatre, I repurposed one panel from a set of curtains I had stored away from when our son’s room had a space theme.  The dark blue fabric dotted with gold stars worked perfectly.   ¾ of a yard of gold fabric (on sale 40% off) for the stage curtains, three dowels to give the theatre it’s support and a set of 3M Command wall hooks to hang it from were the only out of pocket costs. 

A few dollars, a bit of time and my husband’s grandson will open a gift on Christmas morning that will provide him and his little sister with hours of fun, imaginative play for years to come.

How to Make a Teapot Planter

Recently my favourite teapot developed a hairline crack inside, so I decided it was time to switch teapots rather than risk a possible break with boiling hot water.  Now anyone who knows me, knows that I hate to throw anything out if I can find another purpose for it.  So today, my cracked teapot became a planter.Here’s what you’ll need if you want to make one too:

One old teapot, one ivy plant, gravel, potting soil as pictured below.

Pour about a half an inch to an inch of gravel in the bottom of the teapot.  This will allow for a bit of drainage if you happen to over water sometime.  I used leftover fish tank gravel, but use whatever you may have that would allow for drainage;  even packing peanuts would work.

Add an 1 inch or so of potting soil.  Add a bit more soil, tamping it up into the spout.

Loosen plant from pot and transfer to the teapot.  Add more potting soil to fill in around the plant.

Using a wooden skewer, push soil down into the spout until dirt reaches almost to the top.

Snip off a couple of sprigs of the ivy, trim off bottom leaves and insert into the soil in the spout.  They will soon take root.

And here is the finished planter: