Basement Woes

We are under construction...actually we are over construction. Our unfinished basement will soon be finished and I am excited to watch the transformation. The renovations come with their own set of headaches though, the noise, the dust, and the bills, oy!



The bathroom is on the left, and a small storage closet on the right. We discovered that not only is our basement ready for a toilet and vanity sink, but we also have plumbing for a shower. This was a surprise to us but of course we want to maximize our value, so we are increasing our budget a bit to pay for added shower.

The project is not going to be cheap and we knew this going into it. We worked out a payment schedule with our bank that has us paying off the entire 2000 sq foot project in three years. At the time I thought I was okay with this but then I saw the checks going out and the construction materials coming in and I realized I need it paid off NOW! My own personal psychology makes me hate any form of debt, even debt that increases our property value. To me an increase of property value is not realized until the property is sold, and I have no immediate desire to sell this place. So to me, the debt is the same as any other. I am beholden to someone and I hate it!

So I convinced my husband that we need to be aggressive with our budget. Utilizing my previous tightwaddery skills, I have reworked our budget and plan to put every last extra dime and penny toward this nagging debt. It will take work. It will take adjustment. It will be just like things were a few years ago when my husband went back to school and our income was reduced by 35 per cent. It will also be so very worth it.

My Writer's Blog

For anyone interested, I started a blog to chronicle my writing life.



Corsets & Cadavers

The address is : www.gothicmysterywriter.blogspot.com

If you are into mysteries or historicals you will most likely find my posts interesting. I am diligently working on my manuscript and have a self imposed deadline to be finished the first draft before end of summer.

On my mind...

I'm joining in on a "On my mind" photo feature hosted by Down to Earth. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

On my mind this week was my garden. Where to put it, how big to make it, what to grow and how on earth am I going to get everything done? I should have constructed my raised beds last weekend when the weather was gorgeous but we were elbow deep in green paint doing up my son's room (post to come soon). This past week I have been kicking myself for not making my gardens a priority but right now I very much feel like I am being pulled in so many directions.

I need composters and rain barrels and cold frames (oh my!). Slow and steady it will all come together but you know me I am a very impatient type of gal.



The juncos have been making quick work of our yard and sent out a grid pattern search party...what they are searching for I have no idea but it was neat to watch them fan out. In the picture you can see them all around the willow tree.

Baked Fries

Potatoes are abundant in my neck of the woods. In the fall I can buy 50lbs for $15 from a local farmer, as opposed to $3.99 for 7lbs this time of year in the grocery store. Potatoes are local, cheap and store well over winter.

I never understood why people would buy potatoes in a can. Or mashed potatoes from a plastic bag (heat & serve). Or frozen potatoes in the form of french fries, hash browns and any other number of potato fare. Don't even get me started on potato flakes.

There's a commercial that airs here that shows a business woman cutting potatoes all day at her desk, in a business meeting and at various work situations. An annoucer says "why slave away all day to make a meal? Buy such and such potatoes..." you get the picture. It takes me less than ten minutes to prepare potatoes. It's interesting how as a society we have convinced ourselves that these things are hard. That they take too much time and we deserve to be pampered.

I like real food, with real flavours and real vitamins. In stead of fries I make homemade baked fries. Here's my super easy recipe.



Baked Fries Or Potato Wedges

3 to 4 lbs of potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges

2 to 3 tbsp of olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
tsp of parsley dried
salt
pepper

Take your poatoes, wash them and let them soak in cold water for 20 minutes. Drain. Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Sprinkle on all other ingredients on potatoes and toss until they are evenly coated. Place on a baking tray and put in the oven. Bake until potatoes are soft and browning on the edges.



I like crispy potatoes wedges. Serve with homemade chicken fingers, fish or burgers. Easy, cheap and good. It's simple but you'd be surprised at the number of shocked faces when I admit to making our food from scratch. "Oh I would do that but sometimes I just want some fries."

"I make those."

It's not rocket science but mass media, marketing and manufacturing has made it seem that way.

Earth Hour Flop

I had every intention of participating this year. Instead I powered up in a big way and felt like crud while doing it. It all started with my son's birthday cake. I figured I could bake it before Earth Hour began and let it cool over night so I could ice it in the morning prior to having 22 people over for a party. Good plan.

That was until the cake decided to stick to the pan, fall out in bits and pieces before crumbling onto the serving tray. Looking at the mess, I wondered if any could be salvaged. We munched on it a bit and made the conclusion that I needed a "do over".

In an attempt to cover all my bases I made a 9 x 13 white cake AND 24 chocolate cupcakes. The cupcakes were my back up in case the cake Round 2 flopped too. So there I was when all other environmentally conscious and earth-minded people were playing cards and board games by candle light, I was power baking two rounds of sugary goodness... with the kitchen light on.

Cake Round 2 threatened to fall apart as well, and even split down the middle after I placed it on the tray. Nothing a bit of icing couldn't cover but I figure it was a way for the cake gods to remind me just who was in charge.

It's Cheap Because It's CHEAP!

I have discovered that when moving there is often a fair bit of shopping involved with getting settled. I am not a big shopper. I honestly think that in my old house and old routine I was okay with heading to the shops maybe once a week and it was usually for groceries. But all that changed when we bought this house and it feels like I am always looking for the next opportunity to head out. My 'To Buy' list is the longest it has ever been, especially for this DIY Diva who'd rather create what I need than hand over hard earned money for the convenience of having someone else do it. This DIY mentality can only get you so far. I can make a lot of things but a couch is not one of them!

It all started with living room furniture to replace the aged couch that should have been in the dump years ago. Of course that's a big thing but there are plenty of little things that I was not expecting. Like waste baskets for the extra bathroom, entrance mats for doorways and a vacuum (a few rooms have carpets now).

A normal person would be excited at the prospect of shopping around looking for that perfect 'whatever' to go with the paint in the bathroom. But I'm not normal so it's no surprise that I haven't been too excited about hitting the shops.

I think part of my trepidation is the fact that I stress about every dollar, nay every penny. Why waste a dime on something that is a short term solution or minor luxury? I have also developed this obsession with steering clear of cheap stuff. I know as a frugal person I should be looking for the cheap stuff but it's cheap for a reason. It's cheap because it's CHEAP. Instead I am on the look out for the best deal, or in other words, the most bang for my buck and sometimes that means buying something a little more high end with a better warranty and a longer life span.

But of course this way of shopping prolongs the already excruciating process. Instead of one overly busy store now I must got to two or three or more to make sure the thing I saw at the first store was really the best 'bang for my buck'. This leaves little time for the still unpacked boxes or the mountain of empty boxes hibernating in the garage waiting to be recycled.

It feels like I am not getting much done but I think I have resigned myself to the fact that this is the way it has to be for now. Like sucking it up and eating my gruel, I must use more than just impulse to get what I need. If that takes more time and effort so be it. It will save me the aggravation of replacing a broken item in a year or so when a cheap impulse purchase comes around to bite me in the butt.

Homemade Holiday

I recently learned to make soap at Everdale. And when I got home I put all I had learned to the test. A few weeks ago I made two double batches of soap, one peppermint, the other Vanilla-Tangerine. Both turned out wonderfully and tonight I bundled them up in preparation to hand them out to some friends over the next week as our paths cross.

I may not be making many gifts this year, or baking as many cookies but it's the few simple things that make me happy.

Kirstie's Handmade Home

I love all things Britian including the laid back yet professional approach they take to television shows. Kirstie Allsop is one of my favourite hosts and I enjoy her and Phil's funny banter on Location, Location, Location. It's a property hunter show which airs here in Canada and I often watch at HGTV.ca. I have also recently discovered another show featuring Kirstie, called Kirstie's Homemade Home.

In it she travels from Antique shop to artisan studio to road side dump looking for things she can create or reclaim. She is trying to restore an old cottage that hasn't been lived in for 40 years. I must say, her vision astounds me. She is not one of those classic, chic designers who goes ga-ga for everything new and coordinated. She truly is unique in her approach to home decor, at least to me here in Canada. Her sense of eclectic style and home grown design is a complete departure from the very rigid and formal expectations that are rampant here. I like her style and I really like this program.

Now that I am getting ready for my first 'real' home I find myself drawn to different decorating shows and this one has simply stolen my heart. Kirstie makes the task of decorating and making a house into a home so much easier than I anticipated. She really does preach that if you like it, it works. And decorating shouldn't be much more than that. It's the personal stamp on a house that makes it a home.

Little House at My House

This is purely a 'Look what I made' post. I came up with an idea to make a peg people playset for kids and my niece and nephew for Christmas. This is the first one, a Little House on the Prairie set for my daughter who loves the books and anything pioneer.



I really enjoyed making this and have even been thinking of selling a few at my Etsy Store.



I think I will make another for my niece for Christmas and include a copy of the book. It's sweet to think of her playing away with her little house while her mom reads the book to her.

I have some other ideas brewing in my head. Eventually I want to make little tables and maybe a bed. I plan to take a woodworking course in November and I am really looking forward to it.

Yogurt Pops

At the beginning of summer I ordered two sets of BPA free popsicle molds from Amazon.com, made by Tovolo. I love, love, love these molds. I bought the star molds and the space ship molds. When they arrived, the kids and I never looked at summer treats the same way.




Aside from juice, we experimented all summer seeing what concoction we could dream up. I had a batch of ice cream that wouldn't set and we needed to leave. I couldn't just keep the ice cream maker going so I poured the semi-ice cream into the molds and shoved them in the freezer. It was great! The handles did slide off and we needed to eat them with a spoon but I figured out they just needed more time to de-thaw and pull away from the sides of the mold.

I also developed this recipe, a simple but very healthy popsicle. Yogurt pops.

You will need:

1 cup of frozen or fresh strawberries,
1 to 1 1/2 cups of yogurt (any flavour)
Popsicle mold

Place your strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree. Add your yogurt and mix. You can sweeten with honey but we don't bother. Pour your yogurt fruit into the molds and place in freezer to set. Remember to leave a bit of head space because they will expand when frozen.



Easy, healthy and oh-so-good!



Since buying my popsicle molds I have not bought popsicles, freezes or any treat this summer. We simply just make our own. I am so glad I found an alternative to all those freezie wrappers, or plastic wrap on store bought treats. These molds are easy to clean, easy to make and better for the environment. Love it!

Homemade Yogurt

This summer, I have been trying to concoct my own yogurt without a lot of success. Apparently, the process is tricky and takes some practice. My first batch was laughable, and resembled only slightly thick milk. After some online digging, I found out I was heating my milk too hot and then killing my starter. The next batch, which I only heated to 120 degrees F (instead of 180F like I previously was told), had all the yogurt on the bottom and a thin layer of whey and milk on top. But at least I was seeing progress.

Third times the charm in this case. After two botched batches I finally got it right, even if it is a bit runnier than store bought. Now I feel confident posting it here.

Plain Homemade Yogurt

Wash out two 500 ml glass canning jars. Set aside. Place a full kettle of water on the boil. Doesn't need to be boiling, but near boiling.

You will need:

1 liter (4 cups) of milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain yogurt

Yogurt makes more yogurt, who knew? Make sure you buy yogurt with *live bacterial cultures*. Any milk will do, from skim milk to whole milk or even raw milk.



In a saucepan warm up milk to 120 degrees F. Use a cooking thermometer and keep any eye on the temperature. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Take about 1/2 cup of warm milk from pan and mix with your yogurt starter. Then add it back to the sauce pan.

Pour the milk/yogurt into the two jars. Place on the lids and put them both into a insulated cooler.



Take your kettle of near-boiling water and pour the water into the cooler, all around the jars. Close lid. This will need to stay for about 8 to 10 hours. You can do more. I was pushing 12 hours incubating before I found success. When time is up place both jars in the fridge. The mixture will thicken as it cools so you won't know if it worked until a few hours later.

Depending how my next few batches go, I may cave and buy a yogurt maker. Yogurt makers regulate the incubating temperature and provides more consistent batches. I wanted to try this version with the mason jars and cooler, using materials I had on hand before I dole out money on yet another kitchen appliance.

Playing Cat and Mouse

For weeks we have been plagued by an ever-elusive mouse who has made his home above our kitchen cupboards. Despite have more cats than kids, our felines have been unable to capture the menace. Often at night, I would wander into the kitchen to find one of the cats, (or two or three) perched on counter tops staring up into the cupboards. They often chase flies around the house (causing much amusement and destruction) so I thought nothing of this, until I found tiny holes in my dried pasta bags, and bits of food all over our otherwise organized cupboard. Strange. Where was this critter coming from and how had he eluded the claws and jaws of our pets?

As a result of nibbled bags of food I was forced to place all our dry goods in 1L mason jars or plastic containers, a quick, inexpensive fix since I already had the supplies. Anything that wasn't in cans was placed in a safe place away from gnawing teeth. I had hoped to starve him out.



He had become good at avoiding capture. My husband even heard him once in the cupboard at night. Once I removed all food items from the cupboards and left all cupboard doors open to give our cats easy access. The noose was tightening and I think the mouse must have knew his days were numbered.

Then late last night, while attending my sick daughter, we heard Augustus pawing at something on her shelf. She and I both thought it must be a string, he is known to make a play thing out stationary objects. And then all the ruckus was over and he showed us his quarry... the Mouse! My husband chased down the cat and chucked the dead thing outside which our other cat promptly ran out for. It was like she was saying, "Don't throw that out, it's still fresh!" and out she ran.

I am so glad to have the whole ordeal over with, though I don't mind having all my dry goods in glass jars. I think I will keep it that way.

Red Fruit of the Gods

We went strawberry picking Tuesday. We filled four baskets full but I don't think that will be enough for all the canning and freezing I do. I will have to get some more next week. We go to a local berry farm, where they grow strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. They also have a lot of fresh local produce but it's too early in the season for most things. I was eying the new potatoes but simply must wait a few more weeks. Right now they resemble the size of ping pong balls!

Stealing a taste! Nothing beats the sweet taste of a strawberry fresh from the field. These strawberries were perfect for homemade juice!

I'm in Fabric-Land

I bought some new fabric at a 50 per cent off sale the other day. I am just in love with this cotton I bought for future quilting projects. These will go in my stash for later.



This week I am completing the quilt for my niece for her 5th birthday coming up in July. She loves red and pink so these were promptly pulled from my stash and I set to it. Here's a sneak peak...



I will post pictures of the finished quilt in a week or so.

Book: Plain & Simple, A Woman's Journey to the Amish

This book, Plain and Simple by Sue Bender, has two elements that make it one of my favourites. First: it advocates Simplicity as an enriching lifestyle of choice. Second: it has quilts. 'nough said!

It's a auto-biographical journey of a woman, living and working in California who is suddenly called toward the Amish through their simple patchwork quilts. At first she wants to touch and feel the art, then she wants to learn how to make them before finally she decides she must learn who the artists are behind them.

My life was like a crazy quilt, a pattern I hated. Hundreds of scattered, unrelated, stimulating fragments, each going off in its own direction, creating a lot of frantic energy. There was no overall structure to hold the pieces together. The crazy quilt was a perfect metaphor for my life.

-Sue Bender

This is not a new book. It was released in 1989. It is still very relative. Of course the 80s were a harried time for feminism which out and out scorned homemaking and servitude of any form. Now there seems to be a renaissance of homemaking, and keepers of the home. Sue Bender seemed to be a product of her generation. Pushy and driven to work yet drawn to the home and not understanding why.

I found this book wonderfully written, hugely entertaining and very easy to get lost in. It's a short book, a very quick and simple read. Just what I was looking for.

Old Fashioned Way

I have been taking care of an extra child this week for my neighbour. Another homeschooled child. It's a temporary arrangement until he and his mom move to another city in July. Yesterday we came home from the park in pouring rain. The kind of rain that floods roads. We were driving slowly and still our van caused large splashes on both sides. I haven't seen that amount of rain in years. After weeks of pure heat and sun, we needed a good drenching!

Of course it was on this day that I had our bed sheets and blankets on the line since morning and it only dawned on me half way home. No!

The bed clothes were completely drenched and needed another whirl in the Spin Cycle before I could even contemplate putting them in the dryer. I had no choice, our bed was naked and needed clothes before we hit the hay a few hours later.

As I was placing the newly spun comforter in the dryer, my neighbour's boy said, "I guess you have to do it the old fashioned way."

I stopped mid-motion and looked at him. "The old fashioned way?"

He said nothing, shrugged and went off to play.

I hope he was joking...other wise I have concerns, deep concerns for our young people.

A Quick Project for Easter

I whipped these up last night. You can find the tutorial and pattern at Retro Mama.

I love these little eggs. I used scraps from former quilt and costume projects. I should have stuffed them with some raw sheep fleece I have carded and sitting in a cloth bag waiting to be spun (it's a bit coarser that my normal spinning fleece). To make all seven, it took maybe half an hour to sew and stuff them, and another 30 minutes to ladder stitch the sides while watching a television show.

I had been racking my brain all March trying to come up with an eco-friendly alternative to those plastic Easter eggs that break so easily. We always do an egg hunt and these little guys are so perfect for using year after year. We will combine these with our naturally dyed eggs and have a great hunt.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Whole Wheat Raisin Bread

Oh so good and good for you too! Molasses gives it the rich brown colour and adds a taste of downhome cooking.


In a large 4 cup liquid measuring place:

2 1/2 cups of warm water
4 1/2 tsp of yeast

Mix together set aside.

In a large bowl, place:

6 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
4 tbsp of margarine or butter
1/2 cup of sugar
3 tsp of salt
3 tbsp of molasses
3 tsp of cinnamon (or more if desired!)

Mix together and slowly add water/yeast mixture. Mix in mixer or with hands until dough pulls away from side and forms a round dough in centre of bowl.

Add 1 cup of raisins.



Knead by folding dough and pressing with your palm. Knead until dough is uniform.

Place tea towel over bowl and place in Off Oven with oven light on. Let rise 40 minutes. Knead once again, and rise 30 minutes. Form into loaves and place in greased loaf pan. Allow to rise again. Bake at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown, and pulls away from the edge of the loaf pan.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Staying at Home

Yesterday I posted about the Real Housewives of Orange County, today I am back from fantasyland and will be talking about real bousewives, you know, the kind of woman who acts as cook, chauffer, nanny, maid, guidance counsellor and CEO practically single handedly.

This is not a post about the choice between career and home. There is enough lively debate on the internet about such things. I firmly believe that the feminist movement was a catalyst for choice, whichever you choose. Because of my choice, I will spend most of my time talking about being a stay at home mom, a housewife, or as I like to dubb myself, The House Mouse. I have been on both sides of the counter and for the time being I like being a housewife.

Housewives tend to be underrated in our society. Sometimes they are often viewed with scorn or jealousy. Somewhere in our modern ways of the two-income trap, housewives became associated with luxury. The choice to stay at home, thus foregoing a second income, is out of the realm of possibility for many. There are numerous women out there who have to work. It is because of these women who have to help the family finances, that I feel there is a monocure of luxury involved with being a housewife.

It certainly isn't luxurious by way of work load, or stress or even time to one self. Staying home requires work in that money can often be an issue and moms at home need to be relentless in minding the budget and pursuing money saving activities to keep the home running smoothly. In that respect, it is not luxury.

I often tell my husband that I am spoiled. I am not spoiled in the sense that I get whatever I want, or that I am living the high life. I feel spoiled in that I have a choice. I choose to make laundry soap, cookies and muffins so that our family can survive on less income. I stick to a tight budget and plan menus so I can stay home. I clean toilets, scrub ovens and dust so that the world will be a better place -- okay so I made that last one up.

Being a housewife or stay at home mom can be challenging but it can also be wonderously rewarding. I used to have a career. I worked in newspapers interviewing mayors and town councillors. I was working out of my car and staying up late at night to file a last minute story. I was trying to have it all but it just wasn't working for me. Luckily we were not saddled with a large debt so the choice to stay at home became a simple mathematic equation. Money in, money out. I let go of my career and sought out other creative outlets. In the last three years since I have been strictly a housewife not much has changed.

I still lack a clear direction in my life. I still flip flop about what I would like to do or where exactly I see myself going. But I tell ya for all the uncertainty in my future, I know one thing that will most definitely come to pass; my children will continue to grow day by day. One day, not too soon I hope, I will turn around and they will be fully grown, registering for university and asking to borrow the car. We are on borrowed time and this luxury of staying home will be but a memory. I might as well enjoy this time while it's here even if it means scrubbing a toilet from time to time.