Helping you create a home by hand.

Yearly Archives: 2009

Gift Ideas, Pay It Forward, Thrifting

Pay It Forward – Lovely Surprizes Arrived Yesterday

Every once in a long while, the mailman brings something besides bills.  Yesterday was that day. Just look at the surprizes that were inside the package he delivered. Aren’t they lovely! Several months ago, I left a comment on Katherine’s “Pay It Forward” post over on her blog Sew Me Something Good. And as if the above wasn’t more than…

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Budget Savers, Recipes

Waste Not Want Not – Use Up That Last Bit of Goodness

Before you wash those empty  bottles of barbeque sauce or mustard or Worcestershire sauce to get them ready for recycling, be sure they really are empty. Pour about 1 tsp of vinegar into the bottle, swirl it around and then empty it into an almost empty bottle of Ketchup.  (I save those for just this purpose.) This past weekend we…

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Gift Ideas

Make It Monday – How to Sew a Basic Throw Pillow

Sewing a basic throw pillow is perfect for both the beginner and for the more advanced who just want a quick, easy-sew project. You can either recover an existing throw pillow or buy ready made pillow forms. For a 16′ pillow, cut two 17″ squares of fabric. I used my rotary cutter, quilting ruler, and cutting mat. (<-affiliate links) Next,…

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Recipes

Whole Chicken Cranberry Bake – Slow Cooker Recipe

Cranberry sauce isn’t just for the holidays. It can be used in recipes all year round and is delicious when used to make this easy slow cooker recipe for Whole Chicken Cranberry Bake. I use my Best Ever Homemade Cranberry Sauce but if you don’t have homemade you can use store bought whole berry cranberry sauce. This recipe is also a…

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