Quick Tip - Non Slip Furniture

I don't know if you have the same problem we do with furniture slipping around on our laminate floor, but  I just hated putting the couches back in place everyday. So I fixed it.

I got out my glue gun and applied a bunch of glue to the bottom of the legs.

Then I let it dry and put them in the right spot.  To move them now, I kind of pick them up a bit, because the glue really clings to the floor and they have not slid out of place once since I put the glue on. Yay!

Cheap Artificial Tree Makeover

Last year I scored TONS of great deals after Christmas and these 3 trees were among them. I only paid a couple of dollars each, but I really didn't like them as they were. So, after spraying them with fake snow (that I had bought about 20 years ago and knew it was finally time to use it) and adding a bit of burlap they look........

FABULOUS!

 

So much better than before, don't you think?

Before

After

God bless!

 

This post is linked up to; Funky Junk Interiors Living Well Spending Less

How I Save Money In The ... Kitchen

I just wanted to share a few simple ways that I save money in the kitchen.

1. Reuse Ziploc bags.  I saw my dad's girlfriend wash out a Ziploc bag about 5 years ago and I thought she was completely bonkers! Sorry Leslie!  But, now I see what a great idea that actually is.  The freezer bags are so sturdy that they can be reused a number of times.  When I had meat in them, I wash them out with dish soap and very hot water. Scrubbing it nice and clean. Then I put it over top of something, like a bottle of pop, until it is dry completely.  I always make sure these bags are labeled, "meat" with a sharpie.  If I just had veggies or something, I wash it out and dry the same, but I don't label those ones.
2. Use containers or alternate coverings instead of plastic wrap.  When we have left overs, I either put them in a storage container in the fridge, or I cover it with those kind of shower cap things you can get at the dollar store.  They come in packages of 10 and I wash them after each use to use again.  We haven't had to buy plastic wrap in years.
3. I have already done 2 posts on how I really don't use any tin foil as well.  Instead of covering casseroles with tin foil in the oven, I put a metal baking sheet on top and I cook my baked potatoes in a covered casserole dish together, instead of individually wrapped in tin foil.
4. Use an oil pump sprayer or spritzer instead of Pam.  My mom bought me one of these about 20 years ago and I have gone through a few since then. (Luckily, I found them on clearance for $0.44 each!)  I always use this to spray my bread pans or anything else that needs a little oil. They work by pumping the top that puts air in the canister. Then it sprays out just like Pam. They look like this one from Pampered Chef;

So there are just a few ways I save money in the kitchen. 

This post is linked up to; Living Well Spending Less

Late Readers, No Need to Worry

It's been fun posting Christmas crafts the last little while, but now I want to get back to what's really important to me - that is my family and keeping our home.

I really wanted to share the journey we've had teaching Jacob to read.

I taught Rebekah and Ben to read using, Sing, Read, Spell and it worked great for them.  So, 2 years ago, I set out with the same plan for Jacob. The only thing was, he really wasn't getting it.  I kept it up for a few months with no success at all. So I thought I would try something else.

That's when we started using, "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons".  This too was not seeming to be able to teach him. At that point I took a few month break from trying. I remembered what Raymond Moore said in his book, "Better Late Than Early".  He said that some kids just aren't ready to learn to read until they're closer to 9 years old and to push them before that would do more harm than good.  If you wait until just the right time, they will learn very easily.

Not wanting to miss "just the right time", I would try every few weeks to see if he might start catching on.  So we went back to, Sing, Read, Spell".  Still nothing. Another break. Try again. Nothing. Another Break and so on.

So now just 2 years after we started this journey, I went back to "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons".  This  time Jacob seems to be getting it. He can actually sound out the words. Such as; rock, meet, ram, this, eat....  But, he will read a word and then just 2 words later come across the same word and not recognize it at all. I'm thinking he might not be entirely ready, but I can see the hope that he WILL get it. 

I used to call Jacob a struggling reader, but I don't think that's right. Just because he didn't get it right away like his brother and sister, doesn't mean he's struggling.  He is just a late reader. He will get it and I don't want to push him.  I love that about homeschooling. He might have been over looked at a public school, or made fun of because his brain isn't quite ready to learn to read.

I think we're ready for another break. Maybe until after Christmas.  So, I'm just saying, all kids learn at different speeds and it can be frustrating to have such differences in our children, but in the end it will all work out:)

This post is linked up to; Raising Arrows Hope in Every Season Learning Table Raising Homemakers A Mama's Story

Christmas Craft Show A Success (and a Bunch of Tutorials!)

This Christmas Craft Show is finally behind me!  I can't believe how I left making everything to the last minute, but I was able to fill my booth.  Here are some pictures;

Snowman Head Ornies, hand stitched and sewed.

Button Garland. These were a great seller. I used light weight wire and strung on two white, then one coloured button.  I didn't have as many coloured buttons on hand, so using more white stretched them out more:)

Large Homespun Candy Canes and a cabinet with chicken wire in the door.  I  had bought this cabinet from a garage sale and it had ugly fabric in the door. So I took it out and replaced it with 1/2" hole chicken wire. It sold fairly quickly, which I'm glad about, because I still have tiny scratches all over my hand from working with the chicken  wire!

Skate Wreath. Everyone loved this, but it didn't sell.

Winter Fixins.  To make these, I used little gingerbread men ornies. You can find the tutorial here. Then I added star anise, some pine cones, cloves, cinnamon sticks and rose hips.  I live in Alberta, which is known as "Wild Rose Country".  We have wild roses growing EVERYWHERE! So, the boys and I went out and picked some rose hips.  I cut the poky things growing out the bottom, put them on a cookie sheet, sprinkled scented oil on them and baked them at 170 deg for about 2 hours, stirring every so often. Then I left them out for 3 days to finish drying.

Homespun Candy Canes.  I got this idea from Eyeballs by Day, Crafts by Night and it can found here.  These were a big seller.

I made this star out of vintage wooden rulers, then added a pip berry wreath.  I also got this idea from Eyeballs by Day, Crafts by Night.  It sold right away! I wish I could find more old rulers, but to be honest these are the only 5 I found in a couple of months looking.

Rebekah made these Gifts in a Jar.  We didn't sell any:(  But she is going to use some for here music teachers and we might hit another market in a couple of weeks.

Finally, a Star Tree Topper.  I made these by spray painting an old bobbin brown, then I glued on a metal barn star.  I also nailed it on with a very small nail through a hole that was in the barn star.

Here is the back view of the tree topper.

There you have it! All the rest of my tutorials in a nutshell.  I hope you all enjoyed it!
God bless.

This post is linked up to; WhipperBerry Funky Junk Interiors Be Different Act Normal Nifty Thrifty Things The Dedicated House Raising Arrows