I recently ran across this post and immediately book marked it for future reference.  I desperately try to limit the amount of garbage that leaves this house and always look for ways that items could be reinvented for another purpose.  That is why I loved Rachel's idea for using those blue plastic trays that sliced mushrooms come in.  With a little creativity and minimal amount of money they can be packaged in pretty ribbon and given as hostess gifts or other thanks you tokens.  Normally I don't buy mushrooms in this form due to the higher price and limited shelf but recently I discovered trays for 50% early in the morning running an average per tray as little as 70 cents.  One morning I sent my hubby on a mission to get some for my upcoming cream of mushroom soup marathon and he returned with 12...Ok a little over the top but I didn't complain because....

1. He was up at 7:00 in the morning buying half priced produce with all the other die hard bargain shoppers

2. I had an upcoming end of year brunch for my mothers ... Read More »

I am now officially a SAHM.  I recently gave my notice to my wonderful employer and will not be returning when my year of maternity leave is up. Gulp!  This was a major decision for me as I have been working outside of the home since the age of 15.  Of course the worry about finances was a factor in deciding whether or not to return but there were other concerns as well.  I never doubted I would return after my first child turned one so I did not have to deal with these concerns during his first year.  For this child I started contemplating this decision when he was 6 months old and went over ever scenario possible in an effort to make up my mind.  Part of the reluctance was of course the finances or lack thereof and obviously there is nothing better than raising your own child but there was also that small fear of losing part of my identity.  I always had a job and one that I put everything into, one that I came home tired but at the same time fulfilled.  Would I have this same feeling staying home all day with the kids?  No more office, work clothes, business meetings, travelling, hotels, luncheons, AGM's, business cards and for the most part the satisfaction of helping people that need it most as I worked as a credit counsellor.  Logically I knew that raising kids was going to be the most imp ... Read More »

I admit that I am an OK cook, I get by and have not hospitalized anyone...yet (that they told me about anyway) I am constantly learning and may go as far as saying I am improving with each passing day.  When asked by a group or organization to bring some sort of sweet or dessert I find myself always going back to my ol faithful's of lemon poppy seed loaf, sourdough banana bread or butterscotch zucchini loaf.  I was getting rather tired of these choices and frankly so were the recipients. I was constantly looking for a nice dessert that was fairly easy to make, portable and presentable...oh yeah and tasty.  I think I found another winner. 

I love pumpkin and I have numerous recipes from rolls to waffles that incorporate this tasty vegetable (or fruit?) Last fall I cooked and pureed several of these large gourds and froze them in 2 cup portions.  It is with great sadness that I announce the final jar was used this past week.  Several months back I went looking for some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies online and found several.  Upon closer inspection I chose this one Read More »

Laura over at Organizing Junkie has a fascination with baskets.  She invited us fellow bloggers to share our spaces that were organized using baskets of any kind.  I immediately thought of my bathroom closet.

Don't you hate it when you find a great product, get all excited, partly organize a space and discover they no longer carry that item?  That is exactly what happened when I rearranged my space behind my bathroom door.  I absolutely fell in love with these sterilite CD boxes, they were cheap ($1 at Wally world) so picked up six thinking that I could easily get more.  I came home and they fit perfectly in my closet looking all neat and orderly but I soon discovered I needed four more.  Upon returning to the store I discovered the spot where they were located has now become a pile of whicker baskets.  I proceeded to look high and low at every department store for those niftily little baskets and came to the conclusion I have to be content with what I have.  I have a trip planned to the States in the next couple of weeks and hope to find some in either Target or Wal-mart. 

Regardless, I like how this turned out and the products we use on a regular basis fit perfectly in ... Read More »

It never ceases to amaze me how much stuff you have to pack when travelling with kids.  Even a simple trip the park required checklists, more checklists and still you end up at your destination forgetting no less than 5 things.  A picnic in our family is not complete without leaving the matches behind in the junk drawer and where are those much needed scissors when you are out in the wilderness trying to cut off that sleeping back tie that is all knotted up. Not only are car kits nice for those instances it may also be necessary in cases of emergencies. 

I wanted to create a car kit that would take care of emergencies as well as convenience.  I used a plain plastic tote with a lid and started adding the basics and have since added and removed many items to suit our needs and most of all the seasons.

 

My summer/fall kit normally has the following tucked away:

small travel blanket (for picnics or dirty seats)

candle

matches

small bottle of sunscreen

small bottle of bug spray

screwdriver (the one with the various bits in the handle)

extra diapers and wipes ( I forg ... Read More »

Unfortunately I buy my milk in plastic bags so I don't have the option of doing this with the plastic jugs. 

 

But IF I did these would be hanging in the kids playroom to store some of those small pieces and tiny stuffed animals.

I have been drawn to buckets lately so this next idea was a shoe in for my roundup.  She also won an award for this design.

This next idea is by the same lady who designed the above link.  I recently found her site and have got quite a few idea and most of all inspiration for my spaces so be sure to check her out.

Speaking of buckets, Read More »

We all know that composting is an economical way to be rewarded with plenty of "brown gold" in no time.  I was a little disappointed with my initial attempts at this process and nearly threw in the "trowel" and revert back to the trusty bagged stuff.  At an outrageous price of approximately $4.99 for 20 L I stuck it out and I am glad I did because composting has allowed me to have access to beautiful compost for my garden without breaking the bank.  I initially started vegetable gardening to help in my quest to reduce our grocery bill while giving us access to produce year round by freezing, blanching and canning.  When I first built my raised garden beds I did have the initial investment of quality topsoil with some amendments such as peat moss, compost and black earth.  After that I hoped there would be minimal cost the subsequent years but the need for compost yearly would prevent that from happening.  I needed a system that would deal with our mass output of wet garbage and something more than the traditional one bin plastic unit that you can buy from your local hardware store.  My hubby kindly offered to build me a three bin box that would more than take care of my composting needs.  The bin is not complicate ... Read More »

You got a little overzealous and bought half a cow’s worth of beef. Before you attempt to tackle Mt. Hamburger here is a few more freezer cooking tips.

• Slightly undercook pasta. It will not turn to mush when reheated
• Sour cream, cream and certain cream based soups do not maintain consistency when thawed.
• When freezing liquids ensure you leave adequate head space in containers to allow for expansion
• Meats can be refrozen once cooked. Ex. Frozen boneless chicken breast can be refrozen after cooked. Don’t laugh I have actually met people who did not know this.
• Wrap frozen casseroles in freezer paper in addition to placing in a freezer bag to avoid the dreaded burn.
• Be sure to label items. I guarantee you will not remember what those tinfoil wrapped rectangles are 6 weeks from now.
• Include on the label any cooking instructions as well as tips on preparation.
• Items placed in a casserole dish lined with tinfoil can be flash frozen and removed to avoid tying up those dishes
• Extra casserole dishes can be picked up fairly cheap at thrift stores and yard sales. Dollar stores have a great selection of disposable pans that can easily be reused several times over.
• Mashed potatoes can be frozen but they require the addition of sour cream and or cream cheese while being whipped. (ignore rule #2 on this one)
• When freezing pizza crusts try pre-baking them at 400 for 10 minutes..  You only have to top them and pop them back into the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Try freezing smaller portions of homemade pizza sauce made in a large batch using the crock pot.
... Read More »
Comments (3)

Since a good portion of my waking hours are spent in the kitchen I thought I would share my system for organizing recipes.  Most of us have tried different forms, from recipe boxes to online book marking but it took me at least a dozen attempts to finally come up with the one that works for me.  This is by no means a unique system but it allows me to keep track of tried and true recipes as well as the ones I have good intentions to try.  The first thing I did was purchase a presentation binder from a local thrift store.  I like to pick them up there because similar binders cost upwards of $10 at the stationary store and Read More »

 

I once had a mother of 10 tell me "there is nothing like having company over to get your house cleaned".  I now look forward to having people over as it forces me to address those often neglected tasks that seem to pile up on that "to do" list .  I am having three friends with their little ones over in the morning so I am spending this wet dreary day getting things clean and dealt with.  Items such as replacing that picture that fell off the wall or putting up that awkward wooden shelf in the bedroom have been done and crossed off that list.  I also took this weekend to clean out some cupboards and cabinets, giving them a good wipe down and tossing or donating items that have been forgotten about.  One area that always ends up in chaos is the space underneath our TV in our entertainment unit. Somehow the movies and cd gets mixed up and placed in the wrong cases and or strewn across the top of the VCR.  I matched up every VCR/DVD/cd with their proper cases and lined them up neatly....we'll see how long that lasts. 

 

 

& ... Read More »