Projects in the Making

I really have been busy...

Well, I am calling it busy anyway.

With the fall weather, it makes me want to do hand-work. Longer evenings, sitting in my favorite chair...

I saw these cute little crocheted pumpkins over at hip2thrift and just had to try them.

They were so easy, that I showed my 10 year old granddaughter how to make them and since she has made a few, they are currently selling in their parent's store. My daughter tells me they can't keep them in stock... how's that?

You still have time to make your own and get the pattern here.

At first I made a few.

Then a few more

Then I rummaged around in my stash and found a few more colors to try out, more gourd type.

Before I knew it I had almost a whole pumpkin/gourd patch

So, then I found some red yarn. The color here is not real...

When I showed my granddaughter, her comment was - "Tomatoes"!

I was making red apples, sigh.

On another front, I saw some fabric and started tearing it up for a rug

I have no idea where this is going and the color really looks washed out... wait, I'll take an indoor photo and see...

Well, that is a little better, not quite to washed out.

After I get a double row, like the part on the left, I don't really know where to go,

I usually steal from my stash and nothing is really "speaking" to me right now.

perhaps something dark? The middle part is kinda a salmon color...

When I first saw the fabric that is in the center and started knotting it together,

all I could think about was "Folk Art". It just seemed to have that flavor,

now, since I added the light blue, I am thinking "crazy quilt" or something along that lines.

Maybe "crazy lady".

Long way to go before it will be of any use, but a start.

You can get instructions for making your own creation of a rug from

a tutorial I did a while back. And, second part is here

It truly is a no sew rug. This one is rather tight, but it will wear well. Washable and all.

AND, if you do decide to make one, please share a picture or link back for me to see. I love to see what others are doing.

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I also have a piece of burlap from a 50 pound sack that I am thinking about making into table runners.

I have so many ideas running around in my head and not enough energy to complete them.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

A stack of freshly made tortillas.

Made with this.

No, it is not a torture device, but a tortilla press. You have probably seen one of these sometime in your life at a yard sale, thrift store, etc.

(Because I have used it once this year, it has survived the yearly clean-out drill)

My husband has Mexican heritage and I'm sure that his grandmothers, hey even his mother would have love to have one of these. I can picture them kneeling by their fire (not his mother) and patting out the corn masa with their hands and then cooking it on the hot stones. And this was after they ground the corn into flour. 

And, all before lunch !

I, however, bought my corn masa straight from the grocery store.

I am so spoiled.

All you do is add water! and a little salt.

I mixed it up and used a cookie scoop to make it into little balls. (Note to self, they came out pretty small, so next time, use a larger scoop)

The directions told me to use plastic wrap to keep it from sticking .

( I just had to try one without the wrap - and sure enough, it sticks)

Put the top down and smash the handle down too,

and you have a perfectly shaped tortilla.

It comes out so round, even when the balls are not shaped so round.

See how thin? Maybe 1/16th of an inch?

Cook it up on a hot skillet/griddle

turn it over to cook both sides.

Stack them up and cover to keep them from drying out.

Tonight, at our Friday evening gathering, I am taking these little gems,

some black beans, salsa and cheese.

They will be transformed (I hope) into Quesedillas.

One of these times I want to take the makings and let the kids make/smash

their own. After all, the grandkids have Latin blood in them too.

Taking the Plunge Into Soap

A few months back I purchased what was needed to make my own laundry soap. Fels Napha bar soap, Borax, and Washing Soda (which I understand I am not to confuse with regular soda).

I was all ready and had a few empty containers to put the finished product in when I discovered that they were not all empty. So, being a good house wife, I proceeded to "use up" what I already had. That being the case, it took until now to really have it empty.

I am not really into "back to Eden" stuff when it comes to laundry soap - and how many loads of laundry did Eve do before she and Adam were put out of the garden anyway? Not many. So, here I had these supplies ready and then I went to the internet and can't remember where I found the ingredients in the first place.

There are tons of recipes out there people! Everyone has a take on what should go into the pot, so to speak

Well, I found one that used the stuff I have on hand and proceed to start.

Grate 1/3 bar of soap, that part is pretty easy. Mix it with 4 cups of water and heat it up until it melts. OK.

Mix in 1/2 cup of Borax and 1/2 cup of Washing Soda. (it seems that I have enough supplies to last until the rapture!) The boxes of borax and soda seem rather large when you look at what is used here, and, I still have 2/3 of the bar of soap left.  OK, lots more water, a change of pots because it it getting ready to overflow the top, and now it is sitting its 24 hours to do whatever it is that it will do before it is ready to use. I think I can even add a scent if I like.

I will keep anyone posted on the outcome in the coming days. It smells pretty good from here. We will see how it does with the hard water situation around here though.

I may try the dry recipe and see how I like it. Wish me luck. It looks like I am going to be up to my eyeballs in soap.

What a Giveaway over at the Olde Farmhouse

I really, really like this giveaway and one of the requirements was to spread the word...

So, here goes

444 x 100

The lovely Rachel over at The Olde Farmhouse On Windmill Hill is giving away an awesome window sign that she made and also a gift card for $25!  You can't beat that.

So, head on over there and see what going on.

Vintage Country Flea Market in Willows, CA

This will be the third time we have done

Vintage Country Flea Market

In Willows, California

Check out the facebook link above for photos of previous shows.

It will be in October on the 20th

a lovely time of the year for an outdoor show.

It is a smallish show with about 20 - 25 vendors,

lots of relaxed shopping in a beautiful setting.

There are even beautiful people here

and stuff

and things

and general good finds.

Be sure to check it out.

And, perhaps come by and say hello