June in the Foothills

Hello from the warm and humid foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains!

(fyi:  my camera died so I wasn't planning to post until I decide on a new one, but that may be a good while;  I'm so indecisive.  In the meantime I'm using pics from my phone, and the spaces between the pictures are trying my patience so bear with me or I'll be tempted to just scrap this post.)
Our hydrangeas have been amazingly abundant this year.

We've enjoyed bouquet after bouquet of them. This one is keeping company with a little creamer that I found at an estate sale.  Youngest painted those flowers on it for me.

Love the purple hues in these below.

I've been knitting, but took some time out from that to sew a few project bags to keep my different projects in. I really like this upholstery print from Walmart. 



I may have gotten a little bit carried away making bags with the pink floral Oriental print fabric.  Is four too many?  I don't think so.  o.O

This polka dotted interior fabric is also from Walmart.

I'll leave you today with a look at the thickest kombucha S.C.O.B.Y. I've ever seen. o.O
(Kombucha is a probiotic health drink that can be easily made at home.)


Hope you're having a great summer!

Neighbors, Flowers, Socks & Food

Hello from the hills, where spring rains and blooms have been abundant.

The azaleas are bloomed out now, but they were profuse in April.  Can you believe it's May already?

We have new neighbors.  A nice quiet family moved into the cedar house under one of our Sugar Maples.

The mom is really quite the homemaker.

And the dad is an excellent provider.  They're expecting five little ones any day now.

I finished the socks.  The yarn is really nice, superwash merino.

What's for dinner.  Homemade Chicken Taquitos with sour cream and salsa.  They're delicious and much better for a body than the ones from the store.  Have you noticed the ingredient list on those boxes is about 2 inches long?

Hold That Tiger Iris

I'm not certain, but this may be the African Princess Iris. 

Hope you're enjoying Spring so far.

The Art of Home-Making Mondays,  The Maple Hill Hop

DIY Designer Spoons

Hello from the hills! 

I spotted this cute lil fence yesterday while I was in the big city to pick up the grands for a visit. Love how short it is.  

This is the first year I've ever seen nuthatches at my feeders.  Go ahead and chuck it down little fellow. 

                           

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Have you seen the kitchen utensils in department stores with the wood burned look?  I like it, but I would never spend a fortune for it. (Click on pic to see the price for one, just one spoon.) 

All you need to make your own is a wood-burning tool, some modestly priced wooden spoons and a well-ventilated area in which to work.  Begin with clean, dry spoons.  Please, do NOT oil them until after you finish burning your designs on the spoons.  We don't want any unnecessary fires, now do we?  ;)

Clean, dry spoons.

The sky is the limit as to design, and I think these are a bit more interesting than the repetitive stamped look above.  

Continue onto the sides, handles ...

And backs for an all-over designer look, if you like.   Most manufacturers suggest using mineral oil (a petroleum product) for preserving and deepening the luster of wood grain for wooden utensils in the kitchen, but I use coconut oil instead and have not had any trouble with it.  Olive oil and some other oils will go rancid quickly.  If that happens just clean the utensil thoroughly with lemon juice and apply coconut or grape seed oil if you have it available.  Martha Stewart recommends grape seed oil because it is tasteless, so that's another option. 

Oiled with coconut oil to bring out the wood grain and add luster to the wood..

Added 4.10.16

Youngest sent me this cartoon.    Be very, very careful......lol. 
Click on the cartoon to enlarge for reading.


DIY Designer Spoons featured at The Art of Home-Making Mondays


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I started knitting a pair of socks with self-striping yarn over a month ago but had to rip the heels out twice.  Reading the directions helps, sometimes.  o.O  I'm a bit further along than shown here and aware that the stripes don't line up evenly.  Yeah, living on the wild side here.  ;)

                           

Goodman spotted this rainbow on the hill above our house...love a good rainbow.

See you soon...if those socks ever cross the finish line, that is.

Shared at The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Good Fences