Free time and elephants and randomish thoughts

Sometimes alone is really nice.  

I think, if given the choice, the kids would choose the company and companionship of their siblings, rather than being alone.  In a big family though, there isn't often a lot of choice in the matter.  Recently, an opportunity presented itself for Ellie.  

I tried to secretly grab a couple of pictures with my phone because she just looked so content and happy.  (but she spied me after only a couple.)

It was a really warm day with a gentle breeze and nothing but quiet.  Moments for herself to think her thoughts and create.  

Caleb had given her this Elephant and paints for her birthday.   Just a cloth to protect the deck from paint, and she was off.  Free to paint however she wanted.  

these are the precious carefree days of childhood.  

. . . . . 

Some days I just have to pinch myself. I have a husband who has always valued the impact of motherhood and has never underestimated my work here at home while he works away from it.  God has blessed me with eight children, and the privilege to be at home with them. 
And though there are days where I am weary and worn thin, I am just so thankful to be able to spend my days with them training, teaching, observing, sharing.  

. . . . . 

 Here we are in August already.  There are signs that summer is winding down.  Here in Washington it feels like it has just arrived, which makes saying good-bye to summer oh so hard.   

I'd say, that even though the sunny days haven't been aplenty, we've been enjoying our vacation days.  The moment there is a break in the weather, we make the most of it, a river day with friends, sleeping in the front yard under the stars - finding constellations. Rain or shine we've been thoroughly enjoying the days of no schedule, and not much responsibility.

This month finds me taking care of business - appointments of all kinds (well visits, eye visits, dental visits for all.) and also planning for school - not so much what anymore, but more the how and when.  We'll be starting again in just a few short weeks.  Seriously, the time passes quicker with every year.  I mean September = 3/4 of the year complete.  

But...happily we still have this last bit of summer to savor - and a few last things to check off our summer bucket list.  

~ Carol

Healing salve tutorial

Summer is a great time to get a few extra things done, that I don't often have time for during our school year.  One of those extras that was on my "hope to get done this summer" list was making some more healing salve.  It's also known as Eden's Salve or Green Salve.

This is such an easy thing to make, so I thought I would show you how. 

I bought the package of dried herbs from Bulk Herb Store.  

It's a mixture of plantain leaf, calendula flower, comfrey leaf, yarrow flower, rosemary leaf, 

echinacea leaf, echinacea root.  

These herbs are great to treat cuts, scrapes, itchy bug bites, and rashes.

The hardest part about this is that you'll need to infuse the oil using your crock pot for 3 days. 
I use my crockpot a lot - so I had to plan ahead to have it available.   

I have a 6 quart oval size crock pot. I wasn't sure what size jar to use. Only three quart jars would fit next to one another, but they were too tall to have the crock pot lid on.  (That is ok - more on that in a minute.)
I chose to use five pint jars, and I lined my crockpot with a washcloth. 

Fill your clean jars half way full with the herbs.  (The instructions printed on my bag of herbs said to fill 1/3 full.  Instructions that I kept from a previous bag said to fill 2/3 full.  So I compromised.)

Then fill the jar the rest of the way with oil of your choice.  I chose coconut oil because I think it's the best choice for a healing salve due to its antibacterial properties. 

Add water to your crockpot - enough to come up to the neck of the jar.  I added a bit more water after I took this picture.   Cover with a lid and turn on to WARM.  Let sit on WARM for three days. 
You don't want it to get too hot.  If your crockpot doesn't have a WARM setting, then use LOW and keep the lid off. 
Whether you choose to use a jar that is bigger and won't allow you to cover with the lid or you need to keep the lid off to keep it from getting too hot - be sure to add water daily to keep the water level where it should be.  (Note: add warm water down the side so as to not crack any jars.)

This is your beautiful herb infused oil. 

Next you'll need to strain out the herbs.  Cheesecloth works well, as did these  Handi - Wipes.

I lined a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup and poured the jar contents into the center of the Handi Wipe. 

This was one jar's worth.   

Repeat with all the jars.  Holding the corners so that the oil filters through the mesh, but catches all the herbs.  
Squeeze out all the oil. Set the herbs (still in the Cheesecloth) aside in a 2nd bowl, as they will continue to drain, even though you think you got it all. 
Put your oil in a pot.  
Next add the beeswax.  I was fortunate enough to have had a friend give me some from her hive.  This sheet has been heated and strained from the previous time of making the salve. 
. 

You can use beeswax pastilles.
You would use about 1/4 cup to start.  It really all depends on the amount of infused oil you have and how soft you like your salve.  

I test a sample. 
Once the beeswax is melted, spoon some into a tin or small glass jar.  Let it set up and decide for yourself if you like the consistency.  Mine was way too soft, so I put back in the pot, melted more beeswax and tried again until I was happy. 
You can add grapefruit seed extract (1 drop for every 1 oz.) as a natural preservative to extend the shelf life.  It's easiest to add the drops to your individual containers.  My tins are 2 and 4 oz. so either 2 or 4 drops per tin.  done.

All set up

and beautiful! 

These make great gifts (especially baby shower gifts) or even stocking stuffers.  I keep one in my purse, one in my car (but in a little ziploc - because the hot car makes it melty!) one in our first aid kit.  Perfect to pack along on a hike or a camping trip.  

Between Bulk Herb Store and Mountain Rose Herbs you'll find everything you need to make this amazing salve.  Seriously, it's the BEST!  (In my humble, non-medical opinion.)


~Carol

Sharing here.

Kitchen stuffs

 

Free time + fabric = apron love.

 

I had the chance to make my new aqua-blue apron.

:-)

 

 

I'm tickled to have another so that I can have one to wear when the other is in the wash.

I'm a messy cook, what can I say?

This is my favorite apron pattern.  It is simple to make, but has cute details. 

I especially like it for the pockets.

A place to stash the odds and ends that I pick up around the house.

 

. . . . .

 

I also wanted to show you a little bridal shower gift I made for a friend at church.

I found the idea on Pinterest and thought it was just so cute.

 

{Pinterest inspiration}

 

 

{Mine}

 

They were a cinch to make.  You can find her super simple instructions here.

I purchased a good quality set of spatulas with flat wooden handles. 

 

The 1/4" steel letter stamping set is available at Harbor Freight Tools. 

Here's a 20% off coupon too.   {only through May 2015}

 

While mine are not perfect, I still think they turned out well. 

 

 

All you need to do is place the utensil on a flat hard surface, such as the concrete floor in the garage, place the punch where you want to impress, then bang with a hammer. 

 

I suggest you use an old utensil for trial so that you get the hang of how hard and how many times you need to tap/bang the hammer. 

THANKFUL was the first one I did, and I needed a lighter touch. As you can see, I also impressed part of the metal stamp.    :-/

 

I still love them and I am so making more of these -

bridal showers, birthdays, Christmas, house warming, stocking stuffers...

Yep!  Making more.

 

This was a set of four spatulas, but you could always divide them up and give one with a collection of hand-written recipes or with seasonal cookie cutters.

 

If you have an older{ish} daughter, she could make them for sweet birthday gifts

for her friends who enjoy baking.

Seems the sky is the limit with this one. 

I've had lots of Pinterest fails, but this one is a Pinterest win!

 

 

 

FREE gift tags

So, I was looking through a catalog that arrived in the mail, and saw this cute idea for gift tags.

 

 

Not wanting to make an order

I was thinking I could go to the local craft store and pick up some supplies to make some, but then I thought of a better way.

 

I gathered up some tools: my cutting board, my triangle, a ruler and scissors.

 

and supplies: some Trader Joe's paper bags.

 

I cut open the bags, then cut pieces 2" x 3".

 

The fun part is that one side {the outside of the grocery bag} is printed and

the other side {the inside} is blank for me to write my message.

 

I measured and marked where I would hole punch.

 

 

Then I measured so I could clip off the edges 

to make it look like an old fashioned tag

 

finished off with some string or red and white baker's twine.

 

 

My gift tags....for FREE!

One little detail done for Christmas.

Thanks Trader Joe's.  Just one more reason for loving you.

 

 

Abbie and an artisan kitchen tool

Abbie had been asking me for a couple of days if she could cook with me.  {Melt.my.heart.}
I am sure part of her wanting was to spend time with me, but I think the other part was to be able to use a new kitchen tool that was given to her for her birthday. 

The last few days have been busy, but I promised that today would be the day that she could cook with me.  This afternoon we donned our aprons together and gathered all the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies.  In college I used to make the Toll House recipe so often that I still have it memorized.   It's a perfect recipe for beginners - lots to dump in the bowl, lots to stir, and very yummy results.
 

This is the tool she received from her Great Aunt Barbara.  

It's a hand crafted wooden stir "stick" made by a local artisan on Deer Isle Maine.  {I say "local" because my aunt has a summer home on the island.}

There she is...mixing, mixing, mixing.

Oh, and tasting.  

{Because tasting the cookie dough is essential! - How else will you know if you've forgotten anything?}

I can see that this little unpretentious tool is going to be a work horse in this home.  

{Aunt Barbara was so thoughtful to send one to Abbie and one to me!}

It is satiny smooth, it is strong and does very well even with stiff batter, and is the perfect size for small hands because it is skinny.

Abbie and I had so much fun together.  Just she and me.  

Sometimes it is hard to look down the road and imagine the years when she is older.  What will she remember of her childhood days?  I know what I would want her to remember.   

One of the things ~ sweet and endearing times in the kitchen together, learning, talking, laughing, and making memories.

It doesn't seem to happen too spontaneously because life in a busy, full household has its many demands, so I shall purpose to endeavor in regular cooking making with each of my three little women!  This just may become a Fun Friday activity.

I'm so thankful for the privilege to be at home with my favorite people.