Big project....

Here it is, another new year.  Where has the time gone?  I haven't gotten to celebrate Christmas with my grandchildren yet but will be going the first new year weekend,  I was glad to have the extra time as it gave me time to make them all a drawstring tote bag, and filled them with goodies.  You can see pictures of the drawstring bags on my create page,  I was so proud that I was able to make them customized and did it all free hand.  Thanks to craftygemini.com for the pattern for the drawstring totes.  Until next time....be safe and have a Happy New Year.

Valances

Here are the valances I helped my niece make.  Did not have a pattern, so it was cool to be able to complete them and have them look this great!  I had some material left so I am going to make some simple drawstring tote bags. 

I'll try not to be gone so long next time.....I don't think the holidays are supposed to be this hectic?  Merry Christmas to all.....until next time.

December

Well it is Dec 1 and I haven't been here in a while, but like most of you, I have been busy preparing for the holidays.  Check out the new recipe I made this past week on my recipe page.  I found the recipe on Pinterest from the Six Sisters Stuff web site and wow is all I can say. 

I've been creating some small projects and watching a few online sewing classes.  I helped my niece make some valances for her daughter's bedroom, (pictures soon) and I made a small curtain to cover an antique box I have in my guest bathroom.  I want to start making a lot more stuff and utilize my sewing machine among other things.  It has been so interesting learning all of this new stuff, and I can hardly wait for retirement so I can get busy with more stuff.

I started my spring garden yesterday, but didn't take pictures.  I didn't think anyone would be interested in seeing how I strewed the hay on the grass to start some new rows.  But maybe I'll post pictures later.  Also, been trying to talk my honey into helping me build a chicken coop so that I can hopefully get a couple of chicks in the spring as well. 

Only 14 months till retirement....so excited.  So until next time....

Canning

If you are from the south, you know how we love our boiled peanuts. Peanuts come in season in this region in September and October, so I am a little late with this, but good none the less.





We had some fresh boiled peanuts recently, and I canned the remaining peanuts to keep them fresh longer. I also froze some, so we will see what is the best method for our household.

I cannot possibly explain how excited I am to be learning to can fresh vegetables and such while they are in season, for fresher quality in the winter. Today I will experiment with canning chicken broth and possibly stock. Yes, I found there is a difference! Who knew? So, until next time....

November already?

Wow, it hardly seems as if November should actually be here, speeding by so fast already, AND having our first frost the first weekend of Nov. Yes, it has been cold here on the Gulf Coast already! i am apparently the only person in Florida that likes the cold weather. I mean I can always put on more clothes, hats, gloves, socks, etc. to keep warm right? Just thankful we don't deal with snow....they can keep that up north thank you very much.

I haven't been here much lately, but I have been keeping busy. I have been doing a lot of reading and research as to being an "entrepreneur" and becoming a little more self sufficient.

As of this week I have 16 months until retirement from my day job, and at the rate the time is flying by, it will be here before I know it. So I want to be ready to be that farm girl with my chickens and gardens. As you saw from my earlier posts, I have already learned how to do some simple canning, and can hardly wait to can other stuffs. (veggies and fruits)

Any feedback or helpful blogs with good information in that area would be greatly appreciated.

Until next time....getting the fireplace ready again.

Fall is officially here!

I love, love, love the fall. It is one of my favorite seasons, and then of course there's spring....but it isn't here yet so I'll concentrate on fall. It's scarecrows and pumpkin time again, and the season we all start thinking about, and being thankful for, all the many blessings we have. So it was time to build.....

I thought I was going to have to build my scarecrow all alone this year.....

And he was coming along quite nicely....

And then help arrived....this is Nixon getting in on the action.

and then baby Derek and my cat-dog Tux showed up to help too.  (I call him my cat-dog cause he follows me everywhere I go when I am outside, and when he comes in he has to be right on me or touching me.) 

and then Spanky shows up, just so he can say he helped too.  So all in all I had quite a lot of help building the scarecrow. (My granddaughters couldn't agree on a name last year so he became Sam George Steve Tom the scarecrow)

So until next time......get out and ENJOY this beautiful weather!  Soon enough it will be too cold to go outside, unless you like winter?  brrrr.....

Aunt Grandma's

The weather on the Gulf Coast has been simply awesome, so quite naturally it keeps me out doors and away from the computer. Had some busy weekends lately and I am so excited about my first sale for my Aunt Grandma's Chunky Salsa and Aunt Grandma's Peanut Brittle. My husband said it was a slow day, but for me it was greeeaaaattt(in my Tony the Tiger voice). I didn't sell a lot, but just a few sales was a great beginning for me, gotta start somewhere right? Until next time....