Merry Christmas!!!

Praying God's blessings on you and yours......

Blessings~~~~Shine

Coming Back

Soon friends. I know...I have some explaining to do :) Much love and Christmas wishes to you all.
Shine

It's About Time

Well here we are. Maybe three years later or so :) A while back I did a post on my daughters bedroom and what I should do with it. Now in my defense, I DID try to do something more recently, however... I did not succeed. This year, Anna wanted a new room for Christmas, and we were ready for her to have one. After my last debacle, hubby had to jump in and replace what wallpaper I managed to destroy, but this time we were both determined. We tried every chemical known to mankind to remove that wallpaper....and it was no use. We rented heavy duty steamers and professional equipment, but it was all to no avail. Alas, hubby studied, worried, fretted and prayed. Finally, after much hesitation, we decided to paint over it. Yes, you heard me right. We painted over the wallpaper.

 I must add however, that we did not JUST paint over it. We spread sheet rock mud over all the seams and joins, then sanded. We repeated this oh...about 50 times. Really...more like 4 times...it just seemed like 50.  

Here are a couple more "in progress" pics.

Now........the new teenage room.

FINALLY!!!

Nuff said.

Blessings

Shine

Weaving help!!!!!

I hope some of my weaving friends will see this post and give me some of their much respected opinions. Last summer, I bought a gorgeous Norwood cherry 4-harness floor loom. It is a beautiful loom and weaves like a dream.

I have been smitten with it's beauty, I just love it.

Made these gorgeous cottolin towels.....just love it. I have definitely been bitten by the weaving bug. Loving all fiber crafts, however, this came as no great surprise. I planned to just get to know my beautiful little loom and live happily ever after. That never happens though, does it? Soon after bringing home my beautiful Norwood, a friend told me they had found out about 2 old looms, hidden away in an old abandoned house, that might be for sale for a bargain. I couldn't resist! I HAD to go see! Hubby and I drove to the boonies, trekked in a very precarious looking old house and found two beautiful old looms.....long abandoned and forgotten...but with an EXTREMELY rich history.
The story goes something like this.
Our area is full of local history....generations of talented families of craftsmen. weavers, spinners, dyers...basket makers and so on. The looms I found came from a family of weavers whose father was a Methodist minister. He had three daughters of whom he was crazy over protective. He never let them date, drive, or hardly leave their "holler". So the three sisters spent all their time weaving. They wove fabric for clothing of course, but they also wove bags and rugs. They would spend an entire year weaving bags and rugs and each year, they would send their stash of wares to sell them at the local craft show. Years went by....as the sisters grew older, the father passed away and their nephew began taking them along with their looms and wares to the shows to demonstrate and sell. They did this until they all died of old age. I have pictures of them weaving and tons of their old supplies.

 Here is the smaller loom. This is the one they would take to demonstrate on. It's really quite pretty. Although it was covered with years of dust and dirt when I found it, I think it cleaned up quite nicely. It is solid oak and made by the sisters grandfather in the early 1800's.

This is the bigger loom, primarily used for making rugs. It was in pieces when we found it, but, we're figuring it out :) It was also made by the sisters grandfather...out of yellow pine. Not as pretty, but very usable...I think.

We still don't have this one totally back together, but I think we can manage to get it when we get the time.
Now, my dilemma is this. I would love to keep ALL of the looms. I know there are people who have many looms, and I would like to myself, but at this time in my life, finances say it's a bad idea. The Norwood loom was not inexpensive....pretty pricey. The old looms were not. I could either sell my beloved Norwood, and keep one of the barn looms, or sell both of the barn looms and all of their rich history. I am just very torn as to what needs to go! My instinct is saying keep the pine loom, because it is the largest and I could weave anything, and also weave the widest with it, but my heart loves that oak loom AND my Norwood. Also, it seems as if Norwood looms are not that easy to come by, as they don't make them any more. Weavers....HELP!!!!!!!!!
Me thinks me has bitten off much more than me can chew :)
Have a nice evening ladies.....and stay warm!!!!!
Blessings~~Shine

A Wee Bit Late

I know Christmas has passed, and I am very grateful for the blessings it gave us, but I thought I'd share a photo or two, just because. :)

Wishing you all the most happy...New Year!!!

Blessings sweet friends

Shine

Cleaning up

Hello sweet friends!! I know that most of you have made your own laundry detergent and other homemade cleaners of all sorts, but, for those of you that have not, I thought I'd share my laundry detergent recipe. I used to make this only occasionally, thinking I was too busy to take the time to make it, but lately, I make it all the time. My budget for cleaners, groceries and the like seems to have gone down, while prices just keep climbing. Tide is sooooooo expensive, while natural cleaners are even worse! This detergent takes about 15 minutes to make and turns out 2 gallons of detergent! It works out to cost about 1 cent per load!!!!! I can take 15 minutes every couple of months to save that much money! Hope you enjoy!
Here's what you'll need.

Actually....you will need other things...a long arm spoon, and essential oil if you want it to smell like lavender or lemon or whatever. But this is basically it!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

15 drops essential oil
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type soap
1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda :) )
1/2 cup Borax

You will also need a small bucket or large pot that will hold 2 gallons of water. (That's what I used the enamel pot for)
Grate the soap into a 4 qt. saucepan. Add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap flakes melt. Add the washing soda and Borax and stir until powders dissolve. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups of hot water into the bucket or pot. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Then add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let sit for about 24 hrs. and it will gel.
If you want your detergent scented, add the essential oil when you add the gallon plus 6 cups of water.
Use 1/2 cup per load.

Here's mine. Sorry I didn't get any pictures during the process, but it really is as simple as heating and stirring together. Thinking I will probably post more recipes for other cleaners and soaps shortly. I love to be productive!!!
Have a great evening!!
Blessings~~~Shine

What I Love

I truly do love so very many things. First and foremost, God. I can't make it through a single moment without him. Next, my family. Oh my goodness. If I had nothing else at all, God and family would be enough. For my personal "gravy", all my handcrafts make me a happy girl. Something about creating things truly put me on a different happy level.

Look at these gorgeous handwoven dishtowels, paired with my hand knit waffle dish cloths. Makes me smile  girls.

And this lovely handspun yarn.......amazing I tell you!! So cool to be able to turn fluff into yarn :)

I feel very blessed to be able to do these simple crafts. They help to complete me somehow. Am I the only one, or do other people that love lost crafts get funny looks too? Most people think I'm off my rocker! Can't explain it though. My life is so busy I hardly have a moment to call my own. However......when I do have those moments......you can bet, I'll be doing something I love. Have a blessed evening sweet friends.
xoxo~~~Shine