My challenge for 2010

I spent the day working towards a challenge that I’ve set for myself for 2010. I am calling it Living from Scratch. By the end of 2010, I want us to be eating entirely from home cooked from scratch. I do a lot of cooking from scratch now, but I want to be entirely from scratch by the end of 2010. No more grab a quick cake mix, or a frozen pizza, no gravy mixes or store-bought chicken stock. Out goes the frozen French fries, and the pine nut hummus. I can make that hummus with my new recipe, but I’ll have to start soaking my dried chickpeas the night before. Because I’ll be buying no more cans of chickpeas from the store. And those whole wheat crackers I like to dip into that yummy hummus, Found a recipe for them. My granddaughter always love to come to grandmas and have some Cheez-It’s®, well I found a Cheddar cheese Cracker recipe that should be a great substitute.


But it’s not just going to be cooking from scratch. I plan on living from scratch too. Hey I ran my own sewing and alteration business while I was in Nursing School. If I can sew wedding dresses, I can go back to sewing most of my own clothes. Last years garden is doubling in size. I ordered my heirloom seeds for the 2010 garden a couple of days ago from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds . Last year’s three types of heirloom tomato seeds have morphed into 80% of the garden being heirloom, so I can save the seeds for the gardens after that.

If I can do it from scratch, I’m gonna do it. If I can’t, then I want to be like the Amish and sit back and ponder on the importance of this item in my life, how owning it will benefit us or will it be a distraction from how we want to live. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not planning on shunning modern life, I still listen to my Ipod, use my washing machine and dryer, I just like to hang my clothes outside in the warmer months to dry in the sun, but in the winter or on a rainy day I sure plan on using my electric dryer.

So this is my challenge for 2010. If you want to join me, please do.
 

Chef, Nurse, Paper Boy, Mom Ornaments

I saw these adorable ornaments at Fave Crafts, and just had to pass on this link. They look like a quick last minute craft to make.

The Chef's apron and toque top this saucepan-toting gourmet. Dressed in a white nurse's cap and carrying a thermometer, the nurse ornament makes a great gift. Extra, extra, read all about this ornament for your favorite paper boy (or girl!). Celebrate motherhood with keepsake ornament; "mom" carries a swaddled baby. Everyone treasures the thought behind homemade ornaments. In an afternoon, you can make several of these little cuties for friends and special helpers in your life.

For pattern, click here.

For instructions click here.

Free Kids Hat Patterns to Crochet

Check out these free crochet patterns for these kid hats at Talking Crochet.

Click here to go to the Free Patterns