Creative Homemaker

 Fermenting I've started a new way of life.  Actually it started in 2015, I just haven't written on the blog since a hundred years ago.  Ha!  So, back in 2015 my doctor told me I was in the pre-diabetic category.  So because it is hereditary and I don't want to be dependent on insulin, I decided it was time for a change in my diet.  Controlling what goes into my body is easier than shelling out $$ for medicine. I’ve been a THM mama since 2015. I had a friend tell me about this way of eating when I reached out for help with my elevated blood sugar. The following year, I worked hard at losing weight and had lost over 30 pounds. Some challenging events happened, including my husband having colon cancer and us moving over 1700 miles across the country to start new jobs; and the weight came back on over three years. A year and a half ago I decided that enough was enough and I needed to regain control of the way I was eating. This time around, I paid mor...

Beginning Canning With Mary Malone AbleQuilter@Gmail.com 208-705-9454 Overview: Canning your summer produce is not rocket science but it is very specific.   As a beginning canner, now is not the time to improvise or create your own recipe.   There are literally thousands of recipes out there on the web, but until you understand the science behind the recipe it’s best to stick with recipes from a trusted resource.   I recommend The Ball Blue Book as a good beginning resource.   (This will also be listed in the table of resources.) There are two types of canning; Boiling Water Bath canning or BWB and Pressure Canning. In this beginning class we will be covering the first and most basic type of canning: Boiling Water Bath canning.   Acidic foods such as fruits or pickles can be safely processed in boiling water. Low acid foods have a pH value higher than 4.6, they must be processed with a pressure canner unless you are adding lemon juice or cit...

As a professional longarm quilter, in my opinion, it is my duty to make you look good.  I've discussed this with several longarmers.  They complain incessantly about how this client brought a quilt that has loose ends, threads, or a bit of animal fuzz.  I look at it this way; your bit of lint, or thread isn't any worse than my studio. We have a dog.  He's not a dirty dog by any means, but he does shed.  I use my lint roller constantly to remove fuzz from any quilt that get's quilted at Mary's Custom Quilting.  Loading your quilt on my Tin Lizzie is my job.  Getting the edges straight is my job.  Rolling the lint roller over your quilt to remove loose threads and lint is my job! And I'm darn good at it.  Most of my customers are extremely tidy, and seams are pressed the correct way.  One quilter even presses them all open so there is no bulk at the seams.  Her quilts are a joy to finish! But honestly, if pressin...

For years I have been enamored with Mama CJT’s “Ladies” series of quilts.   You can see more of her mini quilts here .   She makes the most adorable ladies! I decided I wanted one for myself.   This is how I created my “Quilt ME”  Enter, the "selfie" I'm not good at selfies, that's more of my teenage daughter's thing, not me, but I needed a good facial pic of me. I took dozens of photos.   I tried glasses up, and glasses down.  Even though I always wear them up on my nose, I thought my eyes looked better over the tops of my lenses rather than through.  So if you have glasses, try them both ways, I preferred them down.  I tried big smile, with teeth, and closed mouth.  Closed mouth, slight smile worked for me.  My ME quilt is almost serious, or mischievous.  I also took pics of my hand holding the scissors.  I wanted the shape of my knuckles to be right.  Then I sketched.  This is the par...