Graceful Little Honey Bee

Weekly Memory Verse

2012-02-13T21:53:00.002-06:00

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

-Philippians 4:6

Can you guess what next weeks verse might be? :)

Outfit for Baby

2012-02-10T23:39:00.001-06:00

Well I finally put my crochet hook down and decided to sew something! Actually I planned on starting another crochet project, but this one jumped out at me all of the sudden. I had originally planned on making an outfit for Walker to come home from the hospital in, but decided not to put that much pressure on myself to actually get it done on time and in the right size. I made him a kimono style top with matching elastic waist pants using Simplicity 3941:

I opted to use snaps instead of ribbon because I thought it would look more boyish. I still have to attach the snaps. Anyway, the pattern was pretty easy and I didn't run into any problems. The neck did call for bias tape (which I didn't notice until I was almost done), but since my fabric doesn't fray I just folded over the neckline as small as I could and sewed it that way. I don't think it looks too bad.

I made a size XS which is suppose to fit a 0-3 month old. I had to measure the elastic waist with a pair of 3 month pants I had already, otherwise I would have had no clue what size to cut the elastic.

You can't really tell in the pictures, but its made from a light blue and white striped fleece material. I purchased the material and the snaps from a thrift store and the pattern was free so this outfit cost me less than a dollar total! Woo!

I love doing projects for my little one and I can't wait for him to get here! :)

Homestead Barn Hop

A Wedding Gift and A Recipe

2012-02-09T22:55:00.002-06:00

One of my good friends is getting married next month so I crocheted coasters in the colors of her living room as part of her wedding gift:

Also I made this soup tonight and it was delicious! I didn't get a picture of it, but I promise it's worth making. My husband had three bowls! I was going for a minestrone type soup, but it turned out even better. Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on:

Crock Pot Pasta Soup

1 carton chicken broth

1 c diced carrots

1 can spicy diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 can pork and beans

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta

1/4 package Velveeta cheese, cubed

Add chicken broth, carrots, tomatoes, corn, beans and seasoning to crock pot

Cook on low 4-6 hours

30-40 min before serving add pasta and turn to high

10 min before serving add cheese

When cheese is melted it's ready to serve!

Yum!!

Crocheted Baby Blanket

2012-02-08T23:22:00.001-06:00

We're doing an Americana theme for Walker's nursery (pictures to come soon) so I decided to make a blanket to match. This is my first crocheted blanket and I think it turned out well! I did it in double crochet and then added a scalloped edging.

Yay! I'm so glad it's finished!

Crocheted Baby Boy Hats

2012-02-06T17:14:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure my nesting instinct is coming out through the crochet hook instead of through cleaning, so far at least. :) I've been busy making several baby hats to match all of Walker's outfits. Do you know how hard it is to find dark colored baby boy hats!? Basically it's impossible, so I just had to make my own. I love how they turned out! I used the YouTube video posted below as a guide and it was pretty easy. Each hat takes about 1.5 hours to complete (at least for me.)

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Weekly Memory Verse

2012-02-06T10:32:00.005-06:00

Well it's week six of the memory verse challenge and I'm enjoying it so much! Continuing the labor theme, here is my weekly verse:

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward."

-127:3

I love this verse and think it's a great reminder of the blessings to come! It's common in our society to view children as a burden, but God says they are a reward! I love meditating on this verse as I prepare to become a mother and I can't wait for the rewards that are to come!

What are you memorizing this week?

Seed Starting

2012-02-04T10:05:00.003-06:00

I started my onions this week and I already have a few sprouts! They didn't do too well last year when I started them inside so hopefully this year will be better. I think I was too late anyway. I'm growing green and white onions this year. Also, I'm using recycled takeout containers instead of egg cartons so hopefully I won't have to transfer them into anything bigger until I put them outdoors next month.

I also re potted and moved my aloe vera plant because it's been way too big for the window sill for a long time now. It poked me in the face all the time when I was doing the dishes and would fall off randomly! Hopefully it will get enough light in it's new home. It's probably quadrupled in size since I got it a couple years ago:

I replaced the aloe vera with green onions on the window sill. Hopefully they do well!

Also, my sweet potatoes have slips growing on them! Yay!!

Have you started any seeds? Are you doing any garden planning?

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New Vintage Patterns in Shop!

2012-02-01T15:29:00.000-06:00

I just added several *NEW* vintage sewing patterns to my etsy shop!! Here are a few:

Find more vintage and handmade items over at The Honey Bee House!

Weekly Memory Verse

2012-01-30T11:02:00.001-06:00

Welcome to week five of 2012! I'm so glad I'm participating in the memory verse challenge this year and that my husband is doing it with me! Having scripture hidden in your heart makes your life so rich and full of blessings! Here is my verse for this week, selected in preparation for labor:

"But you, take courage!

Do not let your hands be weak,

for your work shall be rewarded."

-2 Chronicles 15:7

What are you memorizing this week?

Microwave Potato Chips

2012-01-27T11:03:00.000-06:00

I found this idea on Pinterest recently and thought it sounded good! I had a few extra small potatoes hanging around in my pantry and I had made chicken salad sandwiches for dinner so I knew these would go perfectly! They turned out great. Way better than store bought potato chips (other than the ones I scorched). Here's how you make them:

Microwave Potato Chips

Potatoes

Salt

Olive Oil

Non-stick Spray

1. To start you will need to wash and/or peel your potatoes. They would be good with the peel on, but mine had eyes growing all over them so I figured I'd better peel 'em and not poison myself.

2. Then you slice them as thin or as thick as you like and coat them in olive oil.

3. Next, you need to spray a microwave safe plate with non-stick spray and spread your potato slices out in a single layer. Season with salt or whatever seasoning you prefer. (I had about three plates worth total.)

4. Cook in microwave for 3-4 minutes and flip potatoes (I used a spatula as they were very hot!). Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Every one's microwave will work differently so you need to check them and make sure they aren't scorching like mine did below. :)

They turned out great and it was a wonderful way to use up the last of my potatoes!! I will definitely make these again. My husband approved of them as well!

16 Year Old Builds Tiny Home to Ensure Mortgage Free Future

2012-01-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

If this is a glimpse into the next generation, I'm not worried. Something tells me, however, this 16 year old is not your run of the mill high school student. In the midst of a 20-something generation struggling (or refusing) to grow up, this young man's wisdom, vision, and work ethic is very impressive.

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Amish Cinnamon Sauce

2012-01-25T18:05:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe on the Ozark Mountain Family Homestead blog today and I knew I had to make it! It turned out sooo good! I highly suggest trying it out if you like cinnamon. My husband even said it'd be OK if I stopped buying syrup and made this instead. Here's the recipe:

Amish Cinnamon Sauce

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 (scant) tbsp flour

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 c. boiling water

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Boil 2 cups water

2. In separate saucepan, mix first three ingredients

3. Set over medium heat and slowly stir in water

4. Cook 3-4 min. or until clear (mine never really got clear)

5. Remove from heat and add in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon

6. Let cool down and enjoy!!

Winter Garden Experiments and Tips

2012-01-23T10:23:00.001-06:00

Well first off I want to say that I'm no expert gardener, I've only grown a few small gardens in my time and I'm always learning new things, mostly through my own trial and error. My latest experiment is growing my own sweet potato slips. The process is simple: you select a few healthy potatoes and put the bottom half in water in a sunny spot until the slips are large enough to transplant.

I used potatoes from my garden last year. If you want to use potatoes from the store you should find out if they are a vine or bush variety first. Anyway, if you didn't know, sweet potatoes aren't grown from a seed, but from a "slip" or green shoot off of another sweet potato. It's suppose to take around 6-8 weeks before you can transplant them. So far I have no growth, but it's only been a few days.

Also, I learned that you can place your green onion ends in water and they will grow!! This one has been in the water for around four days and it already has new growth. Can you see the green tip? I'm sure you can only do this once or twice per bulb because the nutritional value would probably be poorer each time. Maybe I should plant them in soil instead of just water? Has anyone done this indoors before?

On another note, has anyone ever heard of or tried winter sowing seeds? The process seems simple you just plant your seeds outside somewhere between Jan-March inside plastic jugs and begin watering them once germination has occurred. I'm thinking of growing my flowers this way this year just to see how they turn out, because it would be much easier than starting indoors. To learn more about winter sowing you can go here.

source

Lastly, I thought I'd list some winter gardening tips for beginners, because I know last year I was clueless about most things due to lack of experience and I had to just learn as I went. Here goes:

1. It's never too early to start planning your garden, especially if you plan on starting from seed.

2. Now is the time to sit down and plan out your garden on paper (or computer). Figure out how much space you have, what you want to grow (only grow what you will eat!), and what seeds and supplies you will need come spring.

3. Be diligent about where you spend your money because if your not careful gardening can be EXPENSIVE!! It can also be very cheap and cost effective if you take the time to research and plan. We spent quite a bit on "start up costs" last year (top soil, wood, seeds, grow lights, etc.), but you can make it as cheap as buying seeds and a shovel if you want. I don't think we will have to spend any (or much) money this year if we're careful about things.

4. Find out what growing "zone" you live in and organize a planting schedule so you know what plants should go into the ground when.

5. Be prepared for set backs! Gardening is dependant on many factors that are are out of your control (weather, bugs, etc) so just remember it's all a learning experience and process. There's always next year!!

6. Research what you can now before you start. There are plenty of resources on gardening at your local library or extension office. There's also a vast array of info on the internet so use it!!

7. Don't be afraid to throw caution to the wind and get your hands dirty! Learning comes through experience so don't worry whether you know what your doing or not, seeds will grow if you give them nutrients, sunlight, and water so just do it!

I hope some of these tips have helped!

Does anyone else have any wisdom to add?

Happy garden planning!

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Memory Verse

2012-01-23T09:40:00.000-06:00

I can't believe its the fourth week of 2012 already! January is almost gone! Whoa. Anyway here is my memory verse for this week:

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

-Phil. 4:13

We chose this verse as another one to help and encourage us during labor. We are going to be be focusing on verses to use for labor until the baby comes. I'd love to hear any suggestions or verses that have worked for you in this area!

What are you memorizing this week?

Creamy Baked Pasta (Freezer Meal!!)

2012-01-17T18:40:00.003-06:00

I came up with this pasta dish to use as a freezer meal for when the baby comes. I don't have a lot of recipes that freeze well so I'm having to brainstorm and create some dishes that use ingredients we already keep on hand. Anyway, it turned out awesome! Here's the recipe:

Creamy Baked Pasta

1 box whole wheat pasta

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 lb. ground beef

1 container sour cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1/2 c shredded mozzarella for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Cook pasta and drain

3. Brown ground beef

4. Saute bell peppers and mushrooms

5. Heat sauce, sour cream, and parm. cheese on low heat until creamy

6. Add beef, veggies, and pasta

7. Pour into large greased casserole dish

8. Sprinkle mozzarella on top

9. Bake for 30 minutes

Do you have any freezer meals to share and/or tips on preparing meals for when the baby comes? If so, I'd love to hear them!

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Weekly Memory Verse

2012-01-16T20:41:00.004-06:00

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you."

-Isaiah 26:3

I chose this verse because I think it will be a great comfort and help during childbirth.

What are you memorizing?

More Crochet Projects!

2012-01-16T11:45:00.001-06:00

I crocheted a few more cowls. The red one was suppose to be for me to wear on Christmas, but it didn't get done in time:

I made this one with really thick yarn and a huge crochet hook (around a size 15 or something) so it came together quickly.

I'm still working on this one. It's not as long as the other pink one, but it's going to be wider than the red one above. I used the half double crochet stitch in all three of them.

I might try making a hat and/or a baby blanket soon. Yay!

What have you been working on lately?

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Weekly Memory Verse

2012-01-12T00:53:00.000-06:00

As some of you might remember I'm participating in the 52 Verses Challenge where I'll be memorizing a verse a week for the entire year. I began memorizing a weekly verse with my husband back in December and we have been so blessed by it! You can learn more about the challenge by clicking the icon above. I plan on sharing my weekly verse here to keep myself accountable and to encourage my readers! I'll be sharing two verses today since we are two weeks into the year.

"Do all things without grumbling or questioning."

-Philippians 2:14

Can you imagine the impact this would have on our lives and the lives of those around us if we actually lived it out?

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."

-Isaiah 40:8

It's so comforting to know that the Word and promises of our God never change. What a faithful God we serve!

Handmade Baby Gifts

2012-01-11T15:33:00.001-06:00

My sister's sister-in-law has the same due date as me and her shower is coming up soon. She's having a girl so I had fun making some gifts for her. I made two applique bibs (her theme is owls). Also, I crocheted two baby headbands.

If your interested in making appliqued baby bibs you can check out my tutorial here. For the headbands I used a size 5mm crochet hook and did one row of half double crochet stitches for a finished length of around 12.5 inches. Then I did a five petal flower using this method.

Hopefully she likes it all!

No Shampoo: Week 3 - A Turning Point

2012-01-08T18:09:00.001-06:00

Well I've made it three weeks without shampoo!! You can click to read about weeks one and two if you missed them. So here's what happened this week. I decided to skip the vinegar which was a huge mistake! My hair turned out dry, course, and frizzy! Then, I bought a boar bristle brush which seemed to really help make my hair softer and more manageable. It also helped to distribute the oils down the length of my hair so it's wasn't so dry. I highly recommend using one if your doing this method.

I ended up going three days between washes. Here are pictures of my hair on day three:

You can definitely seem some oil here!! *FYI* I wore a hat this day.

Then I washed my hair with the same 1 tbsp baking:1 cup water, but I upped the vinegar to 3 tbsp:1 cup water and all of the sudden my hair felt normal again!!! Here are pictures of my hair the day after washing it:

I can't believe it! My hair feels like I used shampoo!! It's so soft and light and wonderful! I don't know if it's because my hair is adjusting or if it was the vinegar, but I'm so happy! My hair feels clean!!! So here's what I've learned so far about the "no-poo" method:

1. You have to play around with the baking soda and vinegar to water ratios to find what works for your hair. (Listen to you hair. It will tell you what to do.)

2. Baking soda absorbs the grease, but dries your hair out so only use it on your roots when needed. It's also a good idea to leave it in your hair for a few minutes before washing it out.

3. Apple cider vinegar makes your hair soft, shiny, and more manageable, but you should keep it away from your roots because it can add to the oiliness.

4. Boar bristle brushes are fantastic!! They help to distribute the natural oils throughout your hair, making it shiny, moisturized and healthy.

5. Giving your hair a break is a good thing! It helps to restore it to it's natural state.

I'm happy with the no shampoo routine so far. Hopefully it will continue to work for me. I'd love to hear your stories!

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**UPDATE** After almost seven weeks of no shampoo I decided to use it again. My hair was just never as consistently clean and soft as it was with shampoo. The main differences were that my roots were slightly "heavier," my hair felt slightly sticky and it was always sooo tangly! I'm glad I went no poo because now I can go longer in between my regular shampoos without feeling dirty. Once I use up my stash of regular shampoo I plan on finding a more natural product to use. Thanks for all the comments and feedback!!

Preparing the Garden for Winter

2012-01-07T13:05:00.000-06:00

We're finally getting around to preparing our garden for the winter (even though winter is already here!)

Our soil was hard and compact last year so we knew we'd have to till it and add some compost. And that's what my husband is doing today! :) Our neighbor let us borrow the tiller and the compost. We started our own compost, but its nowhere near being ready. Hopefully next year we can use some of it. We didn't pull the weeds either, we just let them die and added the compost over them. Here's my wonderful husband tilling our raised beds:

And here's Daisy wanting some attention:

What do you do to prepare your garden for the winter?

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Bradley Class Review

2012-01-06T09:52:00.002-06:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that we were planning a natural birth and taking Bradley Classes to prepare. I got a few e-mails and questions regarding the classes so I thought it would be good to do a review now that I finished the 12 week course.

The Bradley Method of Husband Coached Natural Childbirth focuses on teaching and encouraging the mother to live a healthy and active lifestyle in order to stay low risk and reduce unnecessary pain during birth. They also focus on using the husband and relaxation techniques during labor to handle and/or reduce pain.

The classes are as follows:

1. Introduction to the Bradley Method
2. Nutrition in Pregnancy
3. Pregnancy
4. The Coach's Role
5. Intro to First Stage Labor
6. Intro to Second Stage Labor
7. Planning Your Birth
8.Variations and Complications/Postpartum Prep
9. Advanced First Stage Techniques
10. Advanced Second Stage Techniques
11. Being a Great Coach/ Are You Ready?
12. Preparing for Your New Family

To learn more and to find a teacher in your area you can go here.

I wholeheartedly recommend taking Bradley Classes if you are committed to a natural birth. I feel like the content is extensive and full of important tools, techniques and information that you just can't get from a book. I know my husband feels so much more prepared, confident and in control since taking these classes. He told me that if we hadn't he would probably wouldn't be much help during the birth because of lack of knowledge. The classes have given me confidence in this process too. They've taught me what to expect from my body and how to handle each stage of labor effectively.

They say several times during class that if you didn't know how to swim yet you knew you were going to be thrown into deep water in 9 months then you'd probably learn how to swim pretty quickly! Well the same things goes for labor, you know it's coming in 9 months so you'd better learn how to do it effectively!

You really need to be committed when taking Bradley Classes because you have "homework" every day for your whole pregnancy and beyond! They encourage you to keep track of your diet to make sure you and your baby are getting all the nutrients you both need. They also encourage you to walk, exercise and practice relaxation techniques daily with your coach. In addition to all of that they encourage specific exercises to utilize everyday in order to better prepare your body for birth.

I'm so glad that my husband and I decided to take Bradley Classes! The information we learned throughout the process was invaluable and I can't wait to put it into practice in a few weeks!

Additional Resources
Bradley Birth
Husband Coached Childbirth
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way

Have you heard of or taken Bradley Classes? I'd love to know!

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Swirl Diaper Cake

2012-01-04T13:49:00.000-06:00

This morning my sister and I made the diaper cake for my baby shower next weekend. We'd never done this before, but I think it turned out great! We used the swirl method instead of rolling and securing each diaper because it was much quicker and it makes it much easier to disassemble. We used this tutorial. Instead of using three different size cake pans (which we didn't have) we used a small saucepan, a cake pan, and a large skillet. They worked great! Here's the cake at several different stages:

I guess you figured out our baby's name. :)

What do you think? Have you made a diaper cake before?

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No Shampoo: Week 2

2012-01-01T18:19:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow marks two weeks on my no shampoo journey. If you missed week one you can read about it here. This week has been much more challenging than week one. I've been doing the BS/ACV routine every other day and I'm definitely still in the transition phase. Here are pictures of what my hair looks like now:

Although my hair looks clean and normal it definitely feels different. My roots are more oily when touched (at least to me) and they feel heavier than freshly shampooed hair. (I'm starting to want that feeling again!!) Also, my scalp is itchier and my hair seems to tangle more. The majority of my hair seems to feel the same though so that's good. I'm going to try to go three days this week between washing in hopes of speeding up the transition phase. I hope it comes quickly. I'm not sure how long I'm willing to commit to this without results. Especially since I've heard mixed opinions about this method. It ain't for the faint of heart!

Do you have any tips on getting through the transition phase?

Do you think your hair feels cleaner and healthier now that your on the other side? (If you are)

I need some encouragement!!

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Sweet Southern Cornbread

2011-12-29T17:42:00.001-06:00

These are the best cornbread muffins I've ever tasted!! I usually don't like cornbread because it tends to be dry, but these are like moist, sweet corn cupcakes or something. :) Here's the recipe in case you wanna try 'em for yourself:

Sweet Southern Cornbread

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c honey

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c flour

3/4 c cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c milk

1/2 can corn

Cream butter and sugar for 1 minute.

Add honey, eggs, and salt. Cream 1 minute.

Add flour, cornmeal, and baking powder. Mix well.

Add milk and corn. Mix until just combined.

Pour into greased muffin tin. Makes 16.

Bake at 350 for 25 min or until fork comes out clean.

YUM YUM YUM!!! I've eaten four so far and I'm seriously contemplating a fifth…

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A Tip

2011-12-29T17:04:00.000-06:00

So if your going "no poo" and you have wavy hair AND your in the transition stage, don't, I repeat don't put coconut oil in your hair! The results are what you would expect: oily hair. I did this today thinking it would add shine and definition to my waves, but I shouldn't have. I guess I'm gonna have to wash it two days in a row which I don't like because I'm going for low maintenance here. I can't wait for the day that I only need to wash once a week. Is this strange? Either way, I had to put my hair up today which I normally don't do and I thought I'd show you what I did. I know this isn't new, but I've never done it before and I think it's cute:

How do you do your hair on umm...not so pretty hair days?

No Shampoo: Week 1

2011-12-28T14:52:00.001-06:00

Have you heard of or tried the "no poo" method? Basically it's where you stop using shampoo (because it strips your hair of natural oils, frizzes it and is filled with chemicals) and you use baking soda and apple cider vinegar in it's place. Sound crazy? Maybe it is, but I've been poo free for nine days now and the "transition period" hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Here's what my hair looks like today:

I've been using 1 tbsp baking soda dissolved in 1 cup warm water and then 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar in 1 cup warm water every other day. Basically you just pour the baking soda mixture on your roots, scrub and rinse, then repeat with the vinegar on your ends. Once you go "poo free" your hair will go through a transition period where it's still overproducing oil because it's used to shampoo stripping it all of the time. I was only washing my hair every three days before I started so hopefully my transition will be easier. The baking soda has been pretty effective in soaking up the excess oil. It does feel a little bit greasier and heavier than normal, but not really too much. Supposedly your hair gets curlier and fuller once your completely poo free. I hope that's true!! I'll try to post an update every week or so.

Have you heard of or tried the no poo method?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Holiday Update

2011-12-27T09:41:00.003-06:00

Sorry I've been MIA over the holiday weekend, but we've been busy celebrating and traveling. We're home now and Mike is off for a few days! Yay! The plan is to take down the Christmas decor and then work on setting up the nursery (which is going to take a lot of creative "rearranging").

How was every one's Christmas? I had a wonderful time with family and guess what I got? A CANNER! I'm so excited to be able to actually can now!! It might be tricky gardening this year with a newborn, but I figure my ancestors did it so why can't I? Plus, Mike said he would help. Yay!!

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Little Girl's Superhero Cape

2011-12-22T16:22:00.001-06:00

So this has to be my favorite gift to give this year! My three year old niece will tie any kind of blanket, apron, fabric, etc around her neck and pretend she's superman, so of course I had to make her, her very own superhero cape!! Complete with ruffles and all!!

I LOVE IT!! It turned out exactly as I had envisioned (which doesn't always happen around here). This was my last gift to make so I'm officially ready for Christmas!

What do you think? Have you been busy making gifts too?

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My Memories Giveaway Winner

2011-12-21T19:44:00.002-06:00

A big thank you to everyone who entered!!

Are you ready to hear who won?

*MissLys*

Congratulations!! Please send me your e-mail address and I will get you your code as soon as I can and happy scrapbooking!!

If you didn't win, remember you can still use the discount code STMMMS10106 to receive $10 off of the software and $10 off in the scrapbook store!! (This is a separate code you will receive by e-mail once you've purchased the software.) That's a $50 value for only $30!!

New Items in Shop!!

2011-12-19T09:36:00.000-06:00

I just added some really cute placemat clutches to my Etsy shop.

Check them out:

Also, a trio of vintage hand painted flowers. Very unique:

Eco Friendly Packaging

2011-12-19T07:38:00.002-06:00

I decided that I wanted to begin going a more natural and eco friendly route when wrapping packages this year. Therefore, I've been collecting brown paper, twine, vintage ribbon and vintage wrapping paper from thrift stores for a few months now. I've also got some recycled newspaper held back for later use. I'm not completely switched over yet because I'm still using up what I have left from last year.

I like the effect so far! I also like wrapping (where possible) without a box because it looks more old fashioned that way. Below is some of the vintage paper I bought from the thrift store for something like .10:

What do you think?
Do you ever shop thrift stores for you wrapping paper?

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Nursery Inspiration

2011-12-16T07:46:00.002-06:00

Here's my vision for the nursery:

*I apologize that I don't have photo credits. I've been collecting these for awhile and don't remember where they all came from. If one of these is yours let me know and I will add a credit or remove it per your request.

We're going with a vintage airplane/Americana theme.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Teach Me Tuesdays

My Memories Digital Scrapbook GIVEAWAY!!

2011-12-15T07:20:00.005-06:00

*This giveaway is now closed. The winner will be announced soon.

Have you heard of the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software? It's a really awesome program that allows you to do all of your scrapbooking on the computer! I've been playing around with it and made this really cute calendar page:

The possibilities are endless with this software! You could make scrapbooks, calendars, invitations, Christmas cards, etc. I've been thinking about designing a baby shower invitation using it, which would save me lots of money. It's really easy to use and they have a lot of predesigned albums that you can just add pictures too and your done!

My Memories also offers digital scrapbook packs that you can purchase or they have a large selection of free packs as well. Here are a few of my favorite FREE downloads:

How cute are all of these? And they're absolutely FREE!! They also have an extensive selection of packs you can purchase ranging from baby to wedding to vacation to birthdays to practically anything you can think of! If your a big scrapbooker, this software could potentially save you lots of time, mess, and money. Also its compatible for both Pc's and Mac's.

Okay so are you ready for the exciting part?? My Memories has generously offered to give away this software for free to one of my readers!! All you have to do to enter is visit My Memories and come back and leave a comment telling me which scrapbook pack is your favorite. For additional entries you can either follow my blog or follow me on twitter. You will need to leave a separate comment for each additional entry. On Wednesday December 21st after 5pm central time I will pick a winner!!

But wait, that's not all My Memories has also offered a discount code to my readers for $10 off the software and $10 off the scrapbook store! (the scrapbook store discount will be another code e-mailed to you once you've purchased the software.) All you have to do to redeem this discount is use the code STMMMS10106 at checkout.

I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks!!

Teach Me Tuesdays

Crocheted Cowl

2011-12-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

Okay, I have to admit, this crochet thing is addicting. Does anyone else agree? I've been knitting and crocheting a big pile of gifts for people this year. Since I can't post those just yet, here's a project that I finished for myself: a cowl!

I crocheted it lengthwise which I think makes it look more even and finished. What do you think? It would be cute a little shorter or longer so you could double it around your neck. Oh the possibilities!

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Breastfeeding

2011-12-12T23:40:00.000-06:00

As I was reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding,

this quote caught my attention:

"The newborn baby has only three demands.

They are warmth in the arms of its mother,

food from her breasts, and security

in the knowledge of her presence.

Breastfeeding satisfies all three."

-Dr Grantly Dick-Read

My Weekly Memory Verse

2011-12-12T10:16:00.002-06:00

My husband and I are going to start our weekly memorizing this week.

For our first verse we picked Isaiah 9:6:

"For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

-Isaiah 9:6

For this to work I need to keep the verse in my mind all day and put it up in a place that I visit frequently. So where did I put my verse? Above my kitchen sink. :) A place where I spend lots of time!

Where would be the best place for you to put a memory verse?

I Crocheted!

2011-12-08T13:06:00.001-06:00

I crocheted ear warmers! I'm so proud. I even made a flower to go on it.

I accidentally started decreasing stitches, but then I decided that was a good thing for a headband so my hair would still lie flat in the back. I figured out how to increase them again and it worked out nicely

It's not perfect, but it works!! I measured my head and then crocheted 1 1/2 in smaller. Next time I think I'll do it 2 or 2 1/2 inches smaller to make it a little more snug.

Here are some of the YouTube videos I used to learn:

Do you knit or crochet? If so, do you have any tips or thoughs to add? I'd love to hear them!

Teach Me Tuesdays

Handmade Gift Items in the Shop

2011-12-07T16:16:00.001-06:00

Hi all! I just wanted to take a minute to highlight a few of the handmade items I have in my shop. These would all make great Christmas gifts! And they're eco-friendly! (Made from previously "loved" materials).

Be sure and visit my shop for the full selection!

Plus I have many unique and charming vintage items available.

The Honey Bee House

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Intentional About Memorizing Scripture

2011-12-07T10:15:00.001-06:00

I think God might be nudging me to memorize scripture. I got an e-mail a few weeks back about a scripture memory challenge for 2012 and then in my bible study we had a speaker talk about her scripture memory system that really got me excited about starting!

I've attempted to memorize scripture before, but never really stuck to it long term. I could probably recall a handful of verses, but nothing too extensive. I don't like that. I want to have the Word of God hidden and cemented in my heart. I want to be able to draw up scripture when the need arises (which it often does). Also, I want to be able to instill in my children the blessings and discipline that come from life long scripture memory.

"I have hidden your Word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you."

-Psalm 119:11

The system the speaker talked about is fairly simple (yet you have to be dedicated.) Basically you pick one memory verse per week to memorize.

I know we're all busy and it's hard to schedule new disciplines into our days, so why not pick a time that is "open" already? Such as, washing the dishes, doing the laundry, feeding the baby, exercising, or brushing your teeth? Couldn't you find a task that you do daily to begin meditating on scripture? It's so easy to make excuses, but hiding the Word of God in our hearts is so very important!

Every week you add a new verse, but continue to review your old verses daily. (Making a mark for each day you reviewed it.) Then once you've reviewed your verse for 50 days move it to your "weekly" pile and pick a day once a week to review it. Then one you've review it for 50 weeks you add it to your "long term" pile and review it on occasion. Hopefully by this time it's committed to memory for life!! Okay so the system does sound kinda complicated, but if you really stuck with it I think it would work! Anyway, my husband and I are going to start in the new year. Yay!

Also, if you want to join in with other ladies who have committed to memorize a verse a week in 2012 click the button below. What a great resource of support and encouragement!

Do you have a scripture memory system? Do you have any questions about the system we're going to use? I may not have explained it very well, but I didn't want to make it too long and wordy.

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Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-12-07T09:35:00.001-06:00

Thank you to all who participated in the giveaway. It looks like the aprons are pretty popular! Please remember my etsy shop for your vintage and handmade home decor and accessory needs!

And the winner is….

Jacinda from Growing Home!

Congrats Jacinda!

Be sure to check out her awesome blog and join her Teach Me Tuesdays Link up party!!

*I used a random number generator for this giveaway, but couldn't figure out how to post the results. Sorry!

I'm on Twitter!

2011-12-05T07:02:00.001-06:00

Follow me @HoneyBeeGrace,

or leave your twitter name in the comment section and I'll follow you!

Starting the Weekend off Right

2011-12-02T18:09:00.001-06:00

Normally we eat out on Friday nights, but tonight I actually felt like following the menu plan. I also whipped up a batch of yummy banana bread! Here are my recipes:

Homemade Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cup flour (or 1/2 white 1/2 wheat)

1 tbsp yeast

1tsp salt

4 tbsp olive oil

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp Italian herbs

-mix dry ingredients

-add wet

-knead 5 min.

-spread onto greased pizza pan

-brush with melted butter or olive oil (optional)
-prick dough with fork all the way around

-bake at 375 for 20-25 min.

-add sauce, cheese, and additional toppings
-bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted

The-Reason-My-Husband-Married-Me

Banana Bread

(at least that's what he told me when he was eating it tonight, ha)

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cup flour

pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

-mix butter into bananas

-mix sugar, egg, and vanilla into bananas

-add baking soda, salt, and cinnamon

-add flour

-stir until just mixed

-bake at 350 for 1 hour

This really is a delicious banana bread recipe and the more ripe and mashed your bananas are, the better. Happy Friday everyone!!

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Holiday Tour

2011-12-01T08:28:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our home! These trees are the latest addition to our decor and guess what? They're made from two tomato stakes with garland and lights wrapped around. My husband made them all from stuff that was given to us for free!! You know that's how we roll. :)

Here's our "entry table." I have a basket filled with Christmas books for all ages so everyone has something to read when they visit. The crocheted piece is from my grandma and the choir girl was a $2 thrift store find from last year. She's one of my favorite holiday pieces.

Here's our lovely tree! The star was given to us free and the tree skirt was $1 from the thrift store.

I bought several of these "Joy" and "Peace" ornaments last year on clearance. I love them because they're a constant reminder of what kind of attitude we're suppose to have during the holidays.

"And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

Luke -2:10:11

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased."

-Luke 2:14

Here's the stocking I made for my dog last year. I have plans to make matching ones for me and Mike. We'll see if that happens.

Kitchen table center piece.

I got these angels and wire church from clearance at Hobby Lobby.

I put twigs of holly berries in between all of my pictures on the fireplace mantel. I love the end effect!

Well that's most of our Christmas decor! I hope you've enjoyed it!

Happy Holidays everyone!

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New in the Shop!

2011-11-29T14:14:00.001-06:00

Made from a vintage cross stitch and handkerchief. :)

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A Bit of Hand Sewing: Felt Needle Book

2011-11-28T23:05:00.001-06:00

I used to think needle books were silly. Who needs a whole book just for needles? Then suddenly it dawned on me that they really are a useful and charming thing! My needles have been living in the plastic they came in for years now. How boring. Anyway, I got the urge to make one tonight. It's simple, yet effective.

Now my needles have a home! I had plans to do some embroidery on the front and a blanket stitch around the cover, but its late and I'm tired. This will do for now.

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What Do You Do With Your Eggshells?

2011-11-27T21:33:00.001-06:00

I don't compost, but I do keep my eggshells and once I have a big pile full I put them in the blender….

…and turn them into powder to spread out in the garden.

If you try this, be forewarned...

…you will have egg dust comin' at you when you remove the lid...

…and it really doesn't smell that pleasant.

Do you put anything in your garden such as
eggshells, leaves, or coffee grounds to help the soil?

I'd love more ideas!

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My First GIVEAWAY!!

2011-11-27T18:10:00.001-06:00

**This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered.**

In celebration of my new Etsy Shop I'm hosting a giveaway!

Here're the prizes:

A framed "faith, hope, love" print hand stamped by me

AND

2.5 yds (approx.) of vintage Christmas fabric!
This would be perfect for an apron or a tablecloth.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

Visit my shop and leave a comment here telling me what your favorite item is and why.

That's it! You don't have to be a follower to enter. You can leave your e-mail with your comment or you can e-mail me your address if you're the winner. I will randomly pick a winner on Wednesday December 7th. Good luck!!

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My Kind of Black Friday

2011-11-25T19:18:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that I love thrifting, so why would my Black Friday shopping be any different?! :) One of my favorite thrift stores was 50% off today! The whole store!!! Woohoo!!! I got everything above for less than $30. Yea baby. Happy Black Friday everyone!

Skirt from a Sheet!

2011-11-23T21:40:00.001-06:00

I made this skirt from a fitted sheet I found at Goodwill for $2. I love making floor length skirts for myself because store bought "floor length" skirts are more like ankle skirts on me. And let me tell you people, ankle skirts just aren't the same. To learn how to make an a-line skirt you can go here. This is an easy skirt to do with only four seams, but for some reason (probably because I didn't follow any directions) it gave me lots of trouble. So my advice is to use the link above and actually measure your pattern pieces! P.S. I wanna know who has sheets this wild anyway? :)

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I Am Thankful: A Poem

2011-11-23T16:49:00.001-06:00

As Thanksgiving Eve comes to an end and the cooking, baking, and fellowship are just beginning (I'm in charge of the PIES!!!) I hope we can all stop a moment and thank God for what He's so graciously blessed us with. I'll leave you with my very favorite poem on thankfulness. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!

I Am Thankful:

For the wife who says its hot dogs tonight,
Because she is home with me,
And not out with someone else.

For the husband
who is on the sofa
Being a couch potato,
Because he is home with me,
and not out at the bars.

For the teenager
Who is complaining about doing dishes
Because it means she is at home,
Not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay
because it means I am employed.

For the mess to clean after a party
Because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug
Because it means I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work
Because it means I am out in the sunshine.

For a lawn that needs mowing,
Windows that need cleaning,
And gutters that need fixing,
Because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining
I hear about the government
Because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot
I find at the far end of the parking lot
Because it means I am capable of walking
And I have been blessed with transportation.

For my huge heating bill
Because it means I am warm.

For the lady behind me at church
Who sings off key
Because it means I can hear.

For the pile of laundry
Because it means I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles
At the end of the day
Because it means I have been capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off
In the early morning hours
Because it means I am alive.

And finally for too much e-mail
Because it means
I have friends
Who are thinking of me!

New Repuposed Bags in the Shop!

2011-11-21T22:22:00.001-06:00

The tote is made from a vintage cross stitch wall hanging and the clutch is made from a placemat! Check them out!

Inspiration Fridays

The Joy of Air Drying Clothes

2011-11-21T10:48:00.001-06:00

I realize everyone may not find *joy* in air drying their clothes, but it makes me feel good that I don't *have* to use my dryer. I like the idea of being less dependent and more self sufficient, no matter how small a step it may be. As you can see my laundry room is more of a closet, so I'm having to be creative and efficient in drying a weeks worth of clothes! I only have one small load of whites left and I'll officially be dryer free for the week!!

I used my shower curtain rod to dry our long pants.

And of course I used my new drying rack that I found at the thrift store a few weeks ago! If I had just one or two more of these I could handle air drying a bunch of clothes, no problem.

Benefits of Air Drying:

*Saves $ on electricity

*Prolongs the life of your clothes AND your dryer

*Eliminates accidental shrinkage in clothes

*Adds moisture to the very dry winter air (I LOVE this benefit!)

*Satisfaction in doing something by hand

Do you air dry your clothes during the winter? If so, do you have any more benefits or tips to add?

Introducing: The Honey Bee House

2011-11-20T22:37:00.001-06:00

Guess what? I decided to put some of my creative energy to good use by starting an Etsy shop called The Honey Bee House. I plan on offering an eclectic mix of vintage, upcycled, and handmade items. Right now I have a few great vintage pieces up for sale. If your interested in seeing what inspires me, then click on over and take a look! Be sure to check back because I plan on listing some of my own upcycled items soon.

Do you have an Etsy shop? If so, leave a link in the comment section. I'd love to visit and see what you've made!

Menu Plan: Nov. 20th - Dec. 3rd

2011-11-17T11:44:00.001-06:00

Sunday: Baked Potatoes, Baked Beans
Monday: Hamburger Hash brown Casserole, Veggie, Bread
Tuesday: Birthday Dinner
Wednesday: French Toast, Sausage, Eggs
Thursday: Thanksgiving Leftovers
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Dinner w/Family

Sunday: Baked Potato, Baked Beans
Monday: Pizza Pasta, Bread
Tuesday: Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos
Wednesday: Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Brown Rice, Deviled Eggs
Thursday: Parmesan Chicken, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Leftovers

Benefits of Prenatal Exercise

2011-11-16T09:29:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit

Did you know that pregnant women who exercise regularly tend to have shorter, less complicated labors? According to this article (with info from a study done by Dr. James F. Clapp), regular, moderate exercise is beneficial not only to the mother, but also to the unborn baby. Here are some of the awesome benefits for the mother:

Women who participate in regular, moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes, 3-5 days per week, throughout their pregnancies:

1. Tend to have shorter and less complicated labors, and less need for medical intervention.

2. Have more energy during their pregnancies and recover faster following delivery.

3. Return to their pre-pregnancy weight sooner than less active woman.

4. Gain less weight during pregnancy.

5. Tend to experience an improved body image, enhanced self-esteem and a general sense of well-being.

6. Experience less tension, anxiety and fatigue than less active women.

7. Experience a decrease in common discomforts of pregnancy.

8. Maintain cardiovascular fitness.

9. Increase muscular strength.

10. Experience fewer colds and other respiratory viruses.

Who wouldn't want just a few of these benefits to be true? The way I see it labor is a strenuous and physically demanding event that should be trained and prepared for just like any other race or physical activity in your life. Here's a list of some appropriate exercises for pregnant women:

Walking

Swimming

Stretching

Pilates

Aerobics

Resistance Training

Before beginning any type of exercise program you should consult your doctor or midwife. You should also avoid contact sports, keep your heart rate from becoming too elevated and avoid lying flat on your back during the last two trimesters. If you start to feel uncomfortable or dizzy at any time you should stop exercising immediately and consult your doctor if the discomfort continues.

Benefits will be greater when you eat a healthy, well balanced diet.

Have you found any of these benefits to be true?

What are some challenges that you've experienced while trying to exercise regularly during pregnancy?

What kinds of exercise do you prefer for pregnancy? (I love doing pilates)

Another Top with New Look 6025

2011-11-15T21:46:00.001-06:00

I made another maternity top using New Look 6025. Can you guess where I found this fabric? That's right the thrift store!! :) I took an inch out of each shoulder seam to help with the gaping neckline.

What do you think?

Applique Baby Bib Tutorial

2011-11-14T22:59:00.001-06:00

Who wants to applique some baby bibs with me?? Since I've been sewing up several of these lately I decided to do a quick tutorial just in case anyone else wanted to make some too. I'm no expert and I realize there are other ways of doing it, but this is how I do it with the resources that I have. Also, I apologize for choosing such a light colored fabric. It would have been wiser to use a darker one for all the pictures. Sorry!

You will need:

fabric for bib (flannels, cottons, and knits work nicely)

fabric for applique

fusible interfacing

fasteners (such as snaps, Velcro, etc.)

sewing machine w/zig-zag stitch

iron

fabric scissors

paper

1. First, you will need to get a pattern for your bib. You can either print one or use a bib you already have adding a 1/4" all the way around.

2. Next you will need to draw or print the shape that you want to applique and cut it out.

3. Now that you you have your patterns it's time to start cutting the fabric. You will need to cut two bib pieces, one applique piece from the fabric and one applique piece from the interfacing (with the shiny side up)

4. Next you will iron your interfacing to your applique piece per the directions on your interfacing. Then pin your applique piece to the right side of your bib, making sure to pin it straight and even.

NOTE: My interfacing is only fusible on one side. If you are using the kind that is fusible on both sides with the peel off back, then you will need to pin it to the applique piece AND the bib before you iron it. Also, remember to peel off the backing! :)

5. Now you will sew all the way around the edge of your applique using the zig-zag stitch. Go slow and be sure to shift your fabric accordingly, remembering to back stitch at the beginning and end!

NOTE: You can set your stitch to the smallest size for a closer and more secure zig-zag stitch. The stitch I have shown here is a large sized stitch.

6. Next you should pin your bib pieces right sides together and sew a 1/4" seam leaving 2-3 inches open so you can turn your bib remembering to back stitch at the beginning and end of your seam.

7. Next, clip your curves being careful not the cut into your seam.

8. Now you can turn your bib right side out and iron it.

9. Pin the open part of your seam so that the edges are turned in and even with the rest of the bib.

10. Now you need to top stitch as close to the edge as you can all the way around your bib remembering to backstitch at the beginning and end.

11. Choose the fastener of your choice for the neck straps and your done! Yay!

Now wasn't that fun?!?

Another Baking Day and Quilted Pot Holders

2011-11-13T17:20:00.001-06:00

I have to say that I really enjoyed having homemade foods to put in Mike's lunches last week, so I'm continuing on with another baking day to prepare for the upcoming week.

I made mini lemon poppy seed muffins, peanut butter cookies, and baked pumpkin oatmeal. From start to finish it really only took me around an hour to do. Baking everything for the week at once is practical because you already have all your ingredients out and your oven only has to heat up once.

Also, I made these quilted potholders last week from some material I found at the thrift store. To be perfectly honest, the fronts look great, but the backs aren't as nice because, as I've said before bias tape and I do NOT get along. Anyway, this was my first time quilting and it was a quick and enjoyable project. (Plus I really needed some potholders!)

Maternity Sewing with New Look 6025

2011-11-12T18:46:00.001-06:00

I used New Look 6025 as a maternity pattern and it worked out well. I made view A and used a floral print polyester fabric that I found at the thrift store. As I was sewing it I saw some runs in the fabric and almost flipped out, but you can't tell from the front so I just put some stop fray stuff on it and moved forward. Did you know that polyester runs like pantyhose? Ha so if you buy any check it for runs on the back BEFORE you cut your pieces!

The only problem I have with the finished top is that the neckline is so large. I think I'm going to take it up at the shoulder seam. That should fix it pretty well. This pattern is fairly easy with clear directions. If you want to make it I suggest cutting a size smaller than you normally wear and pay absolutely no attention to the measurements (it says I'm normally a size 14). Anyway, I used a size eight and it fits me at six months pregnant! So I think its fair to say it runs large.

I've got plans to make a couple more of these and also to (attempt) a maternity t-shirt refashion soon. So stayed tuned!!

What do you think? Has anyone else found that Simplicity and New Look patterns tend to run large? Do you have any other sizing or maternity sewing tips? I'd love to hear them!

A Baby Blanket

2011-11-11T12:52:00.001-06:00

I made a quick baby blanket using this tutorial. The layer of batting in between makes it super thick and warm, but it would work well without it too. I had heard that minky (the brown fabric) is hard to work with, but it didn't give me any problems (except shedding all over the place.)

I cut the fabric out at 41"X41" and the finished blanket ended up being around 38"X39". This is because I'm horrible at cutting things out squarely and I just had to keep "evening it up" until it look right.

I think it will make a great floor blanket for baby!

What do you think?

Apron from Simplicity 2319

2011-11-11T09:10:00.001-06:00

I made a new apron using Simplicity 2319. It went pretty quickly and I didn't run into any problems. The instructions were clear and the finished apron looks like the pattern.

I really like that it has adjustable straps (the neck strap and ties are all one piece). However, I do not like that it ties above the gathered seam. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant, but i think it would look better and more fitted if the ties pulled at the seam.

Here's my finished apron:

I added a piece of trim fabric to the bottom so it's a little longer than the intended pattern.

What do you think? It kinda ended up being an old fashioned Amish style or something. :)

Knitting

2011-11-09T14:36:00.000-06:00

I taught myself to knit around five years ago and I have yet to finish a project….until today! The red and purple scarves below (with many, many mistakes in them) have been sitting in my knitting basket unfinished for years. *Since taking this picture, I unraveled them because they were simply too sad to complete* The pink scarf, however, I started last year as a Christmas present (I think) and I picked it back up this past week and guess what?!?

I finished it!! I used size 15 needles and a chunky yarn so it would go fast. If I use this yarn again I'll probably only knit it half the width because it's pretty wide around my neck, but I love it! Here's a close up of all my hard work:

I'll never be cold with this on!

How about you? Do you knit/crochet?

Baking Day

2011-11-07T14:58:00.000-06:00

In the spirit of Ma Ingalls, I decided to have a baking day today to prepare myself for the rest of the week. I've started to rely a little too much on convenience foods lately and I'm just getting back into making my own homemade goodies on a weekly basis.

Here's what I made:

Mixed berry muffins

Granola Bars (I need to tweak these they fall apart easily)

Buttermilk Pancakes

I also put some potatoes in the crock pot this morning so they would be ready by dinner time.

Yum! I forgot how much better homemade tastes!!

Custom Pajama Pants

2011-11-06T01:38:00.000-05:00

You know where I can buy pajama pants that fit me like this? Nowhere. They simply don't exist because the standard length for woman's pj pants are like Capri's on me. Anyway, I made these using this tutorial and I highly recommend it! I made some last year with the same tutorial and they turned out good, but they're better this time because I made some improvements. It's so easy because you use a pair of pants that you already have as a pattern and you cut it on the fold of the fabric so you only have 2 pieces, 3 seams, 3 hems and your done! I seriously made these from start to finish in under an hour. It may not be smart to make pajama pants in the middle of pregnancy, but I tried to make them where they would grow with me and I could still wear them afterwards. I used an elastic waistband, but maybe next time I'll do a drawstring so that they have more "growing" room.

Scarf from Vintage Polyester

2011-11-05T18:59:00.001-05:00

I bought this material from the thrift store a few months back. I have a special place in my heart for floral prints so I had to have it. Anyway, I've been trying to figure out a fairly quick project to motivate me to get back into sewing because I have a few bigger projects that I need to get done. Well today I saw this material in my stash and decided to make a scarf out of it.

I made it using the same method as the fleece scarf I made last winter, except I made it longer because the fleece one was a little too short for me.

I like how it turned out. What do you think? What decade would you say the material is from? 60s or 70s?

Menu Plan (Nov 6th-Nov 19th)

2011-11-04T09:21:00.000-05:00

I decided to start posting my menu plan again in hopes that it will motivate me to do more baking and keep up with making more of our convenience and snack foods instead of buying them prepackaged. I've gotten away from this in the last few months. Anyway, here's our plan for the next two weeks.

Breakfasts:
Granola (homemade)
Muffins (from mix)
English Muffins (from freezer)
Pancakes (from freezer)
Sausage Links (from freezer)
Oatmeal

Lunches:
Chicken Sandwiches w/Brown Rice
Leftovers
SW Chicken Pockets (from freezer)
PB&J w/veggie

Snacks:
Yogurt
Almonds
Fruit
Veggie
Granola
Muffins

Dinners:
Sunday - Buttermilk Pancakes and Eggs (make extra batches to freeze)
Monday - Baked Potatoes and Homemade Beanie Weenies
Tuesday - Chili (Dinner w/Dad and grandparents)
Wednesday - French Toast, Sausage Links, and Eggs
Thursday - Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, Brown Rice
Friday - Dinner at Friend's House
Saturday - Fried Potatoes, Veggie, and Hot Dog Skillet

Sunday - Cheesy Bean & Rice Burritos
Monday - Parmesan Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Veggie
Tuesday - Baked Potatoes and Veggie
Wednesday - Baked Sweet Potato, Brown Rice, and Veggie
Thursday - Pizza Pasta
Friday - Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Leftovers/Free Day

Baking/Prep Goals:
Pancakes to Freeze
2 Batches Muffins
Yogurt in Crock Pot
Homemade Granola
Overnight vegetable stock

Look What I Bought!

2011-11-04T08:31:00.002-05:00

I realize a laundry drying rack may not be very exciting to everyone, but it is to me! I found this at a thrift store for $3! Woohoo! I guess it's exciting because I don't have a clothesline outside yet (maybe next year). Anyway, this drying rack will provide extra room for me this winter to air dry some of our laundry (I already use the shower curtain rod and the front porch to dry some). I realize I won't be able to air dry a whole weeks worth of clothes on this in one day, but it should help to reduce our use of the dryer and prolong the life of our laundry.

That's exciting right?

Plus it folds right up so I can store it in our
laundry closet the rest of the week!

What about you? Do you air dry your clothes?

If so, how do you do it in the winter?

Sewing Inspiration: A Blind Quilter!

2011-11-03T08:40:00.001-05:00

WOW. This woman makes me feel like I can do anything! She definitely inspires me to tackle some sewing projects.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

2011-10-31T18:27:00.000-05:00

I made this casserole for dinner tonight and it was really good! I adapted it from here.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

3 cups bite sized chicken

1/3 cup hot sauce

1 bag shredded hash browns

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup ranch

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tbsp melted butter

chopped green onions

1.Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9x13 baking dish

2. Mix chicken and hot sauce in bowl and set aside

3. In separate bowl, mix potatoes, soups, cheese, and ranch

4. Pour potato mixture into baking dish

5. Place chicken on top of potatoes

6. Pour melted butter on top

7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes

8. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

Yum!

No Bake Energy Bites

2011-10-31T12:15:00.003-05:00

I adapted this recipe from here. The original recipe had coconut flakes and flax seed which I didn't happen to have so I just omitted them. They're really easy to make and yummy! I'm hoping they get a little firmer after refrigerating for a while because they're almost like a cookie dough right now. Here's the recipe:

No Bake Energy Bites

1 cup oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients

2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes

3. Roll into bite size balls and enjoy! (Store extra in fridge.)

You could add raisins, nuts, etc to mix it up a bit.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-10-26T21:24:00.004-05:00

This recipe only has five ingredients and it's delicious!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Cream peanut butter and sugar until fluffy

Add egg and vanilla

Beat well

Incorporate chocolate chips

Spoon onto baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes

Enjoy!

Blog Bash

2011-10-25T20:15:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I'm so excited to be participating in the Blog Bash at Women Living Well! If your new here, let me introduce myself: I'm a stay at home wife and soon to be mommy!! I love to cook, sew, read, garden, and shop at thrift stores. I blog about my faith in God, gardening, saving money, cooking, cleaning, natural living, sewing, crafting and everything in between. Here are some posts to get to know me better:

Random Facts About Me

Vision for Blogging

Love and Serve Your Family

Glorifying God Through Homemaking

Thanks for stopping by!!

Bless Your Nest: Physical Blessings!

2011-10-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

Past Weeks:

Spiritual Blessings

Financial Blessings

Organizational Blessings

This Week:

Physical Blessings!

Welcome to the last post of Bless Your Nest! I've had a lot of fun writing this series and I hope you've enjoyed reading it and have collected some tips on how to bless your family along the way! Thanks to all who've joined me! Let's get started on this weeks topic which is how to be a blessing physically to your family.

1. Basic Nutrition - As wives and mothers we're basically in charge of our families diets and when you think about it that's a huge responsibility! We need to make sure that we're preparing meals that are healthy, varied, and full of nutrients! Based on the new USDA Plate half of our food should be fruit and vegetables and the other half should be whole grains and proteins. We should also be including a few servings of dairy throughout the day. Here is the new USDA Plate:

Keeping healthy snacks in the house such as fresh fruit, veggies, nuts, yogurt, etc is such a blessing to your family. If they are filling up with nutrient dense foods instead of empty calories (sugars, refined carbs., etc.) then they will feel so much better! You may not get a thank you for always having carrots for you kids to snack on, but they will realize later in life what a blessing it was to them! Also try to include lean meats, veggies, and whole grains at every meal when meal planning.

2. A Good Night's Sleep - Getting enough sleep is so important for the health of your family, especially those growing kids! Sleep helps your body to restore itself and gain energy for the coming day. It also improves memory and brain function. Sleep has so many other benefits and I'm no scientist, but I know that if I don't get enough I'm lazy, cranky, and feel terrible the next day! We need to make sure everyone in our household is getting an adequate amount of sleep (including naps) every day. The family that get's enough sleep with be happier and healthier all around!

3. Model a Healthy Lifestyle - It's one thing to tell your kids to eat their vegetables and go to sleep on time, but are you practicing what you preach? Actions speak louder than words and your more likely to get your kids to accept the behaviors your teaching if your actually doing them yourself. Plus, you need to make sure your taking care of yourself first so you will have more energy later to take care of your families needs.

4. Go Outdoors - The benefits of nature are numerous. The air is cleaner, you get more vitamin D, your more apt to be active, your calmer and more at peace. Go here for additional information and benefits of being outdoors. Being active and taking your family outdoors is a great blessing to them!

5. Don't Over Commit - It's hard to say no sometimes, but the fact is as moms and wives we need to be available to our families first. We need to make sure all of our families needs are met and they're happy and comfortable before we go on to do any extra activities. This includes activities for children. Don't over commit yourself and your kids. Down time is good for the mind, body, and soul and is way more beneficial than always running from place to place.

6. Make Sure They're Comfortable - A good way to be a blessing to your family is by simply making sure they are comfortable. Did they get enough to eat? Do they have appropriate clothing on? Is it a comfortable temperature in the home? Are they getting enough rest? Do they feel safe? Making sure your families basic needs are met is a huge, but worthy task.

Well I think that's all for Bless Your Nest! I hope you've enjoyed following along and I'd love any feedback you'd like to give! Now let's all go and be a blessing to our families!

Shopping for Baby

2011-10-22T18:16:00.000-05:00

I feel like I've been waiting so long to be able to shop for this baby that I was just stopping at the bit to be able to go when we found out it was a boy! I spent the last two days scouring thrift stores and consignment shops to find the best (and cutest!) deals. I got everything pictured above for around $37 total. Can you tell that I like stripes and dark colors? :)

Here's what I got:

1 bathtub (for only $1.75!)
3 newborn hats
8 onesies
1 pair knit pants
5 sleepers
8 romper/playsuits
1 onesie and knit pants outfit

Also I wanted to thank all of the moms who gave me advice on what sizes to buy. I ended up with a mixture of newborn through 12 months. I think I'll focus on 0-3 or 3-6 months though because I just can't convince myself that I'm going to have a small baby! I had so much fun getting to shop for my little boy, but now I'm beat!

Guess What?!?

2011-10-21T08:35:00.000-05:00

It's a BOY!!!!

We went to the doctor on Wednesday and found out we're having a boy!! We're so thrilled!! Also we went to our first Bradley Childbirth Class yesterday and I'm so glad we signed up! I know it's going to be so helpful in preparing us for a natural birth. If you aren't familiar with the Bradley Method it focuses on husband coached and supported labor with an emphasis on relaxation techniques to help manage pain. They also give you exercises to do that will help prepare your body for birth. If your interested in learning more you can go here.

Also I have a quick question for experienced moms. I'm due in early March and confused on what kinds of clothes I should buy. March and April weather are completely unpredictable around here. It could be anywhere from 0-80 degrees. Should I just buy a combination of winter and spring clothing? Also I know there's probably no way to know, but how many newborn vs. 0-3 months outfits should I have? I was over 9lbs at birth so there's no way I could've fit into NB clothes. I'm probably going to be buying most of the clothes second hand so I won't be able to return them. Any input or advice would be helpful! Thanks!!

Crock Pot Apple Butter

2011-10-20T08:40:00.000-05:00

I made homemade apple butter in the crock pot yesterday and it turned out wonderful! I had an abundance of apples in my fridge (and I still have LOTS) because I've been buying them from a local farm every time a new variety is available. In this recipe I used Gala, Jonathan, and Red Delicious. This is a really long process and I would recommend starting it the night before. Here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Apple Butter

Apples (Enough to fill your crock pot.)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 C. white sugar

3/4 C. brown sugar

1 1/2 T pure vanilla

1. Peel, core, and slice apples.

2. Put apples and vanilla in crock pot and set on low for 8 (or so) hours.

3. After 8 hours, mash apples and add cinnamon and sugar.
It should look like this:

4. Continue cooking on low for 6 (or so) hours.

5. If you like your apple butter a little lumpy then your done, but I put ours in the blender to make it smooth. It made four pints.

I had it on my bagel this morning and it tasted wonderful!! I might even have to make some more because I gave most of it away.

What do you think? Have you ever used your crock pot to make fruit butter?

Trees

2011-10-18T15:59:00.000-05:00

Trees are the kindest thing I know,

they do no harm, they simply grow.

And spread a shade for sleepy cows,

and gather birds among their boughs.

They give us fruit in leaves above,

and wood to make our houses of,

and leaves to burn on Halloween,

and in the spring new buds of green.

They are the first when day's begun

to touch the beams of morning sun,

they are the last to hold the light

when evening changes into night.

And when a moon floats on the sky

they hum a drowsy lullaby

of sleepy children long ago..

Trees are the kindest things I know.

-Harry Behn

2011 Garden Review

2011-10-17T10:42:00.000-05:00

My first year of gardening was a success! Now that the season is done I thought I'd take a moment to look back and reflect. We had a pretty good experience overall, although we ended spending way more than we produced! We're set up for next year though and we shouldn't need to spend very much.

I learned that starting seeds indoors isn't really that hard after all! All you have to do is give them some light and moisture and they should grow for you!

Our tomatoes grew like crazy even though we had a few bouts with worms and aphids. Next year I think we will lay some mulch and plant them a little farther apart.

I wasn't impressed with the flavor of our carrots (they were Little Fingers). I may try a larger, sweeter variety next season.

Our tomatoes produced in abundance. Unfortunately, my morning sickness and aversion to them made me give them all away pretty quick! I'll probably plant some different varieties next year because none of ours seemed to grow that big. It could have been the weather conditions though. I heard is wasn't a very good year for them because of all the rain and cold in the early spring.

We dug up our sweet potatoes last week and they did really well! Now I just have to figure out what to do with them all.

Overall I learned a lot and I'm excited to put my knowledge and experience to good use next season!

How did your garden do? What will you be doing differently next year?

Bless Your Nest: Organizational Blessings

2011-10-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Past Weeks:

Spiritual Blessings

Financial Blessings

This Week:

Organizational Blessings!!

Hey! Welcome to week three of Bless Your Nest! This week we're going to talk about how being neat and organized is a blessing to your family! A neat and organized home (in my opinion) helps others feel safe, confident, calm, and loved. Here are some tips on how I (try to) keep an organized and efficient home:

1. Implement Daily Chores - This is something that I've really only recently started doing. I've made a small list of the things that I wold like to get done every morning and I do them! This has helped me to stay on task, feel motivated, and keep the house running smoothly! My daily chores are: Do Dishes, Wipe Bathroom Counters, and Make Bed. If you don't do this already I would highly recommend coming up with a small list of tasks that you wish to complete on a daily basis. After awhile they will become no brainers and you will feel really off when they don't get completed!

2. Implement a Cleaning Schedule - Everyone works differently and has a different set of standards when if comes to cleaning. I recommend finding a cleaning system that works for you and sticking with it! My weekly cleaning schedule is as follows:

M: Laundry/Budget
T: Vacuum
W: Clean Bathroom
T: Clean Kitchen
F: Bathe Daisy, Dust, De-Clutter

It's simple, easy to remember, and covers all the bases (for me at least). I would rather spend a small amount of time cleaning each day than have to do one or two longer deep cleaning sessions each week, but we're all different and weekly deep cleaning might appeal more to you. The point is to find a system that works for you and stick with it! (I've recently added a monthly and seasonal cleaning schedule, but I haven't started using them yet!)

3. Get Rid of Clutter - In my opinion, there's only so much clutter a person can stand and there comes a point when it just has to go! This comes easier to some than others, but it can be so freeing to get rid of all the stuff that just lies around! I suggest setting aside some time each week or month to de-clutter your home because it can pile up so quickly! I really don't like clutter so this comes pretty easy to me. I go through my entire house 1-3 times per year to either throw away, donate, or sell. If you don't know where to start pick an area in your home (closet, bathroom, kitchen, a small drawer, etc.) and go through each piece asking yourself "Do I need this and/or even like this?" I've found life to be so much more enjoyable when surrounded by a few things that I love instead of a roomful of things that I kinda maybe like. Clutter can bog you down and hold you back so I recommend getting rid of as much as you can!

Another good tip (that I need to do) is to identify hot spots for clutter in your home and put a plan in place to keep them clear. A hot spot is an area most prone to clutter, you know that place in the kitchen that always has a stack of papers on it? Or that corner in the living room that seems to pile up with the kids toys on a daily basis? The best way to deal with these hot spots is to think about how you can keep them clear and organized whether that means buying a pretty basket with a lid to keep toys in or a few decorative filing folders to keep your "to be dealt with" papers. Either way its good to identify where your hot spots are and put regular effort into keeping them clear.

4. Organize Important Information - In an effort to stay organized and keep a smooth running home I have my home planner binder. This is basically a place for me to keep all of my important information about our home in one place. Each family has it's own set of needs and each family's binders (or whatever you choose to use) should be put together in regards to those needs. The sections in our family's binder are as follows:

Important Contacts (includes emergency, family, services providers, medical, etc.)
Schedules (includes daily, cleaning, and weekly to do list)
Monthly Budget (In addition to our written budget, I slip bills and stamps into this section so everything is in one place when I sit down to pay my bills)
Monthly Menu Plan (I fill these in bi weekly)
Master Grocery List
Mailing Addresses

*I keep our calendar with birthdays, events, and appointments on the refrigerator so we can see it and edit it at all times. I feel putting it in the binder would be a hindrance to us.

My binder is very user friendly and works great for me! If you don't have a home binder I would highly recommend starting one! They're a great tool for the organized home! For a more detailed look at my home planner you can go here.

5. Budget and Menu Plan - I highly recommend using budgets and menu plans in your home. These are simply written plans that are put into place for your money and for your grocery needs. Go here for a more detailed look at how I menu plan.

6. Implement a Daily Schedule - The best way to keep organized and on task is to have a plan. All the time that we have in a day is a blessing from God therefore we should be using it for His glory! Having a daily schedule helps you to set goals and stay on task. It also makes the day run much smoother with little ones so they know what to expect. Your schedule doesn't need to be complicated, it can simply be when you want to get up each morning, when you want to eat, and when you want to do your chores. Having a plan in place helps you to be more efficient with your time.

"Look carefully then how you walk,

not as unwise but as wise,

making the best use of the time,

because the days are evil."

-Ephesians 5:15-16

Well I hope you've come to see how putting some effort into staying organized can be a huge blessing to your family! Staying on top of things for those that you love is a good way to be a blessing to them! Join us next week for our last installment of this series entitled Physical Blessings!

Harps Shopping Trip 10/13

2011-10-13T17:14:00.001-05:00

Harp's is having a really good sale this week. A lot of their items are 10/$10 so I stocked up on some baking essentials for the holiday season. Plus they double coupons up to $1 so yay! I had to guesstimate on the regular prices because I didn't look, but I based my figures on Aldi and Wal-Mart's regular prices. I got $34 worth of groceries for $17.64 which is a savings of 52%! Here's what I got:

1 - 4lb Sugar - on sale $2.50
used .50 MQ coupon which doubled = $1.50
3 - Eggo Breakfast Items - on sale $1.98
used .50 off MQ which doubled = $1.65 ea.
6 - Cans Cream Mushroom Soup - on sale. .80
used 2 - .40 off MQs which doubled = .53 ea.
1 - Crest Toothpaste - on sale $1
used .50 off MQ coupon which doubled = FREE
3 - Cans Pumpkin - on sale $1 ea.
2 - 5lb flour - on sale $1 ea.
2 - 2lb brown sugar - on sale $1 ea.
1 - 2 lb powdered sugar - on sale $1 ea.

Have you found any good deals this week?

Preparing Our Hearts for Christmas

2011-10-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

What will you do differently this year?

Here are some awesome ministries to consider:

Operation Christmas Child

Samaritan's Purse

Child Fund

Bless Your Nest: Financial Blessings

2011-10-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

Past Weeks:

Spiritual Blessings

This Week:

Financial Blessings!!

Hi all! I'm so glad to be back with part two of this series! Today we will be talking about how we as wives and mothers can be a financial blessing to our families. Let's get started!

1. Tithe and Give Regularly - The most important thing to remember about money is that it isn't ours in the first place! Everything we've been given including our money is a gift from God and we are to be wise stewards of each and every one of those gifts. God tells us to give at least ten percent back to Him and so I suggest praying about this and discussing it with your husband if you aren't tithing on a regular basis already.

"One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much,

and one who is dishonest is very little is also dishonest in much."

-Luke 16:10

"Give and it will be given to you.

Good measure, pressed down, shaken together,

running over, with be put into your lap.

For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

-Luke 6:38

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the

least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

-Matthew 25:40

2. Generate Extra Income - One of the most obvious ways a wife can be a financial blessing to her family is to figure out ways to bring in extra income. The Proverbs 31 one woman did this by making and selling linen garments and sashes to the merchants (Proverbs 31:24). Bringing in extra income will look different for each woman because we are all gifted with different talents and abilities, for instance I clean my mom's office once a week with my husband and I keep a 20 month old during the week for extra money. There are many things we can be doing to try and raise our families monthly income. Here are some ideas to get you started:

-Write an e-book and sell it

-Sell advertising space on your blog

-Create handmade items and sell on Etsy

-Buy nice products at the thrift store and resell on Ebay

-Open a flea market booth (requires upkeep and a monthly fee)

-Become a secret shopper

-Write articles for Associated Content

-Babysit

-Clean an office or house in your area

-Sell clothes to resale shops

-Have a garage sale

I am definitely no expert and this is by no means an exhaustive list, but I would encourage you to try and think of one thing you can do this month that will earn your family some extra income!

3. Live Resourcefully - In other words, learn how to be thrifty or frugal as a way of life. I believe that woman have a huge opportunity to be a blessing to their families by being wise with their money and resources. Being resourceful may come more naturally to some than others, but it really is a mindset you have to get into in order to be successful. Here are some practical tips to get you started:

-buy used when possible (clothing, furniture, household items, etc)

-make do with what you have or simply go without

-keep unused appliances unplugged

-keep lights off whenever possible

-consider burning wood heat or turning down the heat in the winter

-consider using fans and opening windows or turning up the air conditioner in the summer

-wash and reuse ziplock bags

-consider canceling "extras" such as cable, magazine subscriptions, etc.

-check out books and movies from the library

-eat at home as much as possible

-pack you or your husbands lunches

-make meals with potatoes, beans, rice, pasta, or eggs instead of meat

-menu plan, use coupons, shop at discount stores, and keep it simple to save $ on groceries

-grow a garden (beware this can end up costing a lot of money if your not careful!)

-stay home to save on gas or consider walking or riding your bike

This list just scratches the surface on ways that you can live resourcefully. I would encourage you to really think about what you can start doing now to save more money in order to be a blessing to your family today! Watch this video for a healthy and inexpensive recipe from the great depression era:

4. Stick to Your Budget - Budgeting is a great way to plan out where you want your money to go each month. If you aren't already doing it then you should start ASAP! If you don't know where to begin I suggest reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover as a starting point. If your already on a budget you probably know the hardest part about it is simply sticking to your plan! Here are a few tips for sticking to your budget:

-use cash and when it's gone it's gone

-don't go into stores or you will be tempted to spend

-write out a few short term goals to keep you motivated or on track such as paying off debt or going on vacation

-practice a few "no spend days" per week where you aren't allowed to spend any money

-have a little "fun" or "blow" money each month that your allowed to spend on whatever you want

-learn to be content and thankful for what God has blessed you with (easier said than done)

5. Pray for Your Husband's Work - Did you know that you can be highly influential in the life of your finances and your husband's work simply by committing them to prayer? It would be wise as wives to be in prayer daily for our husband's work. Some good things to be praying for would be wisdom, strength, fulfillment, success, opportunity, blessing, favor, development of skills, etc. Of course just because we pray for these things doesn't mean we will all be rich and never have a need again, but God hears the prayer of the righteous (Pro. 15:29) and we should trust Him to work everything out according to His will. To learn more on this subject I suggest reading The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

I hope you've been refreshed and/or encouraged on ways to be a financial blessing to your family! I'd love to hear any additional tips or advice that you may have on the subject!

Join me next week for Organizational Blessings!

Walgreens Shopping Trip 10/9

2011-10-09T16:43:00.001-05:00

I made another trip to Walgreens today to stock up on some cold and flu items. I didn't save as much as last week, but I still did pretty good! I got $57.45 worth of stuff for $25.08! That's a 56% savings! It really doesn't look like $57 worth of stuff to me, but makeup, medicine, and vitamins really add up at full price! Here's what I got:

1 - Halls Apple Cider Warm Ups - On sale $1

Received $1 in Register Rewards = FREE!

1 - Box 50 ct. Envelopes - $1.29

2 - Neutrogena Bronzers - Reg. $12.99 on sale for $7.79

Used 2 - $2 off MQs = $5.79 ea.

2 - Walgreens Acetaminophen - Reg. $3.49

B1G1 FREE = $1.75 ea.

2 - Nature Made Chewable Vitamin C - Reg $8.99

B1G1 FREE Used 2 $1 off MQs = $3.50 ea.

Used $2 register reward from last week and received $1 register reward for next week!

MQs = Manufacturer Coupons

Did you find any good deals this week?

Preparing for Cold/Flu Season

2011-10-06T08:35:00.001-05:00

We can learn a lot about being prepared by looking to the Proverbs 31 woman. She's "not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet." (Pro. 31:21) She "laughs at the times to come," (Pro. 31:25) because she is prepared and doesn't worry. She "looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness" (Pro. 31:27). She is a wonderful example of what it means to be prepared! One thing that we can start to prepare for now is cold and flu season. We know its coming because it does every year! Below is a list of some of the things that I am stocking up on or always try to keep on hand in case of a sickness:

-Chicken Noodle Soup
-Saltine Crackers
-Kleenex Tissue
-Chap Stick
-Cough Drops
-Garlic and Cod Liver Oil Supplements
-Hydrogen Peroxide (to disinfect the house and to pour into ears when cold symptoms begin)

We don't like to take cold medicine so I don't have any on hand. I can't take it anyway this year because of the pregnancy. I still need to stock up on a few more things this month before any sickness hits:

-Tylenol (for fever)
-Elderberry Syrup (to boost immunity)
-Fresh Fruits and Veggies (to boost immunity)
-Orange Juice/Gatorade/Sprite
-Humidifier
-Vitamin C Chewables

Another way to prepare is to try and prevent sickness from even happening. Here are some simple tips on preventing colds and flus:

-Get flu shot
-Sleep 8-10 hrs nightly
-Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
-Take Vitamin C and Garlic Supplements
-Take Elderberry Syrup
-Drink lots of water
-Practice good hygiene
-Try to keep hands away from face and mouth
-Clean underneath your fingernails wear bacteria lives
-Try to get 15 minutes of fresh air and sunlight per day

What are you doing to prepare for the cold/flu season?

The Power of Words

2011-10-05T13:05:00.002-05:00

This image breaks my heart because it is so convicting and true.

Dear Lord,

Help me to fully realize the power that my words have on others.

Let my words reflect love and gentleness
even when I feel angry, defensive and frustrated.

I give my words and my tongue to you Lord.
Convict me and change me.

Amen

"Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,

but a man of understanding remains silent."

-Proverbs 11:12

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat it's fruits."

-Proverbs 18:21

"A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger."

-Proverbs 15:1

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit."

-Proverbs 15:4

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does

not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart,

this person's religion is worthless."

-James 1:26

Our Last Harvest

2011-10-03T19:48:00.000-05:00

Well the sweet potatoes are in and a couple of them are HUGE!! This is our last crop for the season so we're done with the garden except tilling and fertilizing it. I'm a little bit disappointed because all of our crops came into season right in the thick of my first trimester and tomatoes (plus everything else we grew) grossed me out!! Good thing I planted 25 plants, right?!? Ha it's alright I gave most of them away to our parents and I made some salsa. It was all a big learning experience anyway.

On another note, does anyone know if sweet potato roots will grow in water? We shall see I guess.

Bless Your Nest: Spiritual Blessings

2011-10-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday Everyone! I'm so excited to be kicking off this new series! Today we 're going to be discussing some practical and purposeful tips on how to spiritually bless our families. Let's get started!!

1. Pray For Them - God wants us to be in prayer constantly for our families, not only for their protection, but also for their salvation, growth, wisdom, guidance and everything else in between! Even though we can't measure how much of an impact our prayers will make here on this earth, we can be sure that God hears them and will respond according to His will. So let's trust God and go to Him daily in prayer for our families!

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

-James 5:16

"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."

-Isaiah 65:24

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2. Live the Truth - It's one thing to tell your children not to lie, judge, or gossip because it makes God angry, but are you actually practicing what you preach? Actions speak louder than words and its imperative that we as woman are living out a life that aligns with scripture in front of our children and our husbands. We need to make sure we're nurturing our own relationship with the Lord before we take on the task of encouraging and helping our families grow in the Truth. Do you have a consistent time with God and His word? Are there things in your life that you know God doesn't approve of? If we are to win the hearts of our children and the respect of our husbands then we need to make sure we are consistently striving to nurture our relationship with God and grow spiritually. Read through the fruits of the spirit and grade yourself one by one on how you're doing living them out in front of your family, then take your weakest areas and commit to pray for growth.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

-Galatians 5:22-23

Can you even think of what a blessing it would be for your husband to "have full confidence in you" (Proverbs 31:11) to always do the right thing and raise His children for God's glory? And what a blessing to your children that they would know you love the Lord and are faithful to your relationship to Him because they've seen you live it out day by day.

3. Set Boundaries - Of course parents want to protect their children physically, but what about mentally and spiritually? It will serve them well later in life if you set boundaries in your home pertaining to magazines, television, the Internet, etc. They're young and vulnerable and the media wants to get ahold of them early, but parents need to step in and be intentional about what they allow their children to see.

Also, I think it's important to start a discussion with your husband about setting boundaries in your marriage. Ask questions like "Should we each have free reign on social media without the other persons accountability?" or "Is it appropriate for either of us to ever be alone with someone of the opposite sex outside of the family?" Each marriage is different and might come up with a different set of boundaries, but if you never talk about it and you never agree on what your both comfortable with then that could leave your marriage vulnerable and without any accountability. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry.

4. Quality Time - How can we make sure we're nurturing our relationships if we aren't getting any quality time? I know life is hectic and we have so many distractions, but it's important to have consistent moments with our loved ones without the TV blaring or our eyes glued to the computer screen. The best way to love, encourage, teach, and nurture our families is to simply spend as much time with them as possible. And by spending time with them I don't just mean physically, but also mentally. It's much easier to pour Truth into our children's hearts if we don't have to compete for their attention. My husband and I have started to try and keep the TV and computer off after dinnertime, this way the evening is free to get done what we need to and simply spend time together.

5. Speak Encouragement - Nothing can tear us down quicker or build us up faster than the tongue. The bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruits." -Proverbs 18:21. Wow that verse really says it all. The tongue is such a powerful tool and we as wives and mothers need to make sure we are using it for good and not evil. We need to strive to always speak words of encouragement and with a gentle tone out of love for our families. The bible also states, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1. Do we want to be stirring up anger in our own homes or turning away wrath? This is an issue that I'm currently in prayer about and I'm striving to always have a soft answer and use the power of my tongue to Glorify God. Let me tell you it's not an easy task, but through the power of the Holy Spirit it is possible. God wants us to use our tongues to love, encourage, and build one another up, not tear each other down. Let's make a commitment to glorify God with our words!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

-1 Thessalonians 5:11

I hope God has used at least some of what I've said to encourage you or speak to your heart. Join me next week for encouragement on how to be a Financial blessing to your family!

What do you think? What are some other ways to spiritually bless your family?

Walgreens Shopping Trip 10/2

2011-10-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone takes advantage of the AWESOME coupon deals in this weeks Sunday paper because I just saved a lot of $$ at Walgreens using some of them! They actually had everything I wanted and things just worked out great for me this trip! This is the most coupons I've ever used in one transaction, but I got $90.29 worth of stuff for $33.88! That's 62% savings! Here's how:

2 Cottonelle 12 pack TP -$5
used $1 off store coupons and .75 off MQs = $3.25 ea.
4 Tresemme Hair Products - on sale 2/$7
used 2 B1G1 Free coupons = $1.75 ea.
2 Softsoap body wash - on sale 2/$6
used $2 store coupon and .75 off MQs = $1.25 ea.
2 Kleenex -on sale $1.49
used .50 MQs and got $1 RR (store credit) = .49 ea.
2 Scope Mouthwash - on sale $2.99
used $1.50 off MQs = $1.49 ea.
2 Nature Valley Granola Bars - on sale 2/$4
used $1 off store coupon and .75 MQ = $1.12 ea.
2 Betty Crocker Baking Mixes - on sale 2/$3
used .50 off MQs = $1 ea.
4 Nivea Lip Balms -on sale 2/$4
used $3 off MQs = .50 ea.
1 Stainless Steel Water Bottle - reg. $9.99
on clearance for $2.49

*MQs = manufacturer coupons

I also stopped by Dollar General to buy flour and I used my $8 off 2 Cover Girl face products coupons so I got four blushes for FREE!!! Wahoo! (And yes I do use Cover Girl blush and yes I will end up using all of these!)

Have you found any great deals this weekend?

Sewing Project

2011-10-01T20:39:00.001-05:00

I had to make custom curtains for our front door because it's not a standard curtain length. I don't know if you can tell but it looks a lot alike a dupioni silk (the real stuff goes for around $20/yd). I got this fabric for $6.99/yd at Hobby Lobby. They had a similar already finished looking curtain at Hobby Lobby (the wrong dimensions) priced at $29.99 just for one panel! So I saved a lot of money by making them. Curtains are so expensive! Anyway, with thread and all I spent around $30 and now people can't see inside our house at night! :)

Graceful Little Honey Bee

Weekly Memory Verse

Outfit for Baby

A Wedding Gift and A Recipe

Crocheted Baby Blanket

Crocheted Baby Boy Hats

Weekly Memory Verse

Seed Starting

*New* Vintage Patterns in Shop!

Weekly Memory Verse

Microwave Potato Chips

16 Year Old Builds Tiny Home to Ensure Mortgage Free Future

Amish Cinnamon Sauce

Winter Garden Experiments and Tips

Memory Verse

Creamy Baked Pasta (Freezer Meal!!)

Weekly Memory Verse

More Crochet Projects!

Weekly Memory Verse

Handmade Baby Gifts

No Shampoo: Week 3 - A Turning Point

Preparing the Garden for Winter

Bradley Class Review

Swirl Diaper Cake

No Shampoo: Week 2

Top Posts of 2011

Sweet Southern Cornbread

A Tip

No Shampoo: Week 1

Holiday Update

Little Girl's Superhero Cape

My Memories Giveaway Winner

New Items in Shop!!

Eco Friendly Packaging

Nursery Inspiration

My Memories Digital Scrapbook GIVEAWAY!!

Crocheted Cowl

Breastfeeding

My Weekly Memory Verse

I Crocheted!

Handmade Gift Items in the Shop

Intentional About Memorizing Scripture

Giveaway Winner!!!

I'm on Twitter!

Starting the Weekend off Right

Holiday Tour

New in the Shop!

A Bit of Hand Sewing: Felt Needle Book

What Do You Do With Your Eggshells?

My First GIVEAWAY!!

My Kind of Black Friday

Skirt from a Sheet!

I Am Thankful: A Poem

New Repuposed Bags in the Shop!

The Joy of Air Drying Clothes

Introducing: The Honey Bee House

Menu Plan: Nov. 20th - Dec. 3rd

Benefits of Prenatal Exercise

Another Top with New Look 6025

Applique Baby Bib Tutorial

Another Baking Day and Quilted Pot Holders

Maternity Sewing with New Look 6025

A Baby Blanket

Apron from Simplicity 2319

Knitting

Baking Day

Custom Pajama Pants

Scarf from Vintage Polyester

Menu Plan (Nov 6th-Nov 19th)

Look What I Bought!

Sewing Inspiration: A Blind Quilter!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

No Bake Energy Bites

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blog Bash

Bless Your Nest: Physical Blessings!

Shopping for Baby

Guess What?!?

Crock Pot Apple Butter

Trees

New Vintage Patterns in Shop!