New Year Resolutions

I'm not one for making resolutions, but this year, I have resolved to make my life even healthier.  2012 brought a lot of changes.  Our family and homestead gained many learning experiences through various trials and errors.  I trust this year will bring even more and our family will grow in character and knowledge.

What are my goals for 2013 and beyond?

Well, today I vowed to stay off sugar for one year.  I would love to be sugar free forever, but for now, I'll take it one year at a time.  ;)

My husband and I have a goal to be completely off any processed foods by learning to grow and make all of our own foods.  We have cut out these foods by 75% already!  It sounds easy to some, and although I've been making my own breads for the last several years, I have yet to perfect the perfect sandwich bread!  We realistically (hopefully) will be there by the end of five years.  So, for this year, my goal is to learn to make as many staple products as I can.

We also want to be totally self-sufficient by the end of 10 years.  In 2012, we added a larger garden, various herbs, laying hens, a compost bin, more water catchment containers, and several homemade recipes.  In 2013, I would love to be able to add pigs, or a couple of milking goats to our homestead.

SIMPLIFY!  Such a simple word, but sooooo hard to do.  For the next few months, you may find me wandering around my house and yard saying to myself....."do I really need this?"  Soon, it will be time for a garage sale and a trip to the donation center!

Praying 2013 will be a year of promise.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Homestead Journey!

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:11

Five Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts: Fragrant Sachets

My first sewing tutorial.  Actually, I think this is my first ever tutorial.  I kept it very simple and basic.  Mostly for my benefit...

Sachets are used to keep linen closets, undergarment and sock drawers, closets, and bedding smelling fresh.  Did you also know that the fragrance placed inside the sachet can help keep moths, silverfish, and other critters out of your clothing?  Lavender, rosemary, lemongrass, and cloves are all good at repelling bugs.  Also, a sachet of lavender placed between your pillow and pillowcase can help you sleep more restfully.

You'll need

a printed or solid cotton fabric, or muslin

wool or flannel batting

lavender buds, dried rosemary, cloves, dried lemongrass, or a dried herb of your choice

Cut two pieces of cotton fabric 8" x 8", and one piece of batting 7.5" x 7.5".  You can make your sachet any size you wish, just make sure you cut the batting 1/2" smaller than your outer fabric.

Place your two pieces of fabric right sides together.  You will need to sew 1/4" from the edge, a 1/4" seam allowance.  Begin sewing about 1.5" in on one side.  (You will be starting 1.5" away from your nearest corner.)  Stop, turn the corner, sew on three sides, and when you get to the side where you began, only sew in 1.5".  

 

You will have three complete sides sewn and one side will have an opening in the middle of about 5".

Before you turn your fabric right side out, clip the edges close to the seam, but be careful NOT to clip the stitches.  I learned that one the hard way...

Turn your sachet right side out, you may have to poke the corners carefully with a pencil or knitting needle, to be sure you get a sharper corner.

Place your batting inside the sachet through the opening, straighten it out on the inside.  It should reach edge to edge and the batting will fill the entire space on the inside.  If it's too large, just take it out and trim the batting up a small bit.  You want it to lie flat and smooth.

Once you have your batting straightened out, you can then pour in your petals, buds, or herbs.  I put in about a tablespoon of lavender buds.

Next, you need to sew up the opening.  Turn in your edges 1/4 of an inch and sandwich it between your fingers.

This may be hard for me to 'splain, so let me sum up.....start your first stitch on the inside of one edge, push the needle through and then whip it around and begin whip stitching near the edge through BOTH edges of your opening.

Continue stitching the entire opening closed and then knot your thread off.  

Finished!

We have added ribbon, lace, hand embroidery designs, and ric rac to decorate our sachets.  

Five Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts: Bath Salts, & Linen Spray

Bath salts.  Definitely a "mom gift".  Like most moms, I don't remember the last time I took a hot, relaxing bath.  So, receiving a pretty jar filled with scented bath salts, might just make me think about taking the time to enjoy a good soak.  Plus, the benefits of the salts and essential oils on the skin, leaves one feeling soft and refreshed.

Bath Salts:

1 cup of Epsom Salt

1/2 cup of Baking Soda

1/2 cup of Sea Salt (or table salt)

10 - 20 drops of essential oils  (we use lavender)

Mix together well, and fill a 1/2 pint jar.  This will make two half pint jars.  Then tie a ribbon or tulle around the rim of the lid, add a tag with your Christmas greeting and directions.  Typically, you add a couple of tablespoons to your bath water, relax, and enjoy. 

This linen spray is especially beneficial when your house is shut up due to the winter weather, and you need things freshened up.  You can use this spray on linens, pillows, mattresses, curtains, and furniture.  

Linen Spray:

1/2 cup distilled water

1 tsp. vodka or witch hazel

10 drops essential oils (we like use lavender, lemon, or lemongrass)

Mix these ingredients together and pour into a spray bottle.  I have several spray bottles of different scents around the house.  For gifts, you can purchase 2oz. mist bottles at Target and Wal-mart.  They are a perfect size for the linen sprays.

NOTE:  If you use vodka for your mix, you have to mix and pour quickly as the alcohol will evaporate quickly.  Always keep your linen mix stored in an air-tight container or mason jar, or in a spray bottle.

Five Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts: Cookies and Cocoa

What is more fun than receiving a container filled with home baked goodies?  I have a good friend who always makes the BEST fudge for Christmas.  That has to be one of my favorite friendship gifts!

For my children, their specialty is sugar cookies, cut out and decorated with sprinkles, icing, and colored sugar.  It has been a tradition as far back as I can remember.  The children package the cookies in a Christmas container, or gift bag, and pass them out to neighbors and friends, along with a Christmas card.  Inside the card, they add a hand-written verse, Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.", and a message from our family.

Another tasty friendship gift is a jar of homemade hot cocoa mix.  I mix up a big batch for our family and then another to be given away.   I fill a pint jar with the mix, tie a ribbon around it and include a tag with instructions for a nice hot cup of cocoa.

I found this recipe off the internet a couple of years ago, but I cannot give credit where credit is due, since I haven't been able to find the site again.

Ingredients:

3 cups cocoa

4 1/2 cups sugar

6 1/2 cups powdered milk

1/3 tsp. salt

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

To serve:  At 2 Tablespoons of cocoa mix to a cup of hot water.

Who doesn't love hot cocoa?

Five Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts: Embroidered Tea Towels

A few years ago, my mother learned hand embroidery.  She taught herself, which always impresses me.  Each Christmas, for the last three Christmases, Mom has given me, my sister, and my sister-in-law each a hand embroidered tea towel.  Stuffed in our stocking.  I love them.  They're beautiful, practical, and a precious heirloom.  

I recently learned to hand embroider, and taught my daughters.  My second daughter has really taken to the craft and already made my newest nephew a baby blanket, with his name and a design on the corner, and another daughter is making a pillowcase as a Christmas gift.  

A hand embroidered tea towel is very practical and personal.  The time taken, and the thought put into such a delicate looking work of art is special and useful to the one who receives it.

I use my tea towels to cover bread while it's rising, to tuck around fresh-baked rolls to keep them warm, and to throw over food and pitchers to keep bugs off.

If you've never tried the craft of hand embroidery, it's simple to learn.  Embroidery is probably the easiest handiwork I have ever learned.  You can purchase patterns to iron on and use as a guide, or you can draw your own pattern with a washable fabric pencil, which will disappear with water, after you have finished your design.  As I said, my daughters (10, 12, & 14) picked it up very quickly, using their own designs to create handmade gifts.  Tutorials are easy to find online, like this one, and just as easy to find in your local craft store.

Enjoy this timeless art and pass the gift along to a special person who will appreciate your time and effort.

5 Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts: Cider Beetles

I love hot apple cider.  I can recall special evenings during the holidays when my family would sit down with a classic Christmas movie, a bowl of popcorn or caramel corn, and a mug of hot apple cider made from our delicious cider beetles.

I have carried on the tradition of apple cider with my own children.  Cider beetles are fun and easy to create, and equally as fun to give as a gift, along with a bottle of apple juice, for friends and family at Christmas.

Ingredients:
Organic Brown Sugar
Half of a Whole Nutmeg
Six Whole Cloves
Half a Cinnamon Stick
Half a Dried, Gutted Orange

When oranges are ripe, we cut them in half, eat the inside out, and then place them in a warm place to dry for several days.  There are usually several saved up for our "beetles"!

Take your dried orange peel and fill it most of the way with brown sugar.  Then place your cinnamon stick toward the bottom center (this is the body).  Then place your half nutmeg towards the center top (this is the head).  Place the six cloves, three on each side of the cinnamon stick as the legs.

When giving as gifts, we wrap the finished product tightly in a piece of plastic wrap, bringing the bulk of the wrap to the top, and then tie it off with a piece of curl ribbon.

Cooking the Cider
To make the cider, place 2 quarts of unsweetened apple juice in a large pot.  Bring it to a simmer, and place your cider beetle into the pot of juice.  Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  Then serve!

I do like to let my cider beetle sit in the juice for 10 or 20 minutes more, after I have turned the stove off.  The longer you let it sit, the more flavor it has.  However, too long can make the juice bitter.

Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my dear mom and sweet mother-in-law!

And a Happy Mother's Day to you all!

May God bless all the Mothers

That give of themselves

And tend to their household needs

Before the needs of ‘self’

For they are there with comfort

For each child’s broken heart

Bringing them to God in prayer

With His love to impart.

M.S. Lowndes

Resolutions for 2012

It's a new year and time for New Year's resolutions.  This year, I have resolved to make no new resolutions.  I have plenty left over from last year...

I figured an update on my 2011 year of blessings might be in better order. 

My first second set of twins, are the sweetest, most wonderful, double blessing.  I thank the Lord for the gift of my children, and even more so for the gift of my twins.

Canning, gardening, homesteading, and natural living have changed my life this year.  As my husband and I move towards a more simplistic lifestyle, we learned so much about getting back to nature, amazed by all of the wonderful things the Lord has given us in order to live off the land.  It's a true blessing to discover God's handiwork in my own backyard.

My "no poo" challenge has gone quite well, I am almost 5 months into it and I have not once broken down and shampooed my hair.  My hair is lighter and less frizzy, and not nearly so heavy feeling.  What a blessing to find a cure for the curly-haired freak show that is usually gracing my crown.

The Lord has blessed my business, I'm thankful for the boutiques who sponsor me in my work.  I've been able to expand my inventory with both stores, and for that, I am truly grateful. 

I excitedly looking forward to what the Lord has planned for my family this coming year.  God's richest blessings on you and your family for 2012.

Tabitha

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you all a very blessed Thanksgiving.

Thanking the Lord today and every day for His abundant mercy, grace, forgiveness, and blessings. 

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."
Psalm 100:4-5

Our Turkey

This is our Turkey.  He has graced our Thanksgiving decor for many years now.  Always faithful to offer a whimsical smile to anyone daring enough to catch his eye.  He makes me happy, so he's worth keeping around.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!!

It's October 31st, You Know What That Means........?

It's only 54 days until Christmas.  Thanksgiving is a little more than 3 weeks away.  I am so not ready!!!  What?  I still have two months?  Do you have any idea how quickly those weeks will fly? 

So, you thought this was going to be my traditional anti-Halloween post.  Not this time.  You've heard my soapbox expository on that subject enough, I won't suffer you to read it again.  Consider this my early Christmas gift to you.  Hee, hee, hee....

I need some ideas for Christmas, anyone have any they care to share?  Boys?  Girls?  The in-laws?  I'm lost.  HELP!

On another note, I realize I missed the last entry for the 30 days of joy.  We made a last-minute decision to take the kids camping, so I had no access to the internet, but I will post on the last day of JOY tomorrow. 

Happy Monday!

Happy Resurrection Day!

What began as a stormy, bleak day, ended up beautiful! A cool breeze and sunshine made for a perfect afternoon. We went to church that morning, then came home to Grandma and Grandpa, Kiley grilled lunch, followed by a visit from Nonni and Poppy, and a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa. Here is a quick pic, it was so nasty before church that I had to wait until after. Thank goodness they managed to keep themselves together pretty well. Except Braden...the shirt is already untucked. lol.

Catching Up!

OK, so I'm really bad at keeping up lately. I have some pics to post and a run down on our life over the holidays. I will post more later. Promise!!!

The twins first Thanksgiving. We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year thanks to Hurricane Ike and the damage it caused to Mom's home. I was somewhat overwhelmed, but thanks to Mom, Kiley, Mrs. F. and Leah, we were able to pull it off. Mom and Dad, The Findleys, and Brad, Leah, and Wil spent T-day with us. I had so much fun preparing it even though it was busy!

Two of my little turkeys. :)

Nonnie and Poppie took the girls and I to see the Nutcracker. After the show, all of the cast members came out among the audience and met with all the kids. It was so much fun!

Ireland spent a day with us and the girls made some great sugar cookies!



Of course our Texas snow. How could anyone forget. :D

And sweet Will's first birthday!!!