We’ve been cleaning nooks and crannys. Our neighbor noticed a long piece of linoleum laying in a heap with carpet remnants.
“Ooo. If you aren’t going to use that linoleum, can I have it?” she asked.
“Sure. Why?” I wondered.
“Ever lined cabinets? A friend encouraged me to use leftover linoleum. It turned out great! I’d like to cover my pantry shelves next,” she answered.
“Oh, wow,” I replied. “Recycling, easy to clean surfaces, and spare linoleum hiding in plain sight. Sounds great!”
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Isn’t it great to have smart friends who are willing to share good ideas? 
During a recent phone call and then visit, a lady asked me if I remembered the large rug that used to be under her dining room table. I barely remembered it so I asked her to tell me about it. She did better than that. She brought pictures and told me, step-by-step how she made an area rug from carpet remnants that lasted for a decade or so.
“Really? Could you vacuum it?” I asked.
“Oh, yes,” she replied.
“Did it fray along the edges?” I asked with squinted eyes.
“No,” she smiled.
I smiled, too.
Come along with me and let’s think some new frugal thoughts.
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July seems like one of the best months in which to celebrate. The harvests are bountiful and everything, everywhere seems to glow with life.
The 58th Homesteading Carnival is an exuberant display of what can be accomplished when people are thankful for what they have been given and celebrate the moment in which they live. We welcome you to count our blessings via the kindness of the Homesteading Participants by perusing the following submissions.
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Would you like to participate in a Carnival? You can! Submit an entry to the “The Homesteading Blog Carnival” by Sunday at 6pm PST for the Monday Publication. We are happy to host the July 21st THC and thankful to the people who have done this previously. Hoping to hear from you soon!
Brewing coffee with the Aeropress every morning (and sometimes evening, too) for a year and a half, has left us very impressed. The texture and taste of the coffee brewed in the Aeropress is smooth and has little to no bitterness. We’d love to share an unexpected product review with you in the hopes that it might be of use.
The AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker doesn’t take up much space. The system includes the press, a stirring stick, scoop, funnel, and year’s supply of filters. In addition to the Aeropress system and coffee, one will require a source of hot water, like a tea kettle, and a coffee mug. We weren’t sure what “a year’s supply of filters” meant. We brew a lot of coffee. So we purchased a spare pack of filters. Surprisingly, in a year and a half, we haven’t exhausted the included “year’s supply” of filters. Are you wondering, how? We’re happy to tell you.
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Happy United States’ Independence Day!
Why not start the day off with a bang - Red, White and Blueberry Pancakes? Delicious.
We made our usual pancake recipe and stirred in a cup of fresh blueberries before cooking. Strawberries and maple syrup topped our stacks for a truly delicious meal.
Enjoy! We are happy to share this idea with you and wish you a very happy and safe 4th of July.
When I was a teaching in a public school, it was popular to use a large plastic shower curtain to make whole class, review game boards. Something smaller is better suited to the home and can be used for so many other good reasons.
Materials:
- scrap fabric 23″ x 21″
- yard stick
- pencil
- fabric markers
- straight pins
toile- sewing machine
- thread
- fray check (optional)
- rod or stick
- yarn or string
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Earlier, we posted “How To Make a Little Girl’s Quiet Book”
Lately, we’ve been modifying the design to make it more suitable for little boy. The basic instructions are the same as those in “How To Make a Little Girl’s Quiet Book.” Where there have been differences, I’ve made notes on the images below. Enjoy
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This is the third post regarding making Custom Birthday Cakes. We welcome you to view the first and second posts.
After our first post on “How to Make Custom Birthday Cakes,” one of our guests asked “Does anyone know how to make a NASCAR cake?” She received several fun suggestions in the comment fields: here. The following is my attempt to answer her question.
Materials:
- chocolate cake mix
- tube cake pan
- Wilton trim n turn cake stand
- chocolate frosting
- plastic cars
- paper checkered flag
- toothpick
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Our neighbor kindly offered to let us collect some of their lavender before it died back. She suggested that we might want to make some potpourri and an eye pillow for headaches. What neat ideas!
For some time, I’ve wanted to gift a few sachets or lavender wands. They are reported to be excellent for repelling moths and scenting garments.
With so many ways to enjoy lavender, we happily accepted several bundles.
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