A very handmade Christmas

This year, we decided to give handmade gifts to all of the people on our Christmas list. Last year we did some handmade gifts, but this year we went all out! I got pictures of most of them, or at least examples of things we did.

First up, notecards, made from store-bought plain cards, and scraps of paper from this initiative by the Columbus Museum of Art. I am not a scrapbooking guru but I was pleased with how these turned out!


Washcloths. I learned to knit earlier this year and have really fallen in love with it. I picked up a bunch of cotton yarn and knitted about 7-8 of these. I found a nice Chinese Waves pattern at which I became very adept.


Chocolate peppermint bark. I don't have a finished product photo but I do have this lovely action shot. Christian and Corinne made up a TON of bark to give to family, friends, and special people in our lives. Corinne was very excited about chocolate and doesn't understand about secrets or surprises, so many recipients heard all about the bark long before they received and opened their package!


Rice heat therapy bag. I made this for my grandmother using my new sewing machine. I think I might make a couple small ones to put in my pockets to warm my hands on frosty mornings!


I made a tutu for Corinne that she seems to really enjoy. I need to do some adjustments to it (the tulle doesn't stay as tight on the waistband as I'd like) but she doesn't seem to mind.


A friend dyed some gorgeous playsilks for us to give to Corinne. So far, they have been blankets, carriers, and superhero capes. They are so great for imaginative play. And Corinne has PLENTY of imagination!


Not pictured because I just wasn't thinking:
- Apple butter
- Magnetic photo tiles like these. Christian made them!

I loved making these gifts this year, even though it got a little stressful as the holidays approached and I ran out of time. Next year, I will plan ahead a bit more (hopefully) and be ready!

food stuffs

I've been super busy in the kitchen this week and just wanted to record the deliciousness I've made!

• I made some spinach-egg-cheese muffin cups to have for breakfasts. (I used this recipe as a starting point.) I managed to figure out a great combination of seasonings too, which have made these a delicious start to my day this whole week. These were super easy to make and I love that I am starting my day with vegetables. :)
  
• I was feeling inspired and made some coconut almond flax cookies last weekend. This was the first time I've baked with flaxseeds. I'd made some cookies before using coconut flour and wasn't really impressed then, but these have been really delicious, and easy! I'll be making them again, I'm sure.
• I improvised a winter squash soup yesterday. I baked two squashes (butternut and acorn), then mashed them and added them to sauteed shallots and spinach and some chicken broth (though I could have used vegetable). I added some white beans, and it was just perfect!
• I made a skillet-to-oven pizza with chickpea flour and this was a great accompaniment to the squash soup. This was very easy, and fairly quick (the most time consuming thing was letting the batter/dough sit for a little while before cooking). I'd definitely make it again.
  
• Today, I again used a recipe as a starting point (no link to the recipe but it was in this cookbook that my cousin gave me for Christmas a few years ago), and made beef and mushrooms with barley in the crockpot. I've been getting more adventurous with my crockpot and I am feeling more confident in my ability to use it to "make up" meals other than chili.

On deck this week: something involving sage, as it was on crazy sale at the grocery (probably, I will cook up some white beans and mix in some chopped sage). Also I picked up a pork loin and a whole chicken. I'll probably make the chicken this week as I'm out of chicken stock.

I love cooking!

just a few pics

trying on my rain boots.

first time with pigtails, or as she calls them, "ear ponies"


Wearing her Buckeye outfit from Goggie. And hanging out with Captain the Dog.



**These have already been posted on Facebook but I thought I'd share a couple here for those who aren't on Facebook! :)

Natural personal hygiene. Or, beauty on the cheap and easy.

In addition to the natural household cleaners I've incorporated into our lives, I've also done some changes on the personal products front. Here are some of my favorites:

~ Homemade deodorant. At home, I use a mixture of coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch. I add my favorite essential oil if I want a scent. I mix up a batch and it lasts for quite awhile. This works just great for me even in the oppressive heat and humidity of summer. One of my favorite things is that the gross greenish/grey tint that was on my skin when I was using a store-bought deodorant (I am guessing it was from the aluminum) is now totally gone.

~ Natural deodorant. If I'm traveling, I use Desert Essence Dry By Nature deodorant. I prefer my homemade deodorant, but this will do when I need it on the road.

~ No-poo. I haven't used shampoo on my hair in about 2.5 years. I have gone through a few routines but have found that this method (baking soda dissolved in boiling water, followed with a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse). I have also done the "conditioner only" method, which called for scrubbing my scalp with a silicone-free conditioner to wash my hair. This was also a very effective method for me. I think my hair is the healthiest it has ever been and I love being able to mix my favorite essential oils into my baking soda mixture.

~Body wash/soap. For Corinne, we use diluted Dr. Bronner's (see previous post), with a dash of apricot kernel oil for moisturizing. I add lavender essential oils to help her calm and sleep. I use a bar of goat milk soap that I've felted like this.

~ Moisturizer. We use coconut oil (great for hand moisturizing, and also GREAT for diaper rash), apricot kernel oil (great for body), and calendula cream (for irritated spots and super dry skin) for our skin care. I particularly love coconut oil with lavender essential oil as a facial moisturizer. So relaxing and my skin looks amazing the next morning!

~ Feminine hygiene. This was one of my final holdouts for natural products. I'm sorry I waited! I currently use a combination of Diva Cup and cloth pads. These products have been fantastic for me. I save money, have peace of mind about protection, and feel so much more comfortable, physically. I won't go into details here but am happy to share more if you want to know.

~ Dental hygiene. I use these toothbrushes (they have natural bristles and replaceable heads). I really like them - they're quite soft and feel different than any other toothbrush I've tried. And I switch between these brands for toothpaste. I like them equally well.

I started out with these alternative products and methods because I wanted to decrease the number of chemicals/toxins in our family. I found that in addition to being better for our bodies and our environment, these types of products are either very cheap, or very easy to make. I also feel like our life is simplified when I use these products and recipes. WIN!

Natural household cleaning. My favorites!

After Corinne joined our family, I gained the opportunity to learn about environmentally friendly cleaning remedies and products for our household, from some friends who knew quite a bit about this. I wanted to share some of my favorites here:

• All purpose cleaner - white vinegar and distilled water, with a few drops of essential oil (I use tea tree). I use birdseye diapers as cleaning rags and wash them after using.
• Scrub - Baking soda
• Toilet cleaner - white vinegar, and a little baking soda if I need a little something "extra."
• Drain cleaner - baking soda and vinegar. Also, I have this product and I love it.
• Floor cleaner (tile) - white vinegar and water with essential oil added
• Dish soap - diluted Dr Bronner's
• Laundry soap - soap nuts liquid (I buy the nuts and make the liquid) with essential oils added
• Dusting - microfiber cloths
• Swiffering - I attach a microfiber cloth to the Swiffer instead of the disposable sheets.

I have been really pleased with the results I've gotten from all of these, and I love that I don't have toxic cleaners with chemical fragrances in our house. I also love that these are very cost-effective. Vinegar, baking soda, and water are CHEAP! Reusable cloths save money on wipes that get thrown away. Soap nuts have lasted me a long time and Dr Bronners is highly concentrated and very effective - so a little goes a long way.

The chicken dance

On Sunday, I did one of my current favorite crockpot tricks. I roasted a chicken in the crockpot.

The results aren't fantastic with regard to crispy skin and the texture of the meat is a bit "off" - I think it actually gets a bit overdone. I'm still troubleshooting that, but we make it work.

But I end up being able to cook a bird in the crock, and leave it unattended while I am out and about. Sunday, that was a good thing. We had church, nap, cleaning up a bit, and then a marathon shopping trip to find Corinne some new to her boots/shoes. I knew we'd be busy with little time to dedicate to dinner.

I really love the ease of cooking a chicken this way. The best part is after we finish it: I clean the rest of the meat off the bones, set the meat aside to be used in other recipes this week (or freeze it), put the bones, skin, and everything else but the meat back into the crockpot, fill the crockpot with water and some herbs, and simmer it on low all night. The next morning, ta-da! Homemade chicken broth. I put it in the fridge and skim the fat before I freeze it.

I love to keep homemade broth on hand in the freezer. It makes for easy soups (I used some for dinner tonight!), and extra flavor when making beans, rice, or other grains. I try to freeze several different sizes - 1 cup, 2 cups, and 1 oz broth cubes. I can't remember the last time I bought a can of chicken broth!

Been awhile!

I haven't been so good about taking pictures, and I'm not happy with how long it takes Blogger to post pics when I've tried to load, so I've been discouraged about posting lately.

We've been staying busy and having fun here in Columbus. We've had a lot of really fun outings this summer. Peach picking, LOTS of hiking, Young's Dairy, visiting family and friends in Dayton, Cleveland, Tiffin, and New Jersey, several farmer's markets, the zoo, plenty of festivals (Asian, Greek, Comfest, Pride, and more), the art museum, and many of the great parks/playgrounds around Columbus. Corinne keeps us busy!

I've been busy with learning a few different homemaking and crafting skills. We learned canning from our friends. That was something I'd been wanting to learn for awhile. We made tomatoes with our friends and then I was able to make raspberry jam, peach jam, and strawberry jam on my own. After realizing that making bread by hand was a bit ambitious for a regular project, I got a hand-me-down bread machine and we've been using that quite a bit. I also learned to knit recently and have been enjoying that and sewing on the new machine that was generously given to me by my in-laws.

I've also been enjoying time with friends and family locally. One "just for me" activity I've started recently is volunteering with a local concert series. I attended quite a few of these concerts when I last lived in Columbus, and decided I wanted to volunteer with this organization now that we live here again.

Corinne is such an awesome little person. This summer, her vocabulary exploded. She talks constantly and we are always amazed at how well she expresses herself. She makes jokes, is playful, friendly, spirited, and adventurous. She is quite an excellent hiker and we've really loved going on hikes with her where we love to watch her explore nature. She can sing her ABC's and count to 12. She has an amazing memory for books and loves to read, both with us and independently.

Christian completed his language courses (French) this summer and is getting ready to start the 2nd year of his degree. He is giving a jazz recital next Sunday to start the year.

I hope to update more regularly on more of the minutiae around here, including current recipes, events around town, and some of our favorite things.

Until then...