Handworks Crochet and then Some!

I just LOVE the way food looks all preserved in canning jars!!!! Here are a couple of my latest... Dill Pickles and Pickled Banana Peppers...so pretty... Since last post I have now started to take over the 3 big shelf in our pantry.... Few more pretties up close.... Canned Summer Squash (great for squash casseroles!) Pickled Hot Peppers (going to be a present for someone!!) and Anise Pears And I've dried and vacuum bagged about a bushel of apple rings, lots of sweet potatoes and bell peppers! Anyone know what this is???? Its a Cushaw squash!! This huge squash was only $5!! And they are sooooo good!! Many meals can come out of this on squash (it weights ALOT!)... soup, pies, just roasted is really good to! I even canned some Cushaw butter! Anything you can do with sweet potatoes or winter squash you can do with a cushaw! Yep.... Muscadine wine in the making.... also Elderberry wine, Concord wine and an Apple wine. It takes so long though... which is why The Bald Man and I have be...

Times does fly by these days! And I've not sewed a stitch in over a month... now I've not been lazy! I've crocheted on my cami top and my granny square afghan... still messing around in the garden, though its sadly fading... I plan to try some fall/winter crops to help keep me from getting to sad about it!and I've discovered the absolute joys of CANNING! For years I've said I was going to learn to can... this year I did! Spiced Peaches... Tomato sauce, Pickled Banana peppers, Vanilla Pears, Brandy Pears, Pear sauce, Roasted red pepper spread, Red wine fig compote.... to name a few... I'm really on the band wagon for canning! I'm also trying to make some Muscadine wine... mmmm... And we're looking for a farm to buy! Now thats taking alot of time! We REALLY need a farm!!!! Its a long process to find the right land... meanwhile just look at the pretty canned stuff I've made!!!! Veggies and fruits are so pretty all preserved in mason jars.... meanwhile ...

Been way to busy to post lately! I barely even check my emails!!!! The garden was in full producing swing a couple of weeks ago and is now starting to play out... and its very sad..... cause I love days when I gather this much food from our little backyard homestead! I'm especially proud of the cantaloupe! On the sewing side of things I've been doing mostly embroidery stuff, remaking clothes from thrift stores and such. But I did make this blue camo handbag/tote... and its my new favorite bag! Its made from a vintage McCalls 7270... The complete outside has pockets all around it.... and so does the inside!!! So many pockets! I can carry everything in here! Its actually a reversible bag but I used puppy fabric inside so I probably won't reverse it... maybe if I'm feeling silly. I used large grommets and glamour rings to hardware it up! I adore it.... and must make another one! Like I said before I've been doing tons of embroidery and refashions! These were high wa...

My Bald Man and I took a little trip on the holiday weekend to Tellico Plains.. now growing up in Athens, TN I have been to the falls and river up there often.. but Bald Man, after living in TN for over 20 yrs had never been!!! Ofcourse we had to take Pac, he loves a good road trip! This is at the overlook going up to Indian Boundary Lake ... Down by Tellico river... Bald Man just had to 'test' the water and see how cold it was... yeah.. its pretty cold,,, mountain rivers typically are. Bald River Falls.... I am the first to admit we do not take advantage of living so close to such a beautiful area... many beautiful natural areas are so close to us ! I mean, in K town... we are so close to the Smokies,,, not far from lots of North Carolina mountain lakes.... we really should get out more and explore close to home. I used to enjoy hiking a bit... but after almost stepping right on a huge copper head up in Coker Creek I stopped... that was 16 yrs ago. I think it may be time to...

We planned carefully this year... not wanting to crowd any of our plants... but we still have an jungle instead of a garden!! haha!! Its just a tiny garden space... but do we ever get the most out of it! Just check my Bald Man out with his sweet corn he loves so much! Yellow squash and zucchini are abundant! My pepper plants are doing well... and Bald Man's roma tomato plant is loaded... and I have quite a few heirlooms waiting to ripen ... which I'm excited about! We also have snow peas ready to eat! And in the works... eggplant, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, cantaloupe and so much more! I'm gonna need to hit the vegan and vegetarian web sites for some veggies recipes! As for the sewing I've been doing... all basic stuff.... like these shorts below... I'm working on re doing my favorite shorts patterns because my booty is higher (and firmer) than it was and my pattern no longer works! The bottom pair was the first wearable muslin I did... not perfect yet... st...

With the ABUNDANCE of squash and zucchini in our garden right now I have been coming up with some creative ways of eating them.... I've made baked zucchini fries (yum!) and a zucchini crisp several times so I decided today I needed to make something different... The thing is it still has to fit into my healthy eating menu so I re did my Zucchini Brownie recipe from last year... which had alot more carbs and a bit more fat! Healthy fats,.. but still! Double Chocolate Mocha Zucchini Brownie Cups 2oz. unsweetened dark chocolate or cacao 1 egg 1/2 cup agave nectar (i use the dark raw kind) 1/4 fresh brewed espresso 2 cups of oat flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 2 cups shredded zucchini 1/3 cup walnuts Pre heat oven at 350F. Mix all ingredients. I used my cupcake pans with liners for these. makes for easier clean up and I know exactly what I'm getting! I use an ice cream scoop and only 1 scoop per cup. Bake for about 15 min. This recipe mak...