Harvest Lane Cottage

That's it.  That's what's keeping me busy.  This is the Women's Panel Dress from Common Sense Patterns. So far, I've made two dresses with this pattern and am working on a third.  I think it has a flattering fit.  I have to admit, there a few places where I have to fudge it a bit because the pattern pieces don't seem to fit together quite right where the front sides attach at the arms.  It does work out fine though.  Sometime soon, I'll post some photos. Well, it's back to my sewing machine! By the way, if this sounds like a review, it's not.  I'm just sewing away.  A friend (Hi Laura!)  gave me this pattern for my birthday and some fabric, too.  I'm just stitching through my stash! Laura Happy at Home ~~~~~ May I suggest? Something to Think About... Minutes and Hours ~~~~~

So many people have asked me, "Were you affected by the tornado?"  I always hesitate before I answer.  Was my family directly in the tornado?  No.  Did we lose friends, property, or a job?  No.  Did it change our lives dramatically?  Yes.  The Joplin Tornado changed all our lives. Our focus for the last 15 months has been on helping the Joplin community recover.  We've done so through Joplin Family Worship Center.  Our "help" has taken many forms.  We've housed volunteers at our place, cooked for hundreds at a time, cleaned, unloaded trucks, pulled massive pallets of supplies into our church sanctuary on pallet jacks, organized supplies for distribution, prayed with victims, given out furniture, supplies, clothing, food, and other things in our church's distribution center, and basically helped whenever we were needed.  My husband is the Director of Operations and Community Liasson for JFWC Resource Center.  Tha...

I love everything about this West Ladies video—the music, the location, the momma and daughters harmonizing, the beautiful clothes, the family values during hard times.  Enjoy some green beans in the garden with me! We do have so much to be thankful for! Laura ~~~~~ May I suggest? Jalapeno Pepper Jelly  &  Salsa ~~~~~ 

In my life this week… Busy with church, cutting out a new dress, and putting up the harvest.  I made salsa and jalapeno jam. In our homeschool this week… We're easing into school.  Math, Bible, Reading, and for  Emily, Time 4 Writing's High School Essay Writing. Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share... Not started yet?  Don't worry.  Nothing can make the beginning of your school year frantic as quickly as worrying about the start date.  Nearly every year, we ease into school with math, Bible, and reading.  Other subjects are added over the next week or two as they arrive (if ordered late) or as we're ready.  The transition is not as shocking to our systems that way.  ~smile~ My favorite thing this week was… Receiving my new sewing machine . What’s working for us… 100's. I call out to my children, "I'm calling a hundred!"  Then all four of us scurry around the house calling out the numbers as we put t...

I’m Rich! I’ve got a great big three ring binder full of recipes. I’ve got a great big tall stack of cookbooks. I’ve got a shelf of cookbooks. I’ve got two full recipe boxes and another box started. I’ve got loose recipes in a drawer waiting to be filed in a box or binder. I’ve got recipe pamphlets in the same drawer. I’ve got recipes on my blog. Did I mention that I’ve got recipes? As I look about me, I realize a couple of things. First, even though I’m surrounded by recipes, I tend to prepare the same meals over and over. Second, I’ve got more recipes surrounding me than I could prepare in a lifetime.  Let's not even talk about Pinterest ! I was looking through my big binder for a recipe to share with you all. I found that most of the recipes in my binder are ones that I’ve collected off the internet or from friends. Most of the recipes are untried. Now, if I’ve had this binder for two or three years, and I haven’t tried most of the recipes yet, why am I keeping them? D...

I mean a lot of sewing... I know because my decisive, loves to spoil me, husband just ordered this for me! It replaces my old machine which served me over 15 years. I could have put the decision off for ages. Thanks so much honey! I promise to sew and mend! (Imagine sounds of excitement!)

My hubby made some fabulous jalapeno poppers .  He took photos and wrote a tutorial.  His photo doesn't do it justice! Shared with: Blissful and Domestic

A friend asked me in an e-mail what I've been putting up lately.  After writing it out, I realized it looked like a blog post, so I'm sharing it with you, too! Our garden has produced zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, jalapenos, sorrano peppers, red onions, and a couple of watermelons that were picked too early. We've since found a youtube video that tells us how to pick them ripe.  We've picked some ripe melons now.  Yum.  We've also had just a few tomatoes. I've shredded zucchini and yellow squash together and frozen them in 3 cup portions for my zucchini cake. That will be yummy come winter. I've blanched and frozen lots of ears of corn that I found on sale for twenty cents apiece at 4th of July time.   The taste of summertime preserved!  I've frozen many quarts of strawberries and some blueberries that I found on sale for ninety-nine cents this month.  I've also frozen banana chunks.  Some of these will find t...

PINNED IT! MADE IT! Lemon Zucchini Loaf Shared with: Pinned It, Made It Monday

In my life this week… Busy with church, sewing, and putting up the harvest. In our homeschool this week… I'm working on curricula choices for next year. Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share... "Let us  not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:9 My favorite thing this week was… Wow, it was a great week.  It's hard to choose one thing.  I think I enjoyed getting my dress cut out and putting up food for winter. What’s working for us… Ah, things are a bit spontaneous around here right now.  I don't really have anything to report. Things I’m working on… Cutting out my next dress.  I recently finished one and altered one.  I'm trying to update my rather sparse wardrobe with my sewing skills.  Unfortunately, my sewing machine is very ill.  She's been to one doctor who couldn't help.  My friend Lisa's husband has her this wee...