And This Is Why I Garden!

And this is why I garden.... 

Just the simple pleasure of eating something fresh from your own yard, something that doesn't need the chemicals washed or pealed off.  Something that's been vine ripened and has all the flavour it was meant to have. :)  Plus it's super fun to see the range of goodies you can collect in just one day.  

From the garden to the table.  Lots of things in our garden never make it in the house and are eaten standing in the dirt in bare feet after swishing it around in the watering can.   (well, for root veggies)  

When making it inside, it's so nice to have lots of variety to go on the table.  Fun dishes also help with that!  My kids found this dish for me at a garage sale and I just love it.  It's covered in veggies now, but there are three different flower patterns, one for each little separated section.  Plus good fresh vegetables are delicious with fresh baked bread and a little sweet treat for after. 

This year is the first year we have had a strawberry bed.  We grew some in baskets last year and they didn't do much.  But this year we've been able to get a lot more.  Lots of different sizes and shapes, and all delicious!

                           

Gardening is good on the food budget, but it's also good for exercise, fresh air and nutrition.  Food that has grown to it's proper ripeness before being harvested has all the good stuff for you in it.  Even in the Yukon where I am still learning to grow well in a colder climate this is a little piece of joy that I have.  In providing something good for my family and teaching us all where food comes from and the value that it has.  You can't learn everything in a textbook.   The skills we learn and pass on to our children enable them to have a healthier life also.  My Mom always gardened, even in very small spaces and I have always wanted to be like that to.

The Lord Jesus is so good to me.  He has always enabled me to have somewhere to grow food, and of course flowers.  He truly cares about those things that are important to us.
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

Walk Though My Pantry

Hello!  Thanks for dropping by.  Today I'd love to share with you a bit of my home.  Not so that you can see all the food I have, but to share with you about how I've been changing how I store my food.  I have been attempting to get away from plastics and have been starting to store my foods in glass mason jars.  I love how they look, and that you can see what you have easier.  For now I've been just using a sharpie marker to label the jar lids, but one day I hope to have different labels for some of the jars.  Most of the jars that I am using for this are older jars that I've been collecting.  I love the old Ball, Kerr and Gem jars. I have even found some old Canadian mason jars.

Above is my spice drawer close to my stove.  I found that the little pint jars fit perfectly in that drawer and when I open it up I can easily spot what I need with those labeled lids.  I found the pattern free online a few years ago.  I am hoping to one day find another pattern to update them, but for now they are very functional.  

Here I have my dry beans and lentals stored in jars now, and they are easy to get to.   I make huge batches of beans in my crockpot and then freeze them for quick meals, but also use smaller amounts in soups and such. I just use a whole bag of beans at a time for the crockpot.  Then I of course have my jams in jars (like in the bottom left) and all the extra space in this cupboard is waiting the new batches of jam that I'll be making this fall.  For now I've just placed the fruit in the freezer so that I can spend the time outside.  Yukon summers are so short I like to not spend them inside.  I know this may sound lazy to some, but for me it's a better choice, for when I can jam, I usually do a lot at once.  I've never been good at doing little bits at a time.  You could call me a project girl.  

I also have found a place in town where I can get large amounts of real honey!!!  SO I now have enough to cook with as well as sweeten my tea. :) 

Here in this cupboard I store my rice in jars (short and long grain).I got these jars at a garage sale and the lady was so happy that I'd be interested in using them.  I'm hoping to find more like them.  One really cool thing that I have just discovered (and are in the boxes on the top shelf) are mini noodles (not orzo) but little stars, bowties, and letters.  They are "baby food" but I love using the dried noodles in soup and corn beef hash.  Lots of room in this cupboard and I'll be putting more canned jams in  here later. 

This is my baking cupboard.  I have different flours on top, cornmeal, arrowroot powder, icing sugar, croutons, and extra salt in jars.  Then my crackers and some extra noodles.  I have been trying to make more from scratch, but for quick meals I use rice noodles.  I have also been buying extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil in large amounts.  Much cheeper that way.  I also keep a bucket of oats in this cupboard so that I don't have to haul out my big bulk bag when I need some.  

I love buying in bulk when I can, but I don't have a cool room so I try to be careful not to over do it. :)  I also try to buy organic whenever possible.  But for me, organic flour is SO expensive that I don't do that very often.  I try to think of it as this, when I make bread from scratch at least I'm cutting out all the "additives" that you get in store bought bread.  I do have a grain mill that is missing a little attachment to go on my Bosch and one day if I can get it I'll try grinding my own flour.  

Here is our flour, oats and chip cupboard. My bulk flour I will always leave in the paper bags since they need to breathe.  I have tried to cut chips out of our diet...but alas that has not happened.  BUT! I have been able to get my family to change to healthier options, and no more chips flavoured with msg and other bad ingredients.  Now if chips could just not be made with canola oil!  

Here is my odds and ends cupboard.  On top are corn chips and rice crackers and yes...cheese-its. :)  They are my husbands favourite snack cracker from the USA.  His family was just here visiting and gave us a few boxes.  Then my canned goods and extra spices.  My vinegar, vanilla and other odds and ends that I put in this lower drawer (that pulls out) so they are handy.  I put the extra spices in jars and this section of my pantry was the most noticeably changed.  I tossed SO much plastic from this space and it feels so much less cluttered and airy.  I still have some things things that I want put into jars...but have run out of extra jars.  SO they'll wait for later.  I feel like I've been able to make lots of progress and that is so nice!  

Now just for this drawer....I have yet to find a way to get rid of using plastic bags.  I do have lots of glass containers in another drawer with the rubber lids, and use them as a first choice. Have you gone plastic free?  What are your favourite alternatives?  I'd love to hear them.  

I also found this great little stainless steel bucket at the free store and use it to put rubber bands and wooden clothes pins and muffin cup papers in.  That way they don't get lost under the boxes.  

Well, that's my pantry.  I also have ceramic canisters on my counter for easy access to some ingredients like salt, baking soda, sugar, cornmeal, and cream of wheat.  

I'm not fancy like Pinterest, but I wanted to share what I've been doing to organize my pantry so that it's more functional and not using so much plastic.  I do recycle the plastic it comes in though.  We have a great recycling centre at our local dump and it's all easy to sort out for processing.  I guess it's all just a work in progress.  I do think that the little efforts we make are important.  Trying to make things healthier and prettier for our homes and families.  

Thanks for dropping by!  I hope you have a wonderful day!

Sharing with the Art of Homemaking Mondays.

SaveSave

Happy Happy Birthday!

Hello!  I have a birthday card I'd like to share with you.  It's fairly simple, I just picked out a couple loose patterned papers that I had in my scrap folder, found some silver glittery paper and layered the patterned paper over it.  Then I added a white sheer ribbon over the one section.  I wanted to use a different birthday sentiment than I usually do so...I found one that was part of a sentiment block (from Fiscers) set and since it was clear polymer, I cut it out.  I like it on it's own.  So that's it.  :)

Thanks for dropping by! 

Sharing with Word Art Wednesday. 

Pretty Crochet Doilies

Hello Friends! Today I have some doilies that I'd like to share with you.  This first one is the very first large doily that I have made and I love the pattern to this one!  You can find it HERE. I used a 2.75 mm hook and #10 crochet thread.  

                           

I love the laciness of this pattern, and I know that all can change depending on the hook size. Now I've been asked if this was tatted, and the answer is no, it's just crocheted.  I believe tatting is a very tight crochet or knotting skill I have yet to acquire. :)  

                           

The next doily is just a little one about 6 inches across.  You can find the pattern HERE.  It's fun and I'd like to make more to add  to the top of jam jars that I give away. 

This next one is a sweet doily rug pattern and I didn't even use the whole pattern since it got to the size that I was happy with.  Next time I'll try the whole pattern.  I might even find some rope and make an actual rug...but that's for another day. :) You can find the pattern HERE. 

This last one is a doily that I made using a crochet rug pattern that was a half circle.  I tried to make it into a full circle, but it didn't turn out just right.  There is some buckling, and I didn't get the right amount of stitches to make the outside scallop perfectly aligned.  SO I might be trying to make a rug from it that is it's proper shape.  Perhaps for the bathroom.  You can find the pattern HERE.  

Thanks so much for dropping by!  I hope you enjoyed the doilies and will be inspired to try it yourself.  I have my oldest daughter hooked, and so we do them together. :)  Doilies are a sweet dainty feminine touch that we can add to our homes without it being too girly.  But then again, if you have lots and they are bright pink.....then you might girlify the room more. :)  

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays. 

SaveSave
SaveSave
SaveSave

20 Years and Counting

Hello! I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful summer day.  I have a card to share with you that I made for my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary.  I used some paper odds and ends, some blue satin ribbon and some crochet flowers with rhinestone gems.

My husband and I when we got married picked a verse that we shared in our vows.  Psalm 62:6 "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved."  We wanted our marriage and home to be built no the Rock of Christ Jesus the Lord.  20 years later, we're still there on that rock and we are blessed!  Many storms have come and gone, but one thing remains the same.  The Lord is our strength and keeps us in all times.

For our anniversary, my husband took me out on a date.  A rare thing for us, but a treasured thing.  We went out to eat at a nice quiet roadside restaurant, then out for ice cream.  I got to try Gelato ice cream for the first time...yes, I'm hooked.  It was so good.  Then we walked around together and enjoyed the drive.  I love that man!

I hope you all have a lovely day! Sharing with Word Art Wednesday!



SaveSave

Tea Towels and a Shawl

Hello!  Today I'd love to share with you some sweet homemade hand towels that I made.  I had found this large piece of slightly stained fabric.  I washed it and then tea stained it to hide the slight stains that were set in.  I then made them into towels with my sewing machine and added some lace to some as a gentle touch.  I love to have them to help freshen up my kitchen. :) 

I also have a sweet simple shawl that I'd like to share.  I was given some beautiful purple twill yarn and have been toying with what to create with it.  I settled on a shawl...for they are like warm hugs.  I chose a simple granny square pattern and there was enough yarn for the shawl and two small flowers which will have buttons put on them and then I'll use the flowers to hold the shawl together so I will have two free hands. 

I have been enjoying creating things lately.  Thanks so much for dropping by to see me! :)

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.




SaveSaveSaveSave

Homemade Earthpaste Toothpaste

Hello Friends!  Today I would like to share with you a new thing that I have done.  My family has been using Earthpaste toothpaste for awhile now and we really like it.  It's not cheep, but it's worth the cost if you want to use the more natural toothpaste.  Since the cost is something I've been considering I have started thinking about making it myself.  I was able to get some Redmond Clay at my local health food store this past week and I decided to give it a go.  I started looking online for a recipe and found a good one HERE.  

SO, I made two different kinds.  A spearmint and a peppermint.  I put the toothpaste in small mason jars and then set a jar of wooden stir sticks beside them to get the toothpaste from the jar to the brushes.  I have this thing about all of us dipping our toothbrushes in the same jar...so this takes care of that. :)  I also used liquid stevia and not xylitol since I had it on hand and am not sold on the safety of xylitol at this point.  It's super easy and is much cheeper than buying the tubes of it.  Perhaps you would like to give it a try.





Thanks so much for dropping by!  I pray you have a wonderful day!

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

SaveSave