About a month ago I bought an enormous package of washing soda at the store, intending to use it for homemade laundry soap. Since it's been in the house, however, I've used the washing soda for all sorts of little chores. How did I ever get by without it?
So far I've used it as a deodorizer in the dog area outside, scrubbed the 100-year old bathtub with it (and gotten rid of the bathtub ring that's been there for almost as long), sprinkled it over the stovetop to loosen all the caramelized gunk from preserves, made a test batch of laundry soap, and most successfully, used it for dishwasher powder.
For ages my family has been on the lookout for an eco-friendly alternative to dishwashing detergent, and I believe that after many failed (and highly expensive) ventures, my homemade powder is just what we needed. It's a very simple recipe, and there are only a 
few ingredients:
Mix 1 cup Washing Soda, 1 cup Borax, 1/2 cup kosher salt, and 1/2 cup citric acid (optional-- for hard water areas) in a medium bowl. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an airtight container--Tupperware or a large Ball jar will do-- and use 1 tablespoon of powder per load. Use a tablespoon of vinegar as a rinse aid if needed. If you run your dishwasher once a day, one batch should last about a month. (I like to sprinkle a bit on my sponge or dishcloth for stubborn pots and pans, or to clean the sink, so my powder goes more quickly than I would like!)
Last week, some friends of ours needed help picking early apples that had begun to ripen. In exchange for help picking, we got 2 bushels for our own use. It's taken nearly a week to peel and core all the apples, even with the help of my dad and our handy White Mountain Apple Peeler.
I've made 5 pints of apple butter, 6 gallons of applesauce, and three gallons of freshly sliced apples for pie this winter-- and we're not even finished!
My apron in this picture is a thrift store find of my mom's. Based on the cut and pattern, I believe it was originally hand-sewed in the late 1930's. Aside from being a little threadbare around the edges, it's in perfect condition. One of my sewing projects is to copy the pattern and make a few more aprons for myself with it.
With the smell of applesauce in the air, cool nights and warm days, it is very slowly beginning to feel like late summer. Enjoy it in all its glory while you still can!
This summer I found a wonderful book that sparked my imagination and helped me to finish some projects that have already proved to be family favorites. Author Amanda Blake Soule's "Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures" inspired me to create "farmer's market" bags for my sister and myself.
Claire's 19th birthday was a few weeks ago, and I thought that a new all-purpose bag would be perfect for her. My uncle sent us some tapestry fabric samples for my birthday, and they were just sturdy enough to craft into the messenger-style bags. So far the bags have traveled to and from work, the beach, the grocery store, and walking trips around town.
Cur
rently, my bag is being modeled by "Marcia," my new dress form. Marcia was rescued three weeks ago from a community yard sale where she had been turned into a temporary floor lamp. Really. She was wired up and down, and had a lampshade resting on her head. I donated $10 for the privilege to take her home and clean her up. After 3 hours taking out the wiring and scrubbing her with baking soda, Marcia has now been happily returned to her original state as an ACME Adjustable Dressform, Size "A".
Welcome Oliver, the new baby parakeet in our house! He won't ever take the place of our dear loving Pace, but he's already made a new place in our hearts with his sweet eyes and silly antics. Here I caught him sitting in his food bowl, almost asleep.
Well, I've been finished with my final exams, papers, and projects for a week now. Friends and classmates have packed up all their belongings and returned home, and after three days of washing and drying clothes, sorting socks, and folding and organizing my linens, shirts, dresses, shorts, and jeans, I think I'm finally ready to say that I'm home for the summer.But as much as I like sleeping in my own bed, eating home-cooked meals, playing with my animals, and being with my family, I desperately miss my life at school. When I'm at school, I feel so mature and organized. My life is straight-forward and scheduled, and I can be the person I want to be when I'm around my friends at school.It's ironic that I have to guard myself around my own family so that I can keep peace in the household. My parents were both raised in Christian households and are somewhat comfortable in their faith, but neither my brother nor my sister have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It upsets me that as much as I try to live life as a Christian woman, my family does not always respect the faiths and denominations of others.I really miss my friends who understand my devotion and my convictions in faith, and with whom I can talk freely about life. I especially miss that my friends are always there for me, no matter if they've had a difficult week. I love my parents, and I know they love me, but sometimes I feel that I am intruding on their time and happiness when I have a problem. When I was younger, I would run to my mom or dad for every little problem-- but now I feel that when I'm upset about something, they don't really want to hear about it. Even if it is something significant, I feel that I am more able to pray about it, ask my friends for advice, or just suppress it, rather than tell my parents how I feel. As I have grown I have come to see my parents as peers, because I have seen them struggle with financial, legal, logistical, and emotional problems just like any other person would. When you are young, you take for granted the fact that you have a roof over your head, food in your pantry, and clothing on your back; when you become an adult you begin to witness the daily sacrifices that your parents make in order to continue providing these things for you. The more I know about what goes on behind the scenes in my parents' lives, the less I want to contribute to the already heavy burden that they carry with my own life questions. I want them to be as happy as possible, and I feel that the best way for me to help this is to withdraw from them. And even if they had no other worries, I doubt they would want to hear about my insignificant problems.It's just frustrating, because when I'm here away from my friends and peers at school, I don't think anyone in my family can comfort me or understand me the way I want to be understood. Perhaps this is a way that God is testing my faith-- asking me to come to Him before all others.
few ingredients:
