Felted Wool Penny Rugs For Sale

I've been busy using up some reclaimed wool I felted so I've been stitching Penny Rugs and adding cute little Yo Yo's to them.  I've got a thing for Yo Yo's lately, I'll admit :)  They are just so darn cute.

Both Penny Rugs and Yo yo's were our foremother's way of using up bits and scraps of fabric.  They recycled (before it was cool) because they had to.  They couldn't run out to Hobby Lobby or Wally World and get cheap fabric (or anything else, lol)  New yard goods went to clothing for the family so when the youngest little "Johnny or Jane" grew out of the passed down clothing, it was reused to household goods....the smallest of these scraps would be used for decorative items.  The term Penny Rug comes from the fact that these resourceful women would use a coin (a penny) for a pattern.  These "rugs" were not used on the floor but as wall hangings, bed coverlets and such.

I love the old ways and learning all about how our ancestors did things, don't you?

I'm offering these candle mats for sale.

The Total Width is 10.5"....the brown wool penny is 7.5" and it is surrounded by 18  Yo Yo's. 

$12.50 plus shipping

Blessings,

A Morning Walk

I went outside this morning and decided to snap a few pics.... Hope you enjoy them as much as I did :)

Lilac

I'm not sure what this bush is but if you know, please email me!  It's so gorgeous and the color is just so vibrant... it's already lost quite a few of it's blossoms but at it's peak, it's just covered in these little beauties!

So delicate....reminds me of Grandma Viola...

The wind has beat these up a bit but the orange sherbet color is lovely...

These are blossoms off of our pear tree.

And these are annuals that I overwintered inside last year... not too bad!

Enjoying Spring....

Kimberly

Window Seat with Built in Storage

Greetings All!
It's a LOVELY spring here in North Missouri and things are getting busy!  James and I spent much of last weekend in the garden and it was bliss :)  I LOVE spring... During the week, he started another inside project due to the RAIN which flooded our roads but that's okay...we got lots done around here...

When we first bought this home, the landing upstairs was dark due to the previous owners siding over a door which at one time, went out to a sleeping porch.  I could just envision the lovely morning light coming in through the glass panes in that now defunct door... sigh...a perfect spot to read the Bible for morning devotions or snuggle up with Sophie and browse through the latest catalog...anyhoo... we were blessed with some windows that a friend gave us and so my little brain got it's creative juices flowing.... and I asked dear hubby..."Can you do it?"   "For you, my darling..." eh...well, no... it didn't quite go like that BUT he was VERY gracious and got started.... I was stressing a little just before I came up with the idea of a window seat with storage of where on earth to put the winter quilts and such now that I've been spring cleaning and changing out bedding, etc....  This is SO perfect!!!

So here's the BEFORE green carpet and all:

And here's a "During":

My sweet Hubby James with one coat of paint on....

 And here's AFTER:  

This window faces east so the morning sunrise is BEAUTIFUL!!!

 He used all reclaimed lumber and even used the old hinges off the original door... he is so cool!

I plan on making a nice cushion and different pillows for it but here it is for now :)  What do you think?  Am I not the most blessed of women?    

Eventually we want to either do beaded board or board and batten about 2/3's of the way up the entire wall as you come up the stairs and in this hallway but that is later...when funds allow.  For now, I'm so happy with what he created :)  

Come join me over at DIYbyDesign and see all the other wonderfully creative stuff going on!

There's also a Bunny Blog Hop going on April 2nd that you won't want to miss!

Until next time....

Signs of Spring

Hello Dear Ones!

I'm really busy this week as I started a new job yesterday and I'm trying to work out all the daily details so our lives are not turned upside down.... The good thing though is my hubby just called and said "If absence makes the heart grow fonder, I don't know how I'm going to stand loving you so much!"  He's already homesick for me....awww... I'm SO blessed :) 

The weather is just so mild and I am thinking SPRING...my favorite time of the year and I love it! Friday, I put together a quick wreath for the door that said "Spring" to me.... I used crocus flowers, daffodills and a few others. Then earlier I went outside and guess what I saw? My bulbs are all pushing up out of the ground! YAH!!! I checked the Forsythia last week and know it's going to be lovely this year. I was thinking of forcing a few branches but decided to let it alone. There wasn't much else to look at so I took a few pics of our other animals.  

I've got a few projects I want to turn into post....2 dressers I want to paint and distress and another one I'm pretty excited about.... James is taking the reclaimed lumber rope beds he built way back when for the kiddos and turning them into one larger queen sized bed for the guest room. He asked yesterday what I wanted to do with the old mattress. These were bunk bed mattresses and not great ones to begin with but I had a quick thought and asked him to check and see if there were springs inside the mattress and guess what???? There are!! So now I'm thinking of all the neat things we can do with bed springs! I'm also not quite finished with the Yo Yo Quilt. I WILL post pics as soon as I am finished.


The animals wanted to get in on the pictures so here is one of Sam.  He's a sweetheart. 

And here's Gabby: 

I've gotta run... 

Valentine's Day Dessert ~ Creamy Rice Pudding

Hello dear ones!
I pray you each had a special Valentine's Day!  I spent mine with my sweetie and I wanted to share our simple but entirely yummy dessert with you.  I had to work with what I had on hand and also the lack of an oven at the moment which crimps my style as I love to bake... but such is life, right?  And there is a reason that they say that necessity is the MOTHER of invention....it's because women/mothers/wives are always coming up with ways to "make do". 

Or is it just me? 

Nah....I didn't think so :) 

In these lean economic times, it's also something we have to do more and more.  We've never been a "keeping up with the Jones" kinda of family and being a homeschooling/one income family over the years, we've always tried to be frugal but now, even though the kiddos are gone and it's just hubby and me,  we HAVE to be frugal. 

So back to the yummy rice pudding...

Here's the recipe:

1 cup long grain rice
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
7 cups of milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 Vanilla bean split (I used 1 1/2 tsp of reg. vanilla)

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, Stir in rice and powdered sugar and cook 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.  Drain off the water.  Stir in milk, sugar, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  It should thicken up nicely.  Remove vanilla bean if you used it and place in glass bowls or whatever you choose.   Cover and chill several hours. 

Okay now my improvisations:  I didn't have lemons on hand so I skipped those and went to the pantry.  I had a quart of peaches I canned so I drained off most of the juice from that.  As I measured out the milk, instead of 7 cups, I did 6 cups and added peaches to it to measure 7 cups, squishing the peaches in my hand as I took them out of the quart jar.  This was also why I didn't drain off all the the peach juice...I wanted them juicy.  :)  You could use berries or whatever fruit you'd like... I'm always looking to see what I have and deciding then.   One of my favorite pies happened this way.  It was supposed to be a raspberry sour cream pie and of course, I had no raspberries but plenty of blueberries.  It is heavenly!  I don't like plain blueberry pie...but with the slightly sweetened sour cream...oh it's bliss! 

That's a picture of hubby & me on our wedding day :)

Whatever you did yesterday, I pray you felt the perfect love of your Heavenly Father, who loves you with an everlasting love.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 1John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1John 4:19 We love Him, because He first loved us.  John 15:12 This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Aren't you glad that The Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ, loved you so much that He laid down His life for YOU?  

May you be blessed in Him,

~ Kimberly 

It's a PARTY!

If you're not on Pinterest and you craft, or garden, or decorate, or cook, or homeschool, or whatever....you might want to check it out.  There is just SO much inspiration to be had there on any number of things! 

I came across this list of "Crafty" pinners and joined the Pinterest Party!  Check it out and let me know if you do :)

Enjoy <3

Link Party

I'm linking up to

Craftomaniac's Monday Link Party

So check it out!  There are TONS of great ideas from other DIYers and Crafters!!