Grocery Shrink

She's finally here and ready for shipping!  The Jillian Tunic pattern by my sister company, Blessed Designs was designed for American Hand Smocking and cut for maternity.  After hearing the demands of my customers, I added a non-maternity cut and 2 options for machine smocking.  The results are beautiful and easy to wear.  You can order this pattern at a discount through the end of March.  To order visit:  www.blesseddesigns.net/store  It is a full size pattern printed on heavy white paper.  All sizes from XS to XXL are printed in one pattern.

You may recognize my model as the beautiful Kelly Marshall, the owner of Designs by KM which was featured in an earlier post.  She is four months pregnant in these photos.

The first photos show the maternity cut sewn with a machine shirring technique and is made from a Heather Bailey print in blue ice from her Bijoux line.

This set of photos is made from pink dotted cotton and sewn with faux machine smocking. 

The slightly puffed sleeves feature 3 delicate pleats that echo the design of the back.

The next few photos show a Jillian tunic sewn from vintage dotted swiss that was handsmocked in Aqua using the American smocking technique.  Instructions for all 3 smocking techniques shown here are included in the pattern.  

www.blesseddesigns.net/store

I've been giving my children ginger baths for many years to relieve discomfort from flu, congestion, and colds. I didn't know why it worked, just that it did.  I recently came across an interesting article on why ginger baths are so theraputic.

http://www.pureinsideout.com/ginger-bath.html

Ginger baths are easy to give.  Simply sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of dried ginger into running bath water as hot as you can take it and slip in for a soak.  With a little rinsing the ginger will drain with the bath water.  We've never had problem with clogged drains. 

Epsom salts are also theraputic and you can combine the benefits by mixing 1 cup of epsom salts, the zest from 1/2 an orange, and 2 Tablespoons of dried ginger.  Mix in a bowl and store in a half pint jar.  Use the entire container for one bath.

Ginger is stuch a nice spice.  Hot and sweet and lemony all at the same time.  I decided to try to grow it this year.  It takes a lot of heat but prefers shade to sun and will die in temperatures below 40 degrees.  The midwest is an unlikely place to grow it well since it takes 10-12 months to mature, but in a pot I may have success.  I'll try anything once.  Here's a link to instructions:  http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-ginger.html and http://www.ehow.com/how_4576842_grow-ginger-indoors.html

I'm off to prepare a ginger soak for sweet Heidi.  I hope she feels better soon!

The children are not feeling well.  Brandon slept all day yesterday and Heidi is the snoozer today.  They have been well exposed to strep throat so I am watching them closely and staying home.   I like to fight these things off naturally if at all possible.  It helps to strengthen their immune systems and prevent reoccuring illness.  Garlic and oregano are wonderful antibiotics, but my children refuse them in pill form.  So today I made a variation of my easy biscuits–Garlic Cheese.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soured raw milk cream (Or buttermilk)

Mix all dry ingredients.  Stir in cream.  Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut with biscuit cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Serve with butter.  I made 8 JUMBO biscuits

These are VERY flavorful, but even my picky eaters loved them.

Wooden Utensils are inexpensive, won't transfer heat, non-toxic, durable, non-stick, and beautiful when taken care of properly. You can get wooden cutting boards, rolling pins, spoons, dough paddles, and pancake turners and they should all be seasoned properly before use.

All you need is an oil that won't go rancid, a paper towel or piece of wax paper (think lining of a cereal box), and a pastry brush.  I used food grade mineral oil (found in the laxative section of the pharmacy,) because plant based oils will go rancid in this application and can cause free radical damage (cancer) in the body.  If you know of a plant based oil that won't go rancid–I'd love to hear about it.

Simply brush the entire wooden surface with oil and lay the utensil on a piece of wax paper or a plate.  Do this twice a day for 3 days, allowing the oil to soak into the wood in between applications.  Wait overnight after the last application and wipe down with a paper towel to removed excess oil before storing.  The oil will prevent water from penetrating the wood and it also brings out the natural tones in the grain.

Hand wash your wooden utensils after use and once a month (or after heavy use) apply another coat of oil.  I just used my well seasoned rolling pin on some sticky dough and it behaved beautifully thanks to the non-stick oil coating.   I cleaned it by wiping with a dry cloth instead of soap and water to help preserve the seasoning.

The best part about these biscuits (besides the taste) is no cutting in butter or shortening!  The dough comes together in just a few minutes and no purchased mix is required.  My 8 year old son exclaimed, "Wow Mom! Everyone in the world should try this recipe."

2 cups unbleached flour (I used the ultra wheat blend from Costco)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream (I used raw cream that soured after 8 days.  You could use cultured sour cream plus a little water or 1/4 cup melted butter and 3/4 cup plain yogurt.)

Mix all until a soft dough forms.  Pat out 1/2 inch thick and cut with cutters.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Makes 12 biscuits.

These are light and flaky and fabulous with sausage gravy!

Basic Sausage Gravy

1 lb pork sausage, browned, drained and rinsed (or 1 lb ground turkey cooked with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon rubbed sage and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup unbleached flour

4 cups milk (whole milk is fabulous but skim milk works great too.)

Sprinkle cooked meat with salt, pepper and flour.  Cook and stir over medium high heat for 2 minutes.  Add milk continue cooking and stirring until mixture thickens. 

For best time management.  Mix up biscuits and place in the oven while you cook the gravy.  Including meat browning time, they should get done about the same time.

I created this recipe this evening to use up a lot of sour milk.  The bread is gorgeous and tasty.   This recipe makes 3 short loaves or 2 tall ones.  I formed two of my loaves into cinnamon rolls instead of loaves, yum!

2 1/4 cups sour milk (I am blessed to have raw milk. If you can't get raw milk and let some of it sour, you can put some whey or yogurt in with your fresh milk to sour it.)

1/4 cup butter

2 Tablespoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

4 cups hard white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

2 teaspoons salt

In a saucepan or microwave, warm milk and butter to about 110 degrees.  Pour into a mixing bowl and add yeast.  Stir until yeast is dissolved.  Add the 2 cups of oats and 1 cup of flour and mix well.  Let rest for 15 minutes.  (This will allow a sponge to form improving the texture of your bread, but also gives the oats a chance to absorb moisture so you won't add too much flour later.)

Stir down the sponge and add 2 eggs, salt, and gluten.  Mix well.  Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms that is slightly sticky but pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead by hand for 10-15 minutes or by machine for 6-8 minutes. 

Lightly oil the dough, cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide into 3 balls.  Form into loaves and let rise for an hour or until doubled.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the top of the loaf is brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Butter the crust if desired and place the pans on a cooling rack.

Note:  It just occured to me that I could have mixed the sour milk and oats on the counter overnight before adding the yeast to sponge.  This would have released a lot of vitamins and made the oats easier to digest.  Oh well…there's always next time.

Easter is a good time to plan a spring and summer wardrobe.  Traditionally on Easter Sunday a new dress or suit is worn to symbolize new life in Christ.  By keeping these outfits simple, you'll have something to wear to church all through the summer.

 Here's a free tutorial for an adorable dress made from an adult button down shirt.

http://www.dana-made-it.com/2009/04/summer-fun-shirt-dress-tutorial.html

Here's another shirt refashion by Bethany at Vermillion Rules!

http://vermillionrules.blogspot.com/2009/04/another-easter-dress.html

Transform a basic dress with this flower collar tutorial from Katie Did.

http://katiedid.squarespace.com/katie-did-journal/2009/5/1/tutorial-flower-collar.html

I love this reversible dress from Viola and Pearl.

http://violapearl.blogspot.com/2009/07/elusive-and-reversible-easter-dress.html

The pattern isn't included, but it looks like a variation of a pillow case dress with a button hole in the center back for the shoulder straps to pull through and tie.  This would be adorable with a shirt underneat in colder times.

Here's an adorable dress from Life In The Empty Nest made from a pair of sleeves and a collar!

She has a lot of fun upcycle posts you should definitely check out.

http://theemptynestlife.blogspot.com/2009/04/upcycle-project-1.html
 
 
 

I love taking something out of style or damaged in an area and making something new.  Cashmere sweaters can be found at second hand stores for just a few dollars and most cost over $100 new!  I like to wait for a sale day to shop for mine and get them at half price.

Here's a beautiful cashmere scarf from Haute Goat made from 2 cast off sweaters.  I love the color variations!  The instructions are available here: http://www.craftstylish.com/item/59615/reclaimed-cashmere-scarf

Opening the sleeves to make the wrap wider would be a perfect accessory on Easter Sunday this year.  Since Easter is early, it will be chilly in many parts of the US.

With the leftover sweater pieces, you can make these darling spring bunnies from Betz White:  http://blog.betzwhite.com/2007/03/cashmere-bunny-tutorial.html

Spring seems to be the time for new babies too!  Here's an upcycled baby blanket made from cashmere sweater scraps from Valerina15:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/valerina15/4311272135/in/photostream/ She pieced it like a quilt and it is beautiful!  Clink the previous link to see more photos.  The back is pieced in larger squares.

Have smaller scraps?  Here's a hat and baby toy tutorial from Chez Beeper Bebe:

http://chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com/2009/10/tutorial-and-pattern-cashmere-batbaby.html

Depending on the size of your useable pieces you can make onesies, pull on pants (which also make great waterproof diaper covers), skirts, dresses, and booties.  Use colorblocking and piecing when you need a larger piece. 

I'd love to hear about your upcycling adventures with any medium.  Leave a link in the comments section so we can see your creations.

Come back tomorrow for darling upcycling dress ideas.

Chunky canned soups aren't normally frugal for a large family like mine, but a few inexpensive additions make this a fast meal that is healthier and much less expensive than the $1 menu.

2 cans chunky chicken soup ($1 each on sale)

1 can green beans with juice ($.33)

1 can corn with juice ($.33)

Stir all in a large pan on medium high heat until heated through. Serves 8 for $2.66 or $.33 each.

Round out the meal with grilled cheese sandwiches. We used homemade sour dough bread for ours and they were delicious!

Does it bother you around Easter time to spend a mint on toys that will clutter up your house, then be broken and tossed aside in a few days, treats to rot your children's teeth and send them into headache and irritability zone?  Here are some frugal ideas to help keep your holiday simple but meaningful.

1.  Focus what you do on the true meaning of the holiday.  We still talk about eggs at our house but use them as an instruction tool for the trinity and the resurrection of Christ.  Symbols of spring or new life are there for us because of what Christ did to bring new life to all of us.

2.  If you choose to do Easter Baskets, why not choose a basket that will be useful year round?  Like a purse, school bag, or overnight bag with a toothbrush and travel size items in it.

3.  Focus the edible treats on homemade ones you make together and fill their plastic eggs with small coins, stickers, and pocket toys, in additon to a few pieces of candy.

4.  Or better yet make a set of resurrection eggsfor your indoor hunt and reuse the symbols year after year.

Chickummyjig:  A free pattern and tutorial from Tania Ennor.

http://whipup.net/2009/03/29/easter-tutorial-chickummyjig/

Bunny Bag Pattern from Amy at During Quiet Time

http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/2009/03/bunny-bag-pattern.html

Fabric Easter Basket from Moda Bakeshop

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/03/fabric-easter-basket.html

Check back tomorrow for more Ideas and tutorials!