Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Needle Tatting


I checked the garden.  It's still too wet to dig potatoes.  I think I will start bringing in corn this week and drying it in the sun on good sunny days.  I picked more jalapenos and hot banana peppers too.   

I ended up starting the day yesterday by cleaning up my "work" area by the computer.  I ended up sorting everything into piles before tackling each one.  I had a "file it" pile, a "put it in a binder" pile, a "shred it" pile, a "needs paid" pile, "put it back where it belongs" pile, "ask the kids if they need it any longer" pile, and a "recipe" pile.  Needless to day, a few of those piles were left for today to take care of, but things are looking much tidier.

Hubby had to go work on his truck after work (which is now fixed), so we didn't really cook a dinner per-say.  Anyway, since I was constantly checking daughter's temperature throughout the day, I had time to do some handcrafting.  

Despite ibuprofen, Daughter continued to run a fever (up to 103.3°F).  I'm so glad I made a batch of elderberry elixir, and had mullein tea on hand.   She said the mullein tea I made her helped reduce the headache pain she was enduring.  

Today, I'll make her some throat pops if she still has a sore throat. 



As for handcrafting, believe it or not, I dug out my tatting.   Of all the projects I could be finishing, I picked that one for some odd reason.  I haven't tatted in so long.  I started to tat an edge on a hanky a few years ago, and left it sit.  It's still in the container.

I pulled out my handy dandy book, Learn Needle Tatting, Step-by-Step, by Barbara Foster, and did a quick medallion to see if I could still do it.



Yep.  It was like getting back on a bicycle, but my first time back at it looks a bit sloppy.  I need to work on tension, and making sure I reverse when I need to.  I'll be practicing this winter, as I really enjoy it.  I guess shuttle tatting is next to learn. Maybe some earrings perhaps?  Definitely some Christmas ornaments.

Speaking of ornaments, I had a rough part of the day yesterday - thinking of my Aunt.  Every year when I am creating a box of handmade ornaments for all of my family, I put a box together for her.  I've been wanting to write her too.  She loved to hear about our adventures here, and I loved hearing her stories about anything.  Especially any family history stories.  She always made me laugh.  So today, I'll write to her up in Heaven.

One last note today.  Hubby and I recently watched Julie and Julia.  I love that movie.  I'm always inspired to cook and bake the day after watching it.  It's what inspired me to try braised cucumbers.  Today I plan to play around in the kitchen a bit.  Her Potato Leek soup sounds wonderful.  I'll have to plant leeks in my garden next year too.  But, with one sick child, I think I'll opt for a soup without any cream (or milk) today.  A broth based, old-fashioned potato soup sounds good on a cool day.  Maybe it will keep my mind off the winter prep dollar signs that continue to add up.

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