Happenings Around The Homestead...

This is the first year we have ever grown cabbage.  I love fresh from the garden cabbage but do not enjoy it cooked or fermented.  However, my husband loves sauerkraut so we are experimenting with our first ever batch.  It's sitting on the counter as we speak.  We don't have a crock so we are using (re-using) a Costco pickle jar covered with an old t-shirt rag.  It's high tech, let me tell you.  I may (or may not) try some when it's done.  I know, I know, kraut is supposed to be really good for you.

We have also yet to have a frost in my area so the tomatoes are still coming on strong.  The kids are getting good at prepping the tomatoes for canning.  (Apples too.)  When they start to complain, I simply say, "You like to eat, don't you?"

This is a pic of the bag City Girl whipped up in about 15 minutes.  She wanted a certain size and everything we had was either too big or too small so she went down to our "craft" room and created what she needed.  The body of the bag is a bottom leg of a pair of jeans she had made into cut-offs earlier this year.  She merely had to sew one end shut.  For the handle she made a braided rope made from old t-shirts and sewed it on.  We had some iron-on decals laying around and she embellished the bag with those. (The decals were marketed for the back of jean pockets... who wants their daughter wearing kissy lips on her backside? This is a much more tasteful application.)

There are so many possibilities for this bag.  It is really only limited by your imagination.  It is a quick, easy, and cheap project.  Goodwill stores are great sources of jeans and t-shirts!

What have you all been up to?

To The GRAM!

The Grand Rapids Art Museum has just started free Tuesday admission!  So guess where John and I, the kids and Grandma and Grandpa Schuh went yesterday!  I can't pass up free admission to a museum! 

I was quite excited to go because one of the visiting exhibits featured the quilts of Susana Allen Hunter.  I was surprised to find out that Ms. Hunter wasn't an art quilter or hobbyist in pursuit of the perfect look.  She was a poor farm wife who made quilts out of necessity to keep her family warm.  She recycled bed sheets, clothing, and flour, seed and feed sacks.  Some quilts had no batting, some had homespun cotton batting and one even had batting made from lint.  She wasn't concerned with perfect lines and rarely used any common patterns but merely put pieces of cloth together to be functional.  I bet you she never thought that any of her quilts would be museum pieces yet here they are.

My husband was not impressed, but I was.  Here was a woman doing what she needed to do to provide for her family and she worked with what she had.  She didn't have an unlimited budget and a cute little quilt shop to purchase fabric from.  She didn't worry about perfection but time and love went into those quilts.  She probably didn't even have a sewing machine.  I can only hope that I serve my family with such dedication.  There was no photography allowed so I didn't get any pictures but I will remember those quilts for a long time.  Those quilts represent freedom to me.  Freedom from vanity, freedom from expectations and just a true humbleness.  We woman need more of that!

A Rainy Day Is Welcomed!

I awoke this morning to the glorious sound of thunder rumbling and rain falling.  This was wonderful in two ways;first, it drowned out my two roosters crowing- my normal alarm clock at dawn and second it meant an inside day!  No one needed to mow or weed or pick strawberries.  I only needed to take care of chickens and let's face it... they kinda take care of themselves except for daily food, water and egg collection. (And my little peepers occasionally like to fly to the top of their fencing and sit on it and then fly off the fence into the yard, so I do check on them frequently so as to avoid my garden being eaten by teenage chickens.)

Our rainy day was spent quilting downstairs with homeschool friends and planning for next year's schooling.  My older two daughters and some of their friends have been meeting weekly and bi-weekly for some time making their first quilts.  Today was a daylong push to finish up the projects.  One young lady finished quilting hers today and we got the binding ready to sew up.  Now if my two can finish up their quilting we can bind theirs and shout a "Hurray, we're done!"  At this point in time I don't think any of the girls will take up quilting as a permanent hobby. 

I also spent sometime researching science curriculum for Seven.  She has decided to attend Grand Rapids Community College after graduating (in two years) to earn an associates degree in photography.  Since she is going the college route I need to make sure she has what is needed credit wise so she is eligible for entry.  After looking at what we have already accomplished and what we were planning on doing, science came up as the weak link. We are on track for everything else. She will study biology this year and chemistry next year  (Apologia- I think.) and then we are good. (Provided I can get her through algebra two and geometry.  Math is her downfall.) She will also need to be studying for the ACT.

I had to laugh at Seven when I told her we'd need to do biology in a little more structured format.  She was very concerned that she will have to dissect something.  But I told her not to worry they have computer programs for that now days.  Of course she will still be required to help with the chickens when the time comes.  Not exactly dissection but a close second. Oh, how I wish they had computer programs for that when I was her age.  I was totally freaked out by dissection.  I made my lab partner do the entire thing. Still shuddering about that.  There is a good reason I am not in a medical field other than as a herbalist.  Yuck.

The sun did eventually come out a bit this evening but quilting all day can actually tire a person out.  I did point out to the girls that they should be thankful to live in this time period and in this country or they might be (or have been) sitting in front of sewing machines day in and out getting paid very little for their work. They groaned at the thought and suddenly were very thankful for their current lives.  Perspective is always helpful.

Meet Farmer John!

Meet my wonderful husband, John.  He is the CEO of the Lewis family and a great man.  He works as a manager for Costco by day and is farmer, fisherman, daddy, carpenter, artisan, husband and John-of-all-trades the rest of the time.  We will have been married 20 years this October! He is equally at home with a chain saw as with a sewing machine. He's a handy cook (much more cheffy than me.) and chief tickle monster! God has blessed me well! There isn't much he can't do.  (He can't write poetry.)

 He makes incredible walking sticks from branches found laying around.

 A little carving, sanding, polishing, varnish and string...

 He has just recently built his first bamboo fly-fishing rod and hopes to make it into a business.

He whipped out this handy little bamboo scooper from some extra bamboo he had in the scrap pile. We use it to fill the chicken feeders.

What can I say?  How can I go wrong with a man who like to relax by watching the chickens!

Slight Diversion

Today's post was supposed to be something "artisany" but like all best laid plans...

Remember my post last week about this...

Well, that ended up in my basement yesterday when the sump pump blew a fuse and quit working.  The ground from last week's rains was still so saturated that when the pump ceased to function the water just drained back in.  The entire 1,000 sq feet was two to three inches deep with water.  Very cold, ankle numbing water, I might add.

So today instead of doing something fun on the homestead, I get to dry out carpet and organize basement stuff that got brought upstairs.  Upside:  We hardly lost any material "stuff".  Most everything was either up on racks or stored in plastic boxes or dryable.  My biggest loss:  RIP to my 1985 Sophomore yearbook. Tragic, I know.

We are hoping with quick action (read sucking up water and drying things out with dehumidifiers) that we may avoid having to replace carpet and padding.  We shall see.  If we lose the carpet then my husband gets his basement woodworking shop he has wanted.

Currently we have the basement (one big room, one smaller room and two store rooms) set up as craft/sewing and exercise in the big room and a playroom in the smaller. But the play room is really just toy storage.  The kids rarely stay and play.  If my husband does his woodshop thing then I'll claim the second room for my "shop".  Pinterest has lots of cute ideas for painting concrete floors and creating clever craft spaces.  We shall see.

So I'm off to tackle water!  Have a blessed day!!

New Fabric and Craft Blog!

Check out my new blog.  It's going to focus on fabric and crafts and artisan type things.  STRAWBERRY MOON MARKET!

Second Generation Soap Makers

Autumn Hall (left) with Andi and Seven at the Jenison Farmer's Market (Reagan and

Taylor in the background)

 

 

I'm venturing back to the blogging world and with exciting news! My girls are now second generation soap makers. They have learned the craft and are selling their wares at a little local market! They call themselves Bamboo Falls Soap Co. (because Mom and Dad already had a great logo for them to use) and make lavender, mint, and bamboo soap. They may branch out to others if these sell well. So if you are looking for a great handcrafted soap, drop me a comment to ask for a sample and some info. They are working on getting literature, business cards, etc. together.

 

 

I'm hoping they do well as Seven has decided (for the time being) that she wants to attend Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC to major in clothing and textile design/arts. That is a hefty bit of money to come up with since we've suggested heavily not to go the debt route with loans.

 

 

Andi at this point doesn't desire any higher education after high school but she can save her earnings for (Mom hopes) a future wedding. She is also naturally gifted with drawing ability so I hope she will chose to get some additional art training in after high school.

 

 

Regardless of the future it is a good entreprenurial training experience.

Homestead Bath Seltzers

These little gems go by many names: Bath bombs, bath seltzers, bath fizzies... but no matter what you call them they are an easy, inexpensive way to help you enjoy a nice, relaxing bath.

Our Maiden's of Virtue Bible study lesson this week was on "the bath" and how God not only desires cleanliness in our hearts but also desires us to present ourselves clean on the outside as well. Usually after the lesson we scrapbook but since "bath" was the theme, and in a former life I ran a handcrafted bath and body care business, I thought I'd teach the girls to make bath seltzers. (They are solid bath salts that fizz and release color and scent into your bath water.)

Most of what you need to make these can be found in your kitchen or around the house. You can also find supplies at Micheal's or Hobby Lobby or through many suppliers on the internet. Nothing is overly expensive or hard to locate. The one exception might be Citric Acid as you usually can't just jaunt into the grocery store for it. But there are many bath and body suppliers on the web. Google handcrafted soap or bath products in your state and you'll find a good list to check out.

The process is easy and after a quick demo and some learning curve experience the girls were off and creating.

Since I used to have a small business making and selling these types of products I still had plenty of supplies on hand. I have lots of molds, scents and colorings. But something as simple as a muffin tin can serve as a mold, and food coloring for color or you can go colorless which can be simple and elegant. Synthetic colors are pretty but they are synthetic chemicals so who knows what you are exposing your skin and self to. As for scents you can get these online, at a health food store, some grocery stores or craft stores. Try to stick with essential oils which are natural vs. fragrance oils which are synthetic. NEVER use a fragrance oil that is not approved for skin. If you find it in the home fragrance or candle section of a store you do not want it for body products. Who really wants to bath in a chemical cocktail?

The process can be messy but clean up is pretty easy.

My son was fascinated by the creation process and so he got into the action the next night using a more manly scent, shape and color. The girls were able to teach him how to do it with out my help.

So go ahead and get your hands dirty so that you can get clean in the bath.

The resulting relaxation is well worth it.

You will need:

One cup baking soda

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup citric acid (this is what makes the fizz)

scent to liking

color to liking

Mix the baking soda, cornstarch and citric acid in a bowl. Carefully add scent and color a little at a time. (Too much liquid will activate the citric acid and make it bubble. So add small bits... you can always add more but you can't take it away.)

Once you have your color and scent added you will take a small spray bottle and lightly spritz the mixture until it holds it shape when squeezed in your hand. It's a lot like playing with playdough or wet sand. The learning curve comes from knowing what the right consistancy is. Too little water and your shape will fall apart. Too much water and it will fizz up and lose its shape.

After you are satisfied with the consistancy then you will press the mix into your mold. Pack the mold tight- just like brown sugar. Once the mold is entirely filled and packed tight you will turn it out on some cardboard covered with wax paper. Be gentle these puppies are fragile. Don't worry if your shape breaks in the process. You can just crumble it, spritz it again and shape it once more.

Let your seltzers dry overnight.

To use just drop into a drawn bath and relax.

A post of tidbits

Our friendly little ground squirrel is going to get aquainted with a new spice!

I've just read that squirrels don't like cayenne pepper. Guess who's going to go to Costco and buy a big ol' honkin' container. The heavy rain we've had has surely washed away the castor oil I tried and the neighbor's teen didn't have any luck with his BB gun. So cayenne pepper is next on the list. Apparently you sprinkle your garden plants and soil with it and it keeps the squirrels away. I'm pouring it right down the hole.

Also heard that the USDA is not going to persue the National Animal ID System. Yeah! Don't tread on me!

Remember the cigar box purses that were trendy a few years ago? Well now, you can make cowboy-boot purses. Actually they're quite cute! The how-to is in the June/July issue of Mary Jane's Farm magazine.

If you can sew and are looking for fun vintage style patterns check out FOLKWEAR. They have great vintage patterns from many different periods, countries and cultures. I found several I'd like to try once my sewing abilities improve.

Just today an idea for a children's picture book popped into my head. I've got great words but alas I have no artistic talent in the illustration department. Anyone know Johannah Bluedorn? She is the talented lady who illustrated Raising Maiden's of Virtue. Her drawings for that book are right in line with the pictures in my head. I'm going to write it and send a proposal off to Vision Forum. Actually, I'd like to publish it myself (not vanity publishing but actually start a publishing house) but I fret that the entire process might be a bit large for me. Anyone else ever thought of publishing? Any illustrators out there?

Finally, because of the excitement of building and having a greenhouse this spring we started lots of seeds. They were doing great and then we had two nights of freezing weather. Now we need to start at least half of what we had started over as they went caput. We lost pumpkins, tomatos, basil and corn. Also, my beautiful lemon balm turned brown and the leaves curled up. Thankfully, there is plenty of new green leaves already growing. So what did we learn? We need to keep rabbits in the green house to heat it to keep the plants alive. But how do we keep the rabbits warm in the winter? Anyone have knowledge on this. We'd want meat rabbits, both for their meat and for their skins (for fly tying.) Of course we would also need to learn to tan the hides as well as butcher the bunnies and I'm not sure the landlords would appreciate us processing rabbits in our garage. LOL!

Virtuous Scrapbooking frustrations and Homestead learning tools

Here are my beautiful maidens. If you have been reading my blog recently you know that I've been leading a Bible Study on Raising Maidens of Virtue using Stacy McDonald's book by the same name. Using a suggestion at the back of the book we also have been scrapbooking the lessons.

I am not a scrapper booker. While it is fun, I just don't find it as relaxing as other crafts because the lay out and creativeness just doesn't come naturally to me. I worry too much about if my pictures are in the right place and if I've done the best layout I could. I've checked out books on scrapbooking from the library and the time and creativity people put into their pages is just amazing. I can come up with great quilt designs with no problem but for some reason scrap booking is just not my creative forte'. Any whoo how... I am trying to put together pages that go with the theme of each lesson. The pictures are easy enough to take and print out but finding the right embellishments is a bit frustrating.

I went to look for some tonight at a local scrap store. (A little local one, not a national chain craft store.) I wanted stickers that show modest fashion. Yes, I was naive enough to think that this little store in the Bible belt of Michigan, that is closed Sundays and plays Christian music over their sound system, might just have something in that category. At least something historical or even with a Parisian twist. Nope. I also wanted something that celebrated Godly feminity. Ahhh... nope. I mean I did find a few things that passed but they were more of a make do kind of thing and not what I really wanted. Most of the stuff in the store spoke worldly messages showing women as party going, shop happy, girlfriend celebrating, self-centered vixens. The girl selections were either cutesy ponies and lollipops or hot pink zebra designs shouting the virtues of rock star glam. I know this is what most people want and that the store is in the business to sell things but surely there are other people like me out there that desire something else. Can someone point me in the direction of a scrapbooking supplier/designer that caters to home-centered, Proverbs 31 women?


It was a relief to come home to the mailbox after scrapbook shopping to find some good rural reading and homestead how-to learning.

We have a free subscription to Living the Country Life and that came today. (John snatched it up to read first.)

Also our little local power company sends out a free country type magazine every month. That came today.

And at the Grocery store I noticed the new edition of Mary Jane's Farm was out, so I came home with it. Like I don't have enough reading. Mary Jane's Farm is a fun magazine to read with beautiful pictures but it does have a feminist bent to it. I get it to spur my homestead creativity (I like pretty and functional) and I filter out the "woman power" mumbo-jumbo. Contrary to public opinion these days life's not "all about me."

Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way!

Craft break!

Nothing very exciting happening garden wise today. We spent most of the day raking grass out of our newly tilled garden area. So I thought a craft post was in order. (A wheelbarrow full of sod and sand just doesn't inspire but Martha does.)

Martha Stewart's craft encylopedia has been out for a while but her new book on sewing and fabric arts is new. Costco is selling both for around $20 each. (A better price than other retailers.)

I'm hoping for some rainy spring and summer days to work on some of the great skills listed.

Even my son found some projects and skills he would like to learn. Crafting isn't just for girls. I'm hoping he gets good at tin punching and woodworking. I want a pie safe!

I also picked this little goody up at the store today. It's filled with a lot of fun projects to fill those long summer days with. My favorite type of quilting to do is hand applique. I love to sit outside in the shade of our maple tree and work on it.

Speaking of quilting... Coming in May... The Homestead Blessings ladies will add another DVD to their wonderful collection of Arts... THE ART OF QUILTING! I've already pre-ordered my copy. You can head on over to Franklin Springs Family Media to check out a preview and to pre-order.

Sorry for the late post today. I usually post in the morning before the day gets going but I needed to do other things this morning so I'm posting now that the day is over. My goal is to post everyday so even though it is late I'm still posting.

What the first born has been up to...

Making a cloth ball for her little sister! 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons- each from a different piece of fabric. She persevered and worked hard. Her little sis loves it.

Selling cookies and lemonade!

Helping little sisters climb trees.

AND.... starting to blog! Check out her new project at http://simplysevenlewis.blogspot.com/ !
Leave her a comment... you know we all live for those! Oh... and try and guess what her favorite color is.

Help For Growing Families- Franklin Springs

Maybe I'm a bit behind the times but I just discovered Franklin Springs Family Media. It is a Christian family owned/operated company. They produce and film wonderful family orientated films and DVD's. As I ran down the catalog list they have available, I found 7 must haves for my family and the rest of the films also sounded uplifting and encouraging to my walk as a Christian and mother.

They have documentaries, instructional videos for men, women and children, and helps for the family. I can't wait to get my hands on their The Art of Breadmaking DVD, Inherit the Land, and The Family Meal Table. For my DH: A Journey Home. For my son: Measure Twice, Cut Once. For my girls: The Art of Candlemaking and The Art of Soapmaking.

I can see my brood having good family time watching these DVD's and applying what they've learned to their skill and knowledge bank.

Check them out at http://www.franklinsprings.com/

For more Help With Growing Families check out http://www.shipfullofpirates.com/

Homemade Thursday (On Friday)- Daily Bread Part 2

A beautiful finished product

A cup full of ice helps form a crispy crust

Scoring of the bread

Shaped and floured loaf

A baker's best friend- Silpat

My baking set up (I don't have a baker's stone)

As promised here is the second part of my bread post. Yesterday I made the dough and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. This helps develop flavor and makes the dough easier to handle. After taking it out of the refrigerator, I shaped it and floured it right on my Silpat lined baking sheet. Then the bread rests for 40 minutes. While the bread is resting, I set up my pans in the oven: One pan on the bottom to hold ice for steaming and an upside down pan on the rack above to serve as my baking stone. When the pans are in place, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

After 40 minutes have passed, score your bread anyway you like using a serated knife. Quickly load the bread into the oven and toss a cup of ice onto the bottom pan. Shut the door ASAP so the steam from the melting ice doesn't escape. Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. That's it Folks. Easy Peasy! No more store bought bread for me.

Current Reading

Slow Cooker Classics (Reader's Digest)- to save time and money and beat the eating out or prepared food habit.

The Bread Bible (Rose Levy Beranbaum)- to master the art and eventually make saleable loaves.

Candymaking (Kendrick & Atkinson)- to master the art and eventually make saleable products.

Total Money Make Over (Dave Ramsey)- to GET OUT AND STAY OUT OF DEBT! Whoo... this is a whole other post.

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm off to bake bread and make some heart shaped sugar cookies for my kids to frost and contemplate what lucious dinner to cook the DH. We're sending the kids downstairs early tonight and having a date/movie night. (Watching Fireproof- for the second time.)

Homemade Thursdays

Okay, God made her but those Grandmas do get cranky if I don't keep them in pictures!

Book Cover Front

Book Bindings


Book Cover Back

Front inside page

Copyright page

Back pages

Mother Hen over at http://www.shipfullofpirates.com/ hosts homemade Thursdays. The only thing I've created recently is my 3 month-old daughter and God did most of that work. My DD and DH however were busy. The DH took all the "books" my daughter Andi wrote and illustrated (on computer paper), scanned each page into our computer, formatted them to book size, added front and back info pages as well as heavier paper for the front and back cover and bound them by hand. We now have a collection of very professional looking books all made at home. We have created (tongue and cheek) Lewis Publishers. Both my daughter and my husband are very proud of their work.