Traditional Homemaking Fall/Spring 2009!

[holyhelianthus]

Fall is here!
:
That's SPRING for our Southern Hemisphere friends!

The original long and very helpful thread can be found here- Traditional Homemaking Skills
The old thread can be found here- Traditional Homemaking Summer 2009!



It's that time of year again! Can we talk holiday plans?

[holyhelianthus]

So I am just getting back on the wagon after having the twins a month ago. I have started back up with cooking and baking. That and homeschooling and breastfeeding are taking up most of my time but I do need to get back to my knitting.

A friend of mine sent the twins two GORGEOUS blankets she sewed. I cannot believe the talent some people have. I can sew but not anything remotely pretty Anywho it just made me really want to learn (and to buy another sewing machine as mine is dead )

This Christmas is going to be non-existent. We seriously have no money. I got laid off from my WAHM job and now we are living just off of DH's income which is doable but tough especially since our move when our bills seemed to double. *le sigh* Thanks for letting me vent. Anywho I am just wondering what you all do for Christmas (or any other holiday with gift-giving) especially if there is little to nothing. We generally do small Christmases as it is where we only give 3 gifts that are simple.

[marimara]

Allright!!!!! This is the season I enjoy most of all. I feel most crafty and homemakery at this time of the year and the love lasts all the way into January for me!

My dd birthday is in 2 weeks (the OFFICIAL first day of Autumn Sept. 22) and as soon as that's over with I'm going full steam ahead for the Holidays..

But for starters, I've already put out Halloween/Autumn decorations! :

I've started an Autumn nature table for dd.

I've been working on felt food and felt crowns for a neighbor girl's birthday and for dd's Halloween costume (fairy princess of course : )

I can't wait for it to start to cool down so I can break out that crockpot again. I loooove making one pot meals and so does dh. I've perfected a new recipe this year which I call "Mama Earth Soup" and it's heavenly and can be made in the crockpot as well. Perfect for fall.

Oh, having a garage sale this weekend to clear out the clutter accumulated this year!

Also, been working on my crochet skills, made a pair of fingerless gloves for niece for xmas and working on a pair for myself. Just found some adorable hand dyed yarn (have to go back for more) and plan on making neck or wrist warmers for the ladies on my xmas list.

That's all I have for now, I'm just waiting for those first few days of crisp air which happen rather later around my parts....

ETA: I make almost all Christmas presents. Kids will be getting felt food/crowns/toys. Families/adults will be getting either a freshly baked loaf of bread and a jar of local raw honey, or chocolate covered pretzels. Pretty low cost. Also, either dd draws Xmas cards or we do those shutterfly family pictures ones.

[MyLittleWarrior]

Originally Posted by marimara

I can't wait for it to start to cool down so I can break out that crockpot again. I loooove making one pot meals and so does dh. I've perfected a new recipe this year which I call "Mama Earth Soup" and it's heavenly and can be made in the crockpot as well. Perfect for fall.

My crockpot is a year round appliance. It doesn't heat up my house like the oven does, and I really love potroast and stew, so I make my family eat it whenever I have a hankerin :

Would you mind sharing your "Mama Earth Soup" recipe? Sounds delish!

I've got another batch of chicken stock going in the crock pot right now, and a chicken carcass in the freezer waiting it's turn. I go through so much broth in the winter! Also been busy sewing and knitting for the new babe. I'm due just before Christmas, so this year everyone is getting Jam, and it's already made. I just need to get some nice baskets from the thrift store and package them up nicely.

I do need to get two more Christmas stockings made. My 2yo still doesn't have one, and I need one for the new babe also.

Every fall we get a couple of bushels of apples from a local low chemical farm and make apple sauce and apple butter, so I'm really looking forward to that too. And those sweet pickles from the last thread look yummy, I may have to hit up the farmers market on Saturday for some pickeling cucumbers and try that out! Fall is one of my favorite seasons, and expecting this baby girl makes it even more fun!!!:

[hippie_mommy]

Ooh, I love fall too! I grew up in South Florida, where there is no such thing as fall. Since we've moved to Colorado, I've fallen in love with seeing the leaves change, the weather cool, and the harvest time! Its so much nicer than just hurricane season, LOL.

One thing we've done for the past 5 years (since we've moved) is to go get pumpkins, cook them, and freeze them in batches for the rest of the winter. We love pumpkin cookies, breads, pies, and muffins, so we live off of that pumpkin, LOL.

[AFWife]

Okay, I'm NEW to the traditional homemaking stuff. I'm trying to do more and more from scratch and myself. We live in an apartment so growing our own stuff is out of the question. But, I do cook just about every night, I try to clean up a little bit every day...other things that my brain isn't going to...

Basically, hi!

[1jooj]

Trees are just starting to change around here. I am glad. I'm ready for things to slow down. I hope they do, anyway.

We go to a local orchard and pick apples at some point, I think in October. Don't know if I'll make applesauce, though. My mom has trees and makes a ton. I think I am doing my last batch of pickles, sweets this time, and another few pints of peppers, this afternoon. Think I might make zucchini muffins and frost with cream cheese frosting if time permits...but dh and I have to catch emus and I have to cook dinner, so we'll see. Company coming to break fast, as much as I wanted to be done with company by now.

My pizza seasoning smells so good! Now I have mixed herbs in the dehydrator for flu season tea.

We don't do Christmas, but we have Eid al Fitr coming up next week (!!!) and I have a 5yo dd and 8yo ds to make/get gifts for. Magstphil, we're broke broke broke since I quit working off-farm, and yikes. I'm freaking a little and really, really hoping dh gets a raise soon. His company happens to be doing really, really well, so we'll see. Dd will be much easier, but ds kind of has me stumped.

All right. Pickles!

[artparent]

oh lovely! autumn + traditional homemaking bliss.
i've just had a friend from artschool stay over with her little girl, and we talked of nothing else. we're both finding that our art practices are completely meshed with traditional ways of living and working. i adore it. she has inspired me to think about making little pieces to sell at craft fairs - cards, calendars, that kind of thing. i might!

my socks turned out really well, i'm going to try them in a heavier weight yarn to make them more like slippers/house socks. i've begun knitting with linen, making a tulip lace dishcloth. i love it! my tall girl is nearly finished her weaving

it is raining hard and gone very cool around here, so everything seems to be very important now to get to work on! i just got news that our london quilting group is starting up next month, so i'm hoping my fabric arrives before i leave!!

at this point we're making our own: toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent; we use cloth napkins, wipes, tp, we're composting, recycling and looking at how to get to zero waste; i'm gearing up to sew, knit, felt, quilt, weave and even spin whatever we need; i'm ready to start baking sourdough from our own starter, hopefully learn to can in the next few days, and get back into fermenting veg, soaking + drying grains and nuts, making yogurt, making bone broths, and generally making everything from scratch. i hope to make some ricotta cheese, and might try getting some rennet to make simple mozzarella :. i'm planning what i need to do to the garden to really get vegetable and fruit production happening, amend our soil, prune trees back to get more light, and i'm very happy that we have the rainbarrel, clothesline, and compost going. i'm still on the fence about chickens. i hope to get back to london to put in a winter garden. i plan to try baking soda, olive oil and water mixed and sprayed on my mildewy honesuckle and blackspotted roses this year! poor things.

i would love to get access to a pottery studio, as well as the handweaving studio we've located. i have a friend who makes soap, so i hope to learn how very soon. i've also made candles before, and i hope to try this again with my girls.

i'd like to learn more about making flavoured oils and vinegars, does anyone do this?

i found a fabulous article about 'aging terracotta'...you can do it with buttermilk, lime, yogurt, by soaking in a bucket, or using clay. i have ugly brick i want to cover, so i'm going to try clay with thyme seeds...just rub it on and also fill in between bricks somewhat. i'm not sure whether to put the thyme seeds in now, or wait until spring?

is there anything you make yourself that you can tell me about? i've learned so many things but i always want to do more!

*

[Katico]

Oh yay, I am totally in!!

So, on my radar for the next few months:

Making jam! We have a no spray u-pick orchard nearby and they grow the most amazing peaches. I just used the last of last year's peaches from the freezer along with some organic raspberries to make peach-rasp jam. This year's pickings are going to be peach ginger jam, I think. :

Apples are a major crop here so I will be picking lots to make applesauce, one of my fave things. I will can some and freeze some. May also freeze some pies.

Another big project is planning next year's garden. Our plans got put on hold this year with the arrival of DD but next year we hope to start a small veg plot. Garlic, peppers, tomatoes, peas and greens are high on the list.

Also have to plant fall bulbs soon! We are ringing the property in tulips and daffodils, a little each year. Also want to plant more crocus.

I just cast on a new sweater for DD. She is outgrowing all the ones I knit while expecting her! The sweater is Honeypie (here and I'm using an eggplant merino wool. Also have to knit a hat and mitts and slippers for her, I haven't decided on patterns yet.

I just sewed a new bonnet for her (I find baby sun hats fit her really weird) to last through this late summer/early fall, until she needs something warmer. I think it's super cute: here's a picture of my sweet girl in it


I have a sampler quilt in the works for her, working on a square at a time, when I feel inspired. Trying out new patterns, sewing some curved pieces for the first time! The fabrics are brown and pink and cream and aqua, with birds and butterflies. Should be cute. Can't wait to hand quilt it, the best part and a great way to spend dark winter nights!

On the housekeeping front, I have just started using rags for almost every job - it has really cut down on our paper towel use! I cleaned out my closet and picked a few really stained tshirts and some old dishtowels.

I also am perfecting my "all purpose cleaner" recipe - Dr. Bronners, tea trea, lavender and vinegar is the current version!

I have been thinking of going shampoo free, a la Angry Chicken -see here, her deoderant looks really nice too

For Christmas I always make cookies and we drive around visiting people we might not otherwise see and drop cookies off to them. Last year was a caramel turtle cookie, gingersnaps, meringues and I also made chocolates with nuts and candy embedded in them. I think I will do the same lineup this year, they were all popular.

Family gifts....I might knit some socks, sew some kitcheney things (maybe aprons and potholders), I haven't really decided. Things have been busy so I might go with my standard alternative to a handmade gift: BOOKS!!!

I'm getting ready for winter in our very old, drafty house - Going to try really hard to dress warmer instead of cranking the heat! I have some knit babylegs in the works for DD, and I need to make myself some new slippers.

My biggest focus lately has been "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". I have been trying to really creatively use every scrap of food (i.e. freezing that last bit of rice then using it next time I make soup), use yarn from my (extensive) stash instead of buying more, the rags from old shirts, etc.

I just attended a bridal shower for a friend who loves to cook. I couldn't think of what to get her and didn't get a chance to really go shopping so I looked at what I had - I picked fabric from my stash, used a pattern I had wanted to try and made her a hot pad ( pattern here) Then I added a bundle of my favourite family recipes handwritten. I used what I had and created what I hope is a meaningful gift instead of just buying something, anything!

So, uh, I seem to have written a novel:

[artparent]

katico (having written a novel previously) are you living in my house? thanks for patterns. you reminded me that my little one has probably outgrown her warm hat, and i need a hot mit so i can stop scorching my nice towels

i want ginger peach jam!:

*

[meandk0610]

i want to join! i'm also just trying to learn. so far, i cook pretty much everything from scratch (not well) and tried to garden this year. i have a few jars of stuff put up using either oil or vinegar to store the veggies.

trying desperately to get the house ready to sell (by myself), work on my online store, help my husband with "our" business, homeschool preschool dd, take care of dogs & bunnies (just had rabbit stew tonight from our bunnies for the first time! i had to take them to a farm to have them processed though; i didn't trust myself to hit them hard enough to kill them the first time.) and my thyroid decided to become inflamed after a throat infection last month so i feel like i'm being strangled. bah!

holidays - i just started the holiday grand plan today (late) and will be trying to do it quickly in the hopes that it can help me get the house ready.

yap! yap! yap!

[vermontmomma]

i'm back!: i disappeared for a while because i am too busy to even think right now but am happy to spend a few minutes catching up again.

we haven't been doing xmas presents over the past few years really but now with dd here it will be a little more special though still cheap. there's a small stash of egg money piling up for the tree, a new string or two of lights, and something special yet not excessive for dd. i'm sure the grands will out do santa for quantity and plasticiness. i alway knit dh a new pair of thick wool socks and he always acts surprised because he hasn't seen me knitting them. he's a good man.

th mommas- please give me your crock pot recipes!:

[Katico]

Originally Posted by hippie_mommy

One thing we've done for the past 5 years (since we've moved) is to go get pumpkins, cook them, and freeze them in batches for the rest of the winter. We love pumpkin cookies, breads, pies, and muffins, so we live off of that pumpkin, LOL.

Does it matter what type of pumpkin? And do you roast or boil them?

Originally Posted by MyLittleWarrior

Would you mind sharing your "Mama Earth Soup" recipe? Sounds delish!

:

Originally Posted by artparent

at this point we're making our own: toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent; we use cloth napkins, wipes, tp, we're composting, recycling and looking at how to get to zero waste; i'm gearing up to sew, knit, felt, quilt, weave and even spin whatever we need; i'm ready to start baking sourdough from our own starter, hopefully learn to can in the next few days, and get back into fermenting veg, soaking + drying grains and nuts, making yogurt, making bone broths, and generally making everything from scratch. i hope to make some ricotta cheese, and might try getting some rennet to make simple mozzarella :. i'm planning what i need to do to the garden to really get vegetable and fruit production happening, amend our soil, prune trees back to get more light, and i'm very happy that we have the rainbarrel, clothesline, and compost going. i'm still on the fence about chickens. i hope to get back to london to put in a winter garden. i plan to try baking soda, olive oil and water mixed and sprayed on my mildewy honesuckle and blackspotted roses this year! poor things.
*

I want to be you when I grow up!

Originally Posted by meandk0610

(just had rabbit stew tonight from our bunnies for the first time! i had to take them to a farm to have them processed though

How many rabbits did you raise? That's neat!

[1jooj]

We raised little sugar pie pumpkins this year, and one large, green bumpy pumpkin that I hope has the right texture for couscous. Just yesterday I was telling dh all the possible uses for pumpkin that I know, and he was pretty excited to use all this food value we have raised. : I am so glad he is on board with the "do it ourselves" philosophy! :

We've always roasted pumpkins to freeze.

And just since yesterday's post, I got two awesome phone calls: one, a friend from about 45 minutes away has a bunch of wild grapes to share for making jam, and two, a dear neighbor has a tree full of the most gorgeous, delicious pears. I got some of the pears last year and dried them, and this year I want to try canning some, too, I think. Dh picked some, and I may go back today and pick more.

I am a big thrifter, and yesterday I found two dresses for myself! I wear modest clothes, so it's not easy to find (or afford) stuff new, and I now have appropriate, like-new items for the upcoming holidays. And I am selling some livestock today, so I'll have a little cash for the kids' gifts.

The kitten seems to be a good choice for natural mouse control. He is a former barn cat who's clearly been taught to hunt by mom. I need to make him some small mouse toys, but for now he plays well with little toys the kids gave him. This sounds small, but it is huge. If I can give him free run over the house and he can catch and kill mice, I'll be so pleased with him.

I've been freezing tomatoes, but not yet canning. Soon.

vermontmomma, about your dh and the socks. If I got such a lovely gift, I'd be excited enough to act surprised year after year, too.

artparent, do you do this in both homes? I understand being on the fence about chickens, but I do love them.

meandk, on the livestock. We took out another rooster this past weekend, one who was nothing but trouble, and we have one more to go. Dh has to stop putting eggs under broody hens. Gets us way too many roosters. I like them for the soup pot, but in the meantime they pester the hens.

katico, they're having a quilting expo in Madison this weekend. Nancy from Sewing with Nancy is going to be there. I wish I could take my mom to this. I think she would love it. Maybe next year...I'll be planning next year's garden, too. We're increasing the size and I'll need to organize it and sketch a plan so we're sure to plant all the things we want and need, and make good use of the space, and allow for rotation year-to-year.

I've also decided to start experimenting with food-based masks for my weathered face. I don't expect a miracle, but I am looking very weathered these days. Guess I could use a bonnet myself!

[Adamsmama]

subbing

[marimara]

Ok here it is (man this thread moves fast!)

Mama Earth Soup {I am a visual cook who tastes things along the way so measurements aren't an exact science to me. I made this on the stovetop in a large pot but can also be made in the crockpot, which I plan to do next time. Also, I used a mix of canned and dry beans, but can be done in any combination. This recipe can be adapted to suit whatever you have, be it frozen, fresh, canned, or dry. I have tried several variations of this soup and it's awesome no matter what, dh eats about 3 bowls in one sitting! You can't mess this up. My philosophy is good ingredients in and a good product will come from it-I use organic whenever I can, Celtic sea salt, and fresh meats.}

1/2 kettle boiling water (smallish kettle)
2 cans or 32 oz salted chicken stock (I had 2 cans of organic chicken stock in my stockpile that I had to use up)
1/2 cup dry lentils
1 can (16 oz) soaked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 can (16 oz) soaked kidney beans
1 bag loose packed chopped frozen spinach
3 cloves chopped fresh garlic
a few shakes onion powder (or chopped onions)
splash or two of olive oil
1 large can (28oz or 1 lb) crushed or diced tomatoes
ground black pepper
*Meat (combination or whatever meat you want)
Meatballs (I used turkey)
Hot Italian Sausage (turkey)
oregano

*optional~crushed red pepper to taste

Put all ingredients together and simmer on low for 40 minutes. I add half the garlic up front and the other half about 20 min before we eat.

I sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on it last minute before we eat as well.

[MyLittleWarrior]

katico, thanks for all of those knitting links. We're expecting our first little girl, and I'm having so much fun knitting for her!!

Baby's not due till December, but that season is so busy that I'm hitting major nesting mode early and already trying to stock the freezer with easy meals for postpartum. Today I'm making Mulligatawny soup and some bean & bacon soup for the freezer. Also, we're planning a home birth, and I have this irrational fear that I'm going to go into labor on a day when my house is a disaster, so I've been doing a lot of decluttering and organizing hoping I'll be able to keep on top of it so I don't spend my entire labor cleaning for the midwives (I know they don't care, but still!)

[artparent]

i had that fear too - or mostly knowing that it would be chaos, tried to prevent it somehow!

oh well shucks we sold our place here, and my folks are kind enough to let us live in a nice corner of theirs when we visit. i definitely don't have the same things going on, no food growing in this country anymore, and no trees of my own to prune. we compost here and use cloth, and share the clothesline, but it isn't my home anymore, not really. i'm basically thinning the stuff that is here so there isn't anything unnecessary, taking what i need in london, and trying to leave it in good order we might end up living here again in the future so i need to leave a basic home, which seems crazy but what can you do?

*

[LoveLife]

I want to join! I'm not sure how much I'll get done this year with a 10 month old and just starting school back up, but I intend to try.

I've got a bunch of tomatoes to make and can salsa with. We've been eating it so fast that I haven't canned any yet, so we'll probably only get a few cans of that. Next week I'm starting on the applesauce and pie fillings. Hopefully I can do a batch a week through October. It probably won't get us through a whole year, but I'll take getting us to spring. LOL.

I need to think about little ones 1st birthday and Christmas. With school there won't be much in the way of homemade gifts. Knitting is slow going and sewing is out of the question with the studying I need to do. Those are the only semi-skills I've got. LOL.

I'm looking forward to reading what everyone else is doing!

[crukai]

Originally Posted by marimara

Ok here it is (man this thread moves fast!)

Mama Earth Soup {I am a visual cook who tastes things along the way so measurements aren't an exact science to me. I made this on the stovetop in a large pot but can also be made in the crockpot, which I plan to do next time. Also, I used a mix of canned and dry beans, but can be done in any combination. This recipe can be adapted to suit whatever you have, be it frozen, fresh, canned, or dry. I have tried several variations of this soup and it's awesome no matter what, dh eats about 3 bowls in one sitting! You can't mess this up. My philosophy is good ingredients in and a good product will come from it-I use organic whenever I can, Celtic sea salt, and fresh meats.}

1/2 kettle boiling water (smallish kettle)
2 cans or 32 oz salted chicken stock (I had 2 cans of organic chicken stock in my stockpile that I had to use up)
1/2 cup dry lentils
1 can (16 oz) soaked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 can (16 oz) soaked kidney beans
1 bag loose packed chopped frozen spinach
3 cloves chopped fresh garlic
a few shakes onion powder (or chopped onions)
splash or two of olive oil
1 large can (28oz or 1 lb) crushed or diced tomatoes
ground black pepper
*Meat (combination or whatever meat you want)
Meatballs (I used turkey)
Hot Italian Sausage (turkey)
oregano

*optional~crushed red pepper to taste

Put all ingredients together and simmer on low for 40 minutes. I add half the garlic up front and the other half about 20 min before we eat.

I sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on it last minute before we eat as well.

Subbing and YUM that soup sounds delish!