A DIY Weekend :)

Photo Creidt: Curbly

Are you a DIYer? Seems I always have a LONG list of projects to get to. This weekend I got to a few of them -- I had motivation. Company is a coming :)

Although I did get to a few projects, we are still *in process* on most so basically I am going to *tell* you about them and then will share some photos -- BIG-reveal-style -- SOON.

So what do you think of when you read BABY ELEPHANT, HOT COCOA & INSPIRE AWE? Recently when I posted about the trees being removed, I posted this photo ......

Really shows the worn and dated paint on the house. Not a big fan of butter yellow and forest green. Well, I am not going to be living with that UGLY (sorry, no better word came to mind) paint any longer. The house is now Baby Elephant - a gorgeous light taupe color (Clark & Kensington paint from Ace) with Inspire Awe - a creamy, off white trim -- on Thursday, I will do the LAST job -- painting  the porch floor and steps. They will be Hot Cocoa - a darker taupe. It is AMAZING what paint can do!

Once  the porch paint is dried and cured a bit, I can put my vintage wicker furniture back out. Do you

Faithfulness Farm: Nebraska Junk Jaunt

remember my story of how I acquired my olden wicker set last fall? I was so blessed to find it and knew it was going to need some work to freshen it up. Work done. I've painted it and made some covers for the cushions and some festive pillows - they are sitting in the garage EAGERLY waiting to come out and party on the porch! I thought I would share a couple informative articles I found -- Wicker Furniture Cleaning Hints & Tips -- and -- Painting Wicker Furniture -- both very helpful for the wicker furniture enthusiast. I cannot hardly wait to show you my beauties!! BTW, this is another showing of that horrid paint AND can you believe that my porch had carpet on it? -- that was ripped up earlier this spring and the floor is ready for it's paint job :)

Now that my yard has so many more sunny spots sans the trees, I've been looking for gardening inspiration like CRAZY! I ran across this image on Pinterest.....

Samplers and Santas

AND was TOTALLY inspired. I've made 2 new little flower beds utilizing my galvanized wash tubs. I have the edging to finish on the 2nd one and will do the big reveal :)

ALL those projects and I also rearranged the living room -- I'll share WHY I did that later this week.

Isn't it great to have company come (my Mom & Dad from Arizona and #1 Son from Minnesota) to light a fire under the hiney and get some of the STUFF crossed off the list!

Wishing a WONDERFUL week -- I'll be putting finishing touches on THINGS -- can't wait to show YOU! What is on YOUR DIY list?

Adding this post to Yvonne of StoneGable's new Linky party -- TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS  - oh, what FUN!!

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!"

This saying from the Great Depression and then WWII shows the way to frugality. I have subscribed to its principles for a long time. When it was first coined and in this economy, it just makes good sense.

I come from a family of thrifty folks...I have always been thrifty and shunned debt. Good thing. As a single woman living on a modest income, it is more important than ever for me to be thrifty. Over the holidays, and then with the planning of daughter's baby shower and the arrival of grandson, it just has seemed that my checking account has been bleeding outta control. I knew once these events were behind me it was time to get back on the frugal bandwagon -- then I saw Jeff Yeager, The Ultimate Cheapskate and was very intrigued by what he calls a Frugal Fast. Jeff says, "one way to rein in out-of-control spending is to observe a "fiscal fast" for one week. The idea is to try to spend no money for seven days, to see which expenses you can and cannot live without". This is perfect for me and my plan is to *Fiscal Fast* the last week of the month every month of 2012.

Some of Jeff's suggestions are:

Grocery-Shop in Your Pantry: You may be in the habit of stocking up at the grocery store once or twice a week, but see how many free meals you can come up with by raiding your own freezer or cupboards for foods you bought months ago.

Cut Down on Commuting: Is it possible for you to carpool or ride a bike to work for a few days? You could save money, socialize with co-workers and maybe lose a few pounds.

Flush Out Those Toiletries: You may have travel-size bottles of shampoo, tubes of toothpaste or bars of soap from past hotel stays in a closet somewhere. Try to use them up before you buy more.

Free Family Fun Night: Break out the board games or a movie from your library rather than heading to the movies on weekends.

My plan is to NOT purchase anything with the exception of gasoline to get back and forth to work during the week. Otherwise, I will use what I have on hand. That includes what is lurking in my pantry and freezer. No stocking up before the fast starts either -- just using what has already been purchased. I am really thinking this is going to be a breeze but I just may be surprised. Wish me luck!! What are some of your best frugal tips?

Cutting Board Resurfacing

Have you seen my old wooden cutting board? I have several, but this one is my favorite. Can you tell it gets used A LOT? After seeing it in photos recently, I was EMBARRASSED and knew I needed to take some action and do something about the pitiful condition it was in. With all the chopping that will be going on in my kitchen over the next few days, I am glad to get this workhorse into better shape.

1. Clean your wooden cutting board using dish detergent and hot water to remove any particles.

2. Sanitize your cutting board using a solution consisting of one teaspoon of beach mixed with one quart of water.

3. Air-dry your cutting board until thoroughly dry.


4. Sand the cutting board using 100-180 grit sandpaper until the surface is free of scratches, notches, etc.

5. Finish sanding the cutting board surface with 400-600 grit sandpaper until the surface is smooth to the touch.

6. Clean the cutting board to remove any dust or remaining particles. Oil with board or mineral oil.

Use often and enjoy!!


Posting to Susan's Met Monday at BNOTP

One Good Thing!

I first saw this on Pintrest and thought -- no one's baking sheets look as bad as mine -- then I realized that maybe Jillie's from One Good Thing might come close, lol. I was very intrigued about her *Miracle Cleaner* and since it was my favorite kind -- made from household staples, I figured I'd give it a try and report back to you.

These babies are truly workhorses in my kitchen and have been for many, many years. I am not sure when these were purchased but I do remember having them when we still lived in California, so before 1999. Another thing I wanted to add is that I never saw anything wrong with my baking sheets looking like this. I've been behind the scenes in more than one commercial bakery and that is what the baking sheets look like -- I always thought of it as kind of a badge of honor -- my baking sheets get USED.

The results -- yep, this pan is certainly cleaner looking with all the carbonized stuff off of it -- but I am afraid the miracle cleaner had little to do with it - the cleaning machine was - good ole elbow grease and a stainless steel scrubber. I'm just going to let the rest of my stack of baking sheets keep their MUCH USED appearance.

I use baking soda to clean a lot of different things around the kitchen and did find the combination of the peroxide and baking soda did take some hard water spots off some serving utensils but I think I am not going to be using peroxide in the kitchen on a regular basis.

Note: I was asked why I wouldn't be using Peroxide in the kitchen regularly. The answer to that is it made me a bit uncomfortable. It has no smell or color and looks just like water. Not a safe chemical in the kitchen out of it's normal packaging. That is just my opinion, better to be safe than sorry.

Hooking up with Susan's Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Dishes, Dishes, Dishes!

Remember back at New Years when everyone in blogland was picking their word for the year? I didn't really find one that fit but I should have picked DETERMINED! I entered this year determined to NOT add to my lumbering collection of dishes. I've done pretty well. In January, I was off to a shaky start when I found these vintage Clover Blossom dishes to complete my everyday breakfast set.

But I gave some dishes to Goodwill in my January organizing blitz. That round of purging was pretty painless. It was mostly, the *WHAT WAS I THINKING* dishes.

Then along came March -- FOREVER I had been coveting some Mikasa white dishes and found (at Goodwill again) a complete set for 8 of French Countryside (with completer pieces) for a fraction of their worth, in pristine condition and they came home with me too.

I knew I'd use them and indeed I do. I replaced my old *everyday* dishes with them. AND I gave my old everyday dishes away to a friend. Although I liked my old white dishes, the parting was pretty painless.

Spring and summer found me pretty distracted and although I did do some thrifty shopping, I only breezed past the dishes. I completely stayed away from my old haunt, TJ Maxx....that is, until late summer. I went in there with daughter to *look at baby stuff*. I knew it would be hard for me and indeed it was. One stroll down the clearance aisle and away I came with ......

Now let me clarify, the green square Mikasa's were already mine (yeah, I lugged them babies all over Mall of America last year -- I think my right arm is now permanently longer than my left). What gave me such temptation was the square rooster plates -- BUT in all reality, I NEEDED square rooster plates to go with those (never been used) square green plates. I was TOTALLY justified in my purchase! When I got home, I searched my dish collection for something to go from my collection -- hum, I was pretty sure I could part ways with some funky dessert plates I had picked up somewhere in my travels. Off to the GW with them. Whew, I have not *added* to my problem, I mean collection!

Then I ran into a REAL problem -- A stack of 8 of these babies at GW.

Yeah, they are in my dish storage awaiting a holiday tablescape. NO MORE THOUGH -- NO MORE! Oh, and I didn't part with a thing -- my thought is I'll use them one season and then away they go! It isn't technically an addition if I'm not planning to keep them long term, is it?

A few weeks ago my daughters and I made our annual trip to Lincoln, NE to visit The Historic Haymarket (and this bad blogger totally went off without her camera -- it was sitting on the dining room table where I left it). This is a trip I look forward to every year. In the Haymarket is Burlington Antiques. My daughters ditched me there to run off and eat all sorts of foods that are forbidden for me to eat, lol. I was totally okay with that - you see, Burlington Antiques has more DISHES than your average antique mall. I knew I wouldn't be coming home with any of those dishes and enjoyed a long stroll through taking in ALL the wonderful antique and vintage dishes.

Even though I didn't buy a thing in that trip to the antique mall it STILL got me into trouble! You see, on Saturday, I was on the GW side of town and before I knew what was going on, I was pulling into the parking lot and heading right in the door. Let me say that this isn't my favorite time of year for thrifty shopping -- too many Halloween costume seekers are rummaging through my favorite thrifty source this time of year. That said, I made a pass around the whole store and then headed back to the dishes - spying a box on the ground, I take a peek inside and recognize what I see -- China -- made in England, bone china -- ROYAL WORCESTER CHINA -- TOPAZ BY ROYAL WORCESTER BONE CHINA. This was one of the chinas that I studied for quite some time during my trip to Burlington Antiques. I loved the fall like pattern, and the calming sandstone colored rim and the name -- my oldest daughters birthstone and now here I was holding a box full of it. The price ------ $3.00!! FOR ALL OF IT!! My GW has taken to putting sets of dishes in opened topped boxes and then using packing tape to make a see-thru but cannot handle thru top. You can see what is in the box but not really see anything under the first layer or so. Nothing was packed in paper so who knows what kind of condition these are actually in. Since the asking price was only $3.00, I took a chance on condition and exactly what was there. Once home, I inspected all the contents and basically pieced together 4 complete place settings (dinner plate, salad plate, bread & butter plate, dessert plate & cup & saucer). I am happy with that -- 4 diners is the most common at my dining table....anything more than that, and it will have to be a different set of dishes.
According to Wikipedia, Royal Worcester is believed to be the oldest remaining English pottery brand still in existence today.

Topaz was manufactured from 1958 through 1964.


These beauties will be making many appearances on my table over the next few weeks.


Linking to Susan's Tablescape Thursday!

Tiny Tips!

Happy GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY!! Well, my sweet Goosey friends at Gooseberry Patch are at it again. They have introduced 4 NEW books in the NEW book series – TINY TIPS. Don’t these titles sounds FABULOUS?!! – Tiny Tips for a Cozy Home, Tiny Tips for Gifts to Make & Give, Tiny Tips for Get-Togethers AND Tiny Tips for the Kitchen.

Take a listen to what they have to say about these tiny treasures! (Don't forget to go to the bottom of the page and turn off the blog music).



Lucky me, they sent me 2 of those titles to preview - Tiny Tips for Gifts to Make & Give and Tiny Tips for Get-Togethers. Lucky YOU, you can have a chance to win them!

These tiny books are chocked FULL of great tips that had me thumping my forehead and saying *why didn't I think of that*!! The kinds of tips that take an ordinary get-together and elevate it to the extraordinary and sweet little details that make a small gift something very special.


This tip motivated me to sneek a little something on the front porch of Miss Betty -- my nextdoor neighbor. So simple and I hope it makes her day -- I KNOW it made mine!

Okay 2 giveaways to tell you about!! You can WIN the 2 Tiny Tips books I previewed AND a set of Faithfulness Farm Embleshed Flour Sack Tea Towels just by posting your best Tiny Tip as a comment (please make sure your email is included if it isn't on your blog). Hurry because this giveaway closes on Monday, October 3rd with the winner announced on Tuesday October 4th. The second giveaway is hosted by Gooseberry Patch and the details follow -- if you're thinking of giving a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook as a gift in the upcoming holiday season, this is a GREAT time to make that purchase and be entered in for this generous giveaway -- you have until October 28, 2011 to enter in - JUST SAYIN!!!


How does it work?

Buy any Gooseberry Patch book or calendar wherever you like.

Send GOOSEBERRY PATCH your receipt – the original or a copy – and be sure to
include your email or mailing address. (That way they can get in touch with you if you win!)

Mail to:
Gooseberry Patch • Attn: Receipt Contest
2500 Farmers Drive, #110 • Columbus, OH 43235
OR
Scan or snap a photo of your receipt and email it to us at:
gooseberrypatch@gooseberrypatch.com

That's it...you'll be entered to win! It's just GOOSEBERRY PATCH'S way of saying thanks to all of YOU for collecting our books over the years...we're honored to be part of your family's meals.

Send YOUR receipts by Oct. 28, 2011!

Fallen Tabletops

This last weekend I dug in and got all my fall decorating done -- well, early fall that is. The turkeys will have to wait a few weeks before coming out of hiding.


Most of the decorating is in the dining room. I tried to keep things simple this year. I love this olden sewing machine cabinet drawer and I use it a lot in table tops -- I thought it perfect for holding my favorite little boo pumpkins and a candle of course.

My sideboard got a fallen makeover too. I used a recent GW find -- a vintage leather Samsonite suitcase, lined with some fall fabric and loaded up with sideboard goodies -- chargers, a basket of fall napkins, some leafy napkin rings atop a stack of leafy plates, a stack of fall colored individual-sized wavy bakers just ready for warming gratins and casseroles, and an extra candle. I am just loving the colors there!



My hutch has fallen too -- quilted pumpkins adorn the extra chairs. I learned a valuable lesson a long time ago about putting real pumpkins on the furniture -- one day they can look fine and the next when you are not home explode and leave a goo all over your furniture that works better than any commercial stripper! I now keep to the faux variety on furniture.

And a thought to leave you with this lovely autumn day .......



Sharing at Marty's Tabletop Tuesday AND Honey's Potpourri Party !

Sewing -- In the JAR!!

Last week I shared that September is National Sewing Month. That got me to thinking -- whether you are a seasoned seamstress or not, we all need to be prepared to do SOME sewing -- you know, replacing a button, fixing a hem, stitching up a busting seam. Nothing that requires a lot of talent BUT you have to have the supplies to do these jobs. I have a young woman at work who asks me to help her with these little chores. Last week I stitched on a wayward sequined star on her daughter's jeans. I don't mind helping but she doesn't do it herself because she isn't prepared to do so. My grown daughter is in the same boat (she just brings what she needs fixed to Mom's).

While browsing the internet I came accross the perfect solution to this......


Isn't this sweet? This one is sold by ANTHROPOLOGIE and I have to admit that I about choked on my coffee when I saw that it sells for $48.00 (GULP).

Anyone could make one -- including me. My plan was to make several to hand out as gifts for my co-worker, my daughters, and to have a few on hand.

So I made a list of what was in the Anthropologie Jar --
thread (just 2 spools), thimble, safety pins, needle threader, straight pins, measuring tape, needles and scissors. Then I thought, what else would be handy....an assortment of buttons, more of an assortment of threads and a seam ripper.

Off I went to the BIG BOX store to price and purchase all the items to stuff the jars with. YIKES -- these were going to be a bit spendy to stuff with style. Then I spyed a ready made kit by Dritz with all the components I had on my list -- selling for under $5.00. Perfect!! It also came in a variety of great colors - hot pink, purple, lime green.




What else was I going to need --

1 Large Canning Jar (with two-piece lid and ring) - I have a pantry full of these

1 small piece of fabric (1" larger than the circumference of lid) - from my scrap bag

small handful of batting - I have a bag of this in my sewing supplies but if you don't have some already, you could use a few cotton balls instead

Hot Glue Gun

Plug in glue gun to warm up. Lay fabric face down on work surface. Place a small amount of batting in the center. Place lid, top down on the batting and pull around. Slide the ring portion of the lid over the batting/fabric, and pull fabric taut. Trim any excess fabric. Glue the fabric to the underside of the lid, making sure to maintain a bulge on top. I embleshed the lid ring with some rickrack scraps but you could use ribbon, twine like the Anthropologie jar or no embleshing at all. Since I have a large supply of canning jars and used scraps, my total cost was the approximately $5.00 for the Dritz sewing kits to stuff the jars with. A handy and economical gift!



Joining Honey @ 2805 for ---

Faithfulness Farm Kitchen Tour

Lynn over at Happier than A Pig is having a My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Party! My kind of party for sure. I don't think I am going to show you anything new...I am always blogging about one gadget or another but I LOVE a party and I LOVE my ktichen, so come on in and take a look around.

Here at Faithfulness Farm, I operate a working kitchen. I cook, bake, can and cater out of my small home kitchen. I don't have room for frivolous gadgets...only the ones that earn their keep stay around in my kitchen. That said, I have many favorites. Recently I told you about my new coffee maker. Grab yourself a cup. You're only company on your first visit. We're old friends now!
Something every working kitchen needs is good knives. Like any tool, you have to maintain your knives. You are much more likely to get cut from a dull knife than a sharp one. If you don't know how to sharpen your knives, find someone who can maintain them for you....many malls have a cutlery shop that offers sharpening services. Notice in my block there is a pair of poultry sheers and a pair of sissors. Both are great tools to have around. Hand-in-hand with good knives is cutting boards. I prefer wood ones. I have these three babies staged in different places around the kitchen. Ready to grab and chop, cut or carve.
My kitchen is a microwave-free zone. One of my most important gadgets is my kettle. It boils water for tea as well as recipes. A great hint to keep drains running free is to pour boiling water down the drain on a regular basis. I do this weekly and can't tell you how many years I've gone without the services of a plumber. I wouldn't want to be without a kettle sitting on the stove *at the ready*! That little whistle attachment is pretty important too....I burned my last kettle up because there was no whistle and I got distracted. Number #2 son made sure that won't happen again!
I am always going on about my beloved cast iron cook and bakeware. They are HIGH on my favorites lists BUT....I have other cookware that is special to me too........
My dear children decided I NEEDED red cookware. They gifted me with this set of Paula Deen cookware and I love having them hanging around my kitchen (and I love using them too). My pot rack is also a pretty handy gadget. It hangs over my homemade kitchen island made from an old Singer sewing machine base. The two just seemed to be made for each other. And while we're dicussing what is handy...crocks of hand tools next to the stove is about as handy as it gets. I especially love wooden spoons. Many of mine are Amish made. So simple and yet some of the best gadgets I own.Timers are valuable gadgets to a baker. Even 1 extra minute can mean something is too browned to be acceptable to sell. I like both the high tech and low tech versions.
Low tech....can you imagine making meringue with one of these babies. My grandmother did....regularly. I am glad to have this instead HERS..... and HIS! I use several of the attachments, the grain mill for making whole wheat flours, the meat grinder and sausage stuffer, and the pasta maker. These machines have been a very wise investment for my kitchen.

Lastly, I wanted to tell you about this little gadget that is always ready to lap up spills and take care of any and all crumbs that make it to the floor...... JOSEY - my sweet corgi dog!



Thank you for dropping by and thanks to Lynn for hosting such a FUN party!