Stuff I've Made

Creating gives me energy. It just inspires me to create, even if the creation does not come out perfectly. I love to bake my bread every week, even though sometimes the tops are darker than I would prefer, or the shape isn't what I want. It gives me a springboard to learn. Next bread baking session, I am going to decrease my length of the first rise...the bread seems to fall after baking, and I researched and found I may be letting it rise too long. Yesterday, I made the effort to make jam without pectin...Learned that stirring and attending go hand in hand. Hence, the blueberry jam burned. I still canned it - 9 cups blueberries and 6 cups sugar were not going down the drain! The next batch of plum jam came out perfect. And the experience was awesome! (All this cooking is occuring because 1. I ordered 40 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast...not the junky water injected kind, but the good stuff...to be picked up on Saturday, and 2. Our extra fridge/freezer died, unexpectedly, and I have to find room for the above mentioned 40 pounds of chicken!

Anyway, I have been up to a few things. The first had been in my mind, I told my mom, and that "genie of the sewing machine" made it come to life. I use a dish towel on my counter to place my dishes to dry after I hand wash. Sometimes, in fact often, it was very unattractive, dingy... So, I mused to myself, after seeing on another blog, and then sharing with Mom...that it would be neat if I could get my rear in gear, get to the sewing machine, or ball and chain in my world, and get some cloth that would match the kitchen, take a hand towel, and encase that towel in the cloth. I would still have the dish towel to dry dishes on, but it would look nice. There...and the genie went to work. I have three green striped ones...and Thanksgiving ones...and Halloween ones (candy corn fabric - I LOVE it!)...and Christmas ones... This is the newest...Valentines Day...So cute! Thanks Mom for bringing others, and my ideas, to reality.

Then, I saw a countdown on another blog )I can't remember the name, but as soon as I do, there will be a link included!)...So I went to work. I had cookie sheets left from my Halloween Countdown just sitting on my work desk.

I got the heart boxes at the dollar store.

I used paper I had in my collection.

I used magnets that got stuck to the undried ModPodge on the Halloween Countdown board...repairs need to be made next year...

The finished product, though the boxes are empty. I have yet to find something to put inside that doesn't involve candy...Dad is now trying to lose weight, and Son is training...(Such a fun group!)I could put in "acts of kindness/service", but I do that all of the time!