Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Hi All!  Gracie slept all night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Which means I DID TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Thank you, Lord!

Just finished my first winter yarn, Hot Chocolate on a Snowy Day http://www.etsy.com/listing/82464489/hot-chocolate-on-a-snowy-day-handspun .  It was great fun to do.  This will make an awesome scarf.  I may do it myself if it doesn't sell by the time I am finished with all my other projects!  Still working on my Enterlac scarf.  Hope to have that done in the next couple of weeks.  Going to spin a new winter yarn, Winter Bliss, today.

My oldest daughter, Jessica, was up Sunday.  She started 2 knitting projects while here!  I'm going to create a super knitter yet!  She is working on a Waterfall Scarf and a sweater.  I can't wait to see them finished!
I read recently that the biggest budget buster for families is wasted food.  How much food do you throw out every week, or in my case, every month.  UCK.  Stuff gets shoved back to the depths of the fridge and stays there until it liquifies.  I am a huge food waster.  So, this is something that is going to end now.  I believe that wasting our food is a sin.  Everytime I throw something out, I feel conviction.  I ask the Lord to provide and He does, then I pitch it!  Yikes!  I'm so sorry, Lord!  Help me to be a better steward of all the blessings you have given to me. 

I was reading a favorite blog of mine -  Raising Homemakers .  She had lots of good info on preparing frugal meals.  During the Depression Era, the US Food Administration came up with these guidelines which still apply, or should apply, today:

The US Food Administration advised about food:

1. Buy it with thought
2. Cook it with care
3. Serve just enough
4. Save what will keep
5. Eat what will spoil
6. Home grown is best

Here are a few Depression Era recipes.  These were in public pamphlets so are in the public domain. 

POTATO AND CHEESE SOUP

2 cups cooked diced potatoes
2 cups water in which potatoes were cooked
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons onion juice
2 tablespoons fat
3 tablespoons flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
¼ cup grated cheese

Dice potatoes and cook slowly until very tender. Rub through strainer, using potato and the 2 cups of water. Melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually add the liquids and onion juice. When ready to serve, sprinkle parsley and cheese over top.

This is a favorite of ours.  I add broccoli a lot of the time, along with lots of grated cheese added to the soup to make it cheesy and delicious!  All of our family love this!

RICE WITH CORN AND CHEESE IN BROWN SAUCE

½ cup rice
1 cup cheese
1 cup corn
1½ cup milk
¼ cup fat
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Melt fat until brown. Add flour and seasonings. Heat until brown. Add milk gradually. When at boiling point add other ingredients. Place in baking dish and bake 45 minutes.

Serve with fruit or a dessert and bread and butter.

We haven't tried this one, but it sounds good!  This may just be dinner tonight!

Soups are always good for frugal meals.  The challenge is preparing healthy meals in addition to being cost conscious.  I will post some more of these recipes in later posts.

Now, I've got to get Ben going,  We are going to spend the day at the park.  One of the advantages of homeschooling is that you can have school anywhere!  And what better incentive for doing good work and having good attitudes than the knowledge that a wonderful playground is in your future!  So, today we will have "parkschool", a picnic, and get some spinning and knitting in also!

Have a blessed Tuesday!

Kim

Thursday, September 15, 2011

We're Still Here!

A lot has happened since my last post.  We had my sister's funeral, which went very well.  Karen left a lot of people with a lot of good memories.  Her smile was such a blessing to so many.  She struggled with her RA with dignity and humor.  She was close to the Lord and I know she is with Him now.  I love you, Ka, and miss you terribly.  I'll see you soon!  (soon being a relative term - earthly time compared to eternity.  I don't want anyone jumping to any conclusions). 


Anyway, Gracie had her surgery.  She did great!  She sounds like Donald Duck, but the doctor assured me that would go away as the swelling goes down.  So, far, 1 week, 1 day later, she still sounds like Donald Duck.  As Karen would say, "greaaaat".  lol  Gracie is so precious.  She went to church last night and was just raising her hands during praise and worship and praising her Lord.  I thank God for such a blessing and the opportunity to be her mom.  God has blessed me with 4 wonderful children.  All successful and all pretty much well behaved - as far as I know anyway.  Ignorance is bliss in a lot of areas! 


I am back in my shop today!  Had a very good day!  Met lots of neat folks,  Gracie actually sold some of her artwork to some very kind ladies from Carthage.  I have finished spinning some Golden Retriever hair for a customer and started knitting it into a heart pillow today.  It's going to be very pretty.  Reminds me a lot of Angora hair.  Has a beautiful halo to it. 


Of course, my fun project of all time is the Enterlac scarf!  I love knitting it!  And people's reactions to it are so fun!  I should finish it up within the next week or two.  Can't decide whether to keep it, sell it, or gift it!


I received my "bling" to spin with my handspun!  Stay tuned for some beautiful sparkly yarns!!  I can't wait to get started!

I received a lot of Concord grapes in Tuesday.  Luckily, my mom told me I could just stick them in the freezer until I am ready to deal with them.  That was good news!!  So, they went from the box, to the Ziplock to the freezer.  Some are in the frige for munching.  I love them!  Also, canned 10 jars of peaches.  Yummy!    Added a bit of cinnamon to mine.

Enough for now! 

Take care and have a blessed day!

Kim

www.etsy.com/shop/kjhines6065
www.facebook.com/simplyhomespun

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Life Is Not Settled Just Yet!

Getting back in the groove of homeschool after a couple of hetic weeks after the passing of my sister, Karen.  Her service was Sunday and was absolutely beautiful, thanks in no small part to Rhonda Treaster and Pastor Warren.  2 hours before service, none of the videos or slide show would work.  Pastor Warren to the rescue!!  He's my hero!!!  

I'm preparing to leave for Vanderbilt Children's hospital tomorrow morning for Gracie's surgery.  I am preparing the special orders I have received and tying up loose ends.  I'm taking my Joy wheel with me to make some new yarn for my shop and 3 knitting projects, perhaps 4.  So, I will be keeping busy.  Gracie and I will be by ourselves a lot of the time as Gene is going to be working and visiting along.  I will be stuck in the hospital with nothing to do but spin, knit, read and play with my precious daughter!  I am looking forward to it, I have to say.   That is provided, of course, all goes well with Grace's surgery.  I have no reason to think that it won't.   God has her in His hand, that is for certain.




I sold my Mardi Gras Madness yarn over the weekend!  That was the yarn from you know where that I spun with beads.  Am I going to do that again???  Probably, but not now.  It was pretty, when all was said and done.
                 
My sweet inlaws are going to be here taking care of Ben while I am gone and will be holding down Simply Homespun!  So, come on out and visit.  Sorghum season is in full swing in Muddy Pond - lots to do in addition to visiting our shop.

Keep prayers coming for Gracie!

Kim

Monday, August 22, 2011

Living in The Land of Denial

Ok, it's true.  I'm living in the land of either denial (stage one in the grief process) or depression (stage 4).  Hopefully the latter.  All I know is that everytime I think about my sister, Karen, I am having no problem taking those thoughts captive and casting them out!  It just hurts too bad.  I guess I'm afraid of the hurt I will feel if I let myself feel.  Does that make sense to anyone but me??  Probably not healthy, but very comfortable for me right now. 

Anyway, here is the yarn I had started in the last post.  I spun one bat and I called that yarn "the ugly 70's kitchen floor".  There were distinct colors present - brown and yellow especially.  UCK!  So, I ran my other bats through the carder a few more times and VOILA!  Here is the result:


Isn't it spectacular!?  I love it, love it, love it!  It's for sale for now, lol.  I don't know how long I can keep from  knitting it!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80271048/sparkly-autumn-handspun-yarn

Back to my earlier paragraph.  You know, the Bible tells us to take every thought captive.  Why is it so easy to do with thoughts concerning Karen and not negative, complaining, mummering thoughts I have throughout the day?  Those really cause more damage that any thoughts of Karen I could come up with!  I guess it's because with Karen, it is a physical hurt and with these other thoughts, while not a physical hurt, those negative thoughts build up and cause a world of hurt down the road.  I am going to turn this over to the Lord to help me with.  I know He will sign me up for that class!  Remind me to tell you about the time I prayed for humility.  That class was NO FUN!  I can tell you.  Anyway, I always graduate a better person, but the lessons can be tough!

Be good and stay strong in the Lord! 

Kim



Friday, August 19, 2011

Coping

                                                               Me, Ben and Ka 2004

Since I last wrote, my precious, sweet sister, Karen, has gone to live with the Lord.  This is the hardest thing I have had to deal with in my 49 years.  She was my best friend, my cheerleader, my confidant.  She had been sick, but even though, in the end, it looked like she was not going to make it here on earth, it's still a shock to experience.  She passed away on Wednesday morning at 9:10ET.  My dad and mom were by her side, as they had been for weeks.  I'm now trying not to think about it because it hurts too badly, so I'm immersing myself in this:
PLUS

EQUALS

This combined with this:
 will equal the most beautiful yarn I believe, I will have ever created!  Stay tuned...



Friday, August 12, 2011

Christmas Is Coming, Christmas Is Coming!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year!  Christmas in August!  In the arts business, the earlier the better.  My dad's sweater - still in the making.  It was supposed to have been done for last year's Christmas.  Probably, not going to be finished this year either. 

I did, however, finish a precious Christmas baby pod and hat.   This is Gracie and Gloria modeling for me,  This is from a new book called Welcoming Baby Home The Handcrafted Way.  This book is full of unique baby patterns worked on HUMONGOUS needles!  I added some cashmere to this to make it a little more "la ti da".  What newborn doesn't deserve some "la te da"?  So soft! 

Anyway, all of these items, excluding Gracie and Gloria, of course, are available in my shop. 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/79627188/newborn-christmas-pod-and-hat

Ooohhh.  My big, gigantor needles just arrived!!!!  I also received 15 and 17 double points!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79632112/ka-bamboo-size-19-dp-knitting-needles

 Can't wait to start working on another project from this cool book!

In honor of it being Husband and Wife week (what would I do without Facebook - I would have no idea of all these holidays!), I thought I would post these words of wisdom found on the serving tray of the Ball Jar Company:

How to Preserve A Husband

Be careful in your selection.  Do not choose too young.  When selected, give your entire thoughts to preparation for domestic use.  Some wives insist upon keeping them in a pickle, others are constantly getting them into hot water.  This may make them sour, hard, and sometimes bitter.  Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender, and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses.  Wrap them in a mantle of charity.  Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with peaches and cream.  Thus prepared, they will keep for years. 

Ladies, go love on your husbands.  They need it.  Who knows, maybe they will give a little lovin back!

If I have some men reading this, go give your wife a kiss and a hug, just cause.  We need that!  Do it without anything else in mind, if you know what I mean!  Sometimes, we just need to be loved and held.  You probably don't get that, but it is what it is, so just do it!  : )

Love you all!

Kim