Tomatoes! And Peppers! Oh, My!

So exciting! As a first time vegetable gardener this thrills me. We are growing cherry and regular sized tomatoes, banana peppers and blackberries. The squash did not come up. When we first put everything into the ground an animal came through and pluck off every leaf (except the blackberries). Since the squash was so small I think the root came out with the leaves. The banana peppers are budding too. The blackberry bush is doing great, but it will not yield until next summer. I am told that I will need to pick the blackberries often because the yield will be so high. Everyone get ready for free blackberry goodness such as jam, wine, pies, breads and other goodies. With it just being me and my husband, we will have to give some of it away! We will also plant much more food next year. This was just a test to see what would thrive. I will be planting some cold hardy vegetables and herbs soon too. I got the gardening bug. I am not too big on flowers. Food, not lawns is a motto I am steering towards. Everyone can afford to be more sustainable.

I will post recipes as I start to pick my produce. A lot of it I will be preserving for later use.

feeling crafty

Lately I have been getting crafty and picking up some of my hobbies from the past. I wish I never stopped some of the things I use to be so involved in. No time like the present to begin anew. I temporarily "fixed" my sewing machine to then "break" it again. I need someone who actually knows what they are doing to help me troubleshoot a permanent solution.  In the meantime, my homemade cover slips for the glider chair will have to wait, but the one pillow I made was a success. Onward to non-sewing conquests!




To make a record into a bowl you will need:

-One completely unfavorite/horrible record
- Wax paper
- Baking sheet
- Large glass bowl
- An oven heated to 200-250 degrees
- Oven gloves

Preheat the oven and line baking sheet with wax paper.  Some fumes will emit from the oven so open some windows. Lay one record at a time on the wax paper and put in oven. It will only take about five minutes to become pliable. With oven gloves on, pick up record and stick inside bowl. This will form the bowl like shape. Hold in place until hard (less than a minute). If you are using 7 inch records you could use a smaller bowl to create the shape. Most of the ones I made I gave away to friends.



Here is a pillow I made out of extra fabric. I buy fabric and then it sits around. This does not really fit in to my decor so I am giving it to my friend, Beth.

Measure out fabric to have two equal pieces. Lay the printed side on top of the other printed side so they are facing each other. Pin together. Pillow will be sewn inside out. Sew around all edges and leave a small open to stuff with polyfill. Through small opening turn pillow right side out, stuff, then sew closed. Also can buy plain pillows from craft store and create a cover or recover old ones.

My husband says I am pretty crafty broad. Although my frustration can get the better of me.

Other reclaiming of past hobbies: playing the piano, crocheting/knitting. Onward!