Christmas gifts for the mad chicken lady.....

Those who are close to me know that I've been a bit chicken obsessed this year. Who can resist those cute fluffy bottoms and fresh eggs to boot?!? I thought I'd share some of my favorite chickeny finds, and things on my personal wish list, in case others find themselves called a mad chicken lady or for those who know one.

This fox is one you won't mind having near the coop

The perfect shirt for the small flock owner

I ADORE this necklace! 

A vintage candy mold. So fun! 

These are just a few of my favorite finds this holiday season.

Issuing myself a challenge....

At Thanksgiving I couldn't help but notice that my husband's uncle has lost about 50 pounds. He looks great and he seems even happier than he was before. When I asked him how he'd lost all the weight he told me that he'd watched what he ate and walked every day for eleven months. Wow, every day. You see, he believes the minute you make one excuse it leads to another and another. How true!

Yesterday I issued myself a challenge. I would walk every day for 365 days. I don't have a time set for the walking, or a distance. The important part is to set the habit and stick to it. Yesterday I walked for 2 miles at a brisk pace (on my treadmill) and today I did the same. I hope to gradually increase my distance, gradually decrease my time and possibly add some incline. I do have weight to lose (don't we all), but more I'm trying to set a healthy example for my son and to create some good habits.

Unlike my usual decision to start tomorrow or next Monday or January first, I knew that for this to work the time to start was now. This goes on my list along with other small challenges to myself like growing more of my own food, helping others learn to grow their own food, volunteering in at least four ways each year, etc. What goals are you setting for yourself and why?

Let the holiday decorating commence.....

The Village

Teacup Christmas tree

     The day after Thanksgiving we eagerly opened up all of our holiday boxes and spent a quiet morning decorating the interior of our home. My husband built two tables to hold our ever expanding village homes (our son's favorite) and we got our owl tree up. It's nice to have the decorations up early. I've always felt that this allows us to enjoy the entire month already prepared to entertain. We switch out our dishes to our Spode Christmas dishes and try to keep things tidy for unexpected visitors.

The mantle

Our owl tree

     Next up we'll finish the outdoor lights and decorating and then it's holiday parades, cookie swaps and wrapping gifts. Thankfully I'm just about finished with our handmade gifts this year. I'll share them with you all after the holidays so as not to ruin any surprises. Let's just say that I used glass, teacups, bird seed, rebar, lots of epoxy, vintage fabric and twine. Hmm.

Are you decorating this weekend? Or, did you brave the sales?

Happy Thanksgiving.....

Tomorrow, as we gather with friends and family around the table it is important to remember the purpose of this holiday; to give thanks. These are a few of the things I am thankful for....

I am thankful for a husband who works so hard for our family, who respects and supports my decision to be a stay at home mother, a man who slays dragons and laughs at my antics, who is a great father and a wonderful friend.

I am thankful for a loving, supportive family. I am especially thankful for my sister in law Brandi who understands what it's like to be a warriors wife and the mother to a spirited boy, who is loving, courageous, beautiful and kind. I am thankful for having such happy family who have taught me the true meaning of family and also of love.

I am thankful for my friends, the wonderful people I've met on Twitter who are so supportive, my blog followers and the creative folks who make me more creative as well.

On this Thanksgiving I say thank you. Have a wonderful holiday and be safe!

Starting new rose bushes from the old...

Sometimes the easiest garden projects are overlooked when deciding what to work on next. This is probably why I haven't propagated any new rose bushes. Truly, anyone can do this and being that I have some much beloved eight year old bushes I finally decided to go for it.

1. Cut a stem, about 6", from the top of a chosen rose bush
2. Cut the end off at an angle. I like to make a couple cuts to the inside of the stem, like scoring
3. Dip the stem into some rooting powder or liquid, available at garden centers (optional).
4. Plant the stems in a good quality potting soil and cover newly transplanted stems with a mason jar, milk jug half, etc.

Since our kitchen counter is home to a terrarium I thought I'd use this vessel to create a few new rose bushes. By spring, and probably before, they'll be ready to move up to a large pot. Soon after they'll move to the greenhouse and then out into the yard.

Isn't this a great and easy way to expand your garden? It's so simple, yet often overlooked. I can't wait to add new rose bushes to our front yard landscaping.

**I water my roses with luke warm water and then cover. This both heats the soil and keeps the plants moist. I use about a half a cup of water every five days. Keep the soil moist but not damp.**

Snow and the garden....

     Snow has found our little mountain town much earlier this year leaving the remaining vegetables to surrender. We have cleared our three large raised beds and after adding some compost this weekend they'll be covered until spring finds us. The chickens are happy to be outside even when it's raining or snowing. You see, chickens like the cold much better than the heat being that they're wearing little down coats.

     While garden projects are at a standstill until we have a dry weekend (we'll be pulling out a dead tree and tilling soil for a new garden bed) there are plenty of indoor chores which have been neglected. Along with a heavy amount of cooking and baking and holiday decorating it's also time to start dreaming of where we want to take our yard next year. Are we ready for bees? Could we squeeze in a goat? Do we want ornamental vegetables in the new front yard landscaping. Now is the perfect time for planning and strategizing.

     It's also important to remember that though I'm not able to enjoy my yard as much in this off season, a great deal of little critters still spend their time here. So, bird feeders should be filled and fresh, unfrozen water is still a welcome sight for the local birds and squirrels. While I wrap myself in a blanket and take another sip of coffee I'm dreaming of all the possibilities spring has in store.

Holidays and thrifting....

     This weekend was filled with chores and the regular happenings of a family. Sometimes weekends are like this... normal. We celebrated my youngest brother in law's 25th birthday and ran around getting things for the upcoming holidays. Most importantly though we began a good and thorough cleaning and purging.

     Now is the ideal time to rid our homes of clutter. Not only will there be gifts coming into the house next month, but folks are looking for affordable gifts to give as well. Thrift stores have become a common shopping ground with the struggling economy (though I've always enjoyed them) and people need good, quality merchandise to purchase. Remember that toaster you received and never opened? Or that purse you bought and never quite figured out what to wear with it? Take the plunge and get rid of them! Someone else is waiting for just those things.

My initial donation pile

     In our house we've loaded up three oversize trash bags full, and I plan to find at least two more big piles. Nobody needs 10 serving trays or slipcovers for chairs they no longer own. Let go. It doesn't matter how much the item cost or how little time you've had said item. What matters is A. do you actually use the item and B. do you actually need/want or derive pleasure from the item? If you can't answer yes you most certainly can let it go.

     Make a pile, load the bags up and then get them out of the house before you have a chance to change your mind. Don't second guess, don't go back through the bags. Say goodbye and enjoy more space and helping others!

The "P" word......

     "Procrastination is a crime that only leads to sorrow. I can stop at any time, I think I will tomorrow." It's the nursery rhyme we were forced to learn in junior high which I put off until the morning of. Yep, I'm the queen of procrastination. However, what I've discovered is that most people procrastinate what they really just don't want to do. I'm very good at it too. I'll start exercising more tomorrow, eating better tomorrow. Monday is the perfect day to start a diet, but maybe next Monday. I'll weed tomorrow, start laundry tomorrow. What I'm realizing is that tomorrow always creeps up and then it's today!

     There isn't even one particular thing that I'm currently procrastinating. It's more a multitude of little things that have started to look like a quite lengthy list. It's a little absurd to be sitting here at thirty years old and I'm still putting things off that should have been done today. What I've also noticed is this effects sleep, joy, and relaxation. It's so much easier to sleep at night when the list of to do's has been completed. This is my new goal. While I'd planned to put this off until the New Year (um, yeah, there it is again), I've realized that right now, tonight, is the perfect time to revise my plan.

     Tonight I wrote a long overdue email. I ordered parts for three different items sitting unable to be used. Tonight I loaded my donation bags into my car (they'd been sitting under the stairs for a month) and I scheduled a doctor's appointment. This procrastination thing is a waste of time. Is this something you battle? What are your steps to get past the big "P?"

Oh how I love free....

     Free. It's a word that brings joy to my heart and my pocket book. I was so excited when a Worm Factory composting bin was offered up on our local freecycle network recently. I had been wanting to raise some worms for worm tea in addition to my regular composting efforts. It's fun to think that between composing and the chickens we have severely reduced our waste. I emailed my hopeful response asking for the bin and was surprised and elated when later that day I was chosen by the offerer.

     I drove right over and picked up this awesome compost bin. It has now been scrubbed and readied for spring. Now with the addition of worms we will have no food leftovers to speak of. It's wonderful! If you haven't ever thought about raising worms you might look into it. This is a relatively low cost, easy and fun way to compost. In addition to having a purpose for your leftovers your garden will benefit greatly from the nutrient rich compost tea that is created from the worm castings! Plus, these compost bins are super space savers!

     Here are two links to help you decide if using composting worms could be right for you:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/compost2.htm
http://earth911.com/news/2007/04/02/composting-with-worms/

A year of changes

My guide dog Moxie (14 months) and I

     This year has been a whirlwind of change for me. I always stressed that my 30th birthday would signal the end of something, but what I'm realizing more each day is that this very significant birthday has really been a beginning. This year I've managed to cut out some very toxic relationships, develop and strengthen some more meaningful relationships and challenge myself in a multitude of ways. It's been a year of growth both spiritually and physically.

Taking time to hike

     At the beginning of this year I knew I wanted to focus more on family and sustainable living. These were two small goals which have really impacted my daily life. We purchased chickens, created space for a vegetable garden, started composting and broke our ties to paper towels, paper napkins and water bottles. I have taught myself skills I was never sure were in me to be learned. I have harvested food and fed my family from our very "normal" backyard. I have checked a chicken vent for an impacted egg (don't ask for photos) and cleaned up more messes than one would care to recall.

A day in a very nearby vineyard

     While I feel a great sense of accomplishment and purpose from my education this year I am even more interested in pushing myself further. I have more to learn, more ways to grow and more ways I can help others. As we work to expand our vegetable garden, begin a second type of composting (with worms), expand our chicken flock and learn more about sustainable living I find that my happiness increases. Isn't it funny to find happiness with harder work? And while some may see our lifestyle as strange, our eagerness to spend time at home limiting, I can honestly say this has been the best year of my life. I would encourage anyone to take a risk, try something new, embrace a lifestyle you didn't think you were capable of and push yourself towards growth. You'll be surprised how that hard work pays off in the form of smiles, laughter and more love!

In the garden- November

     Sadly, my gardening days are drawing to a close and most of what I'm doing outside is prepping for winter. However, I thought I'd post one last garden update before we compost, clean and close up shop for the year.

     My Jersey Giant, Ethel, stopped producing eggs a week ago. I chalked it up to shorter days and wasn't too concerned. We don't plan to artificially light the coop since the eggs are for personal use and we like letting nature plan these things. I realized tonight, however, when I went out to spend time with the chickens that Ethel was molting. There is nothing quite as pathetic as a chicken molting. Her neck is bare, she is full of shame and doesn't want to run to me as she normally does. Who can blame her really when hundreds of stabbing points are poking out through her delicate skin.

     Our last tomato plant, which we'll finish harvesting tomorrow, has reached over 9' wide. This pear tomato started out as a 6" little thing and quickly became our top producing plant. We have plans to plant two of these babies next year and make our own yellow ketchup. Yum! Most of our other plants are dying off as our winter temps dip into the low 30's. We were able to grab a few last squash and a couple more eggplants tonight. What fun this garden has been. I can't wait for next spring!

DIY- Origami Birdcage

When I set about to design my new studio space I was sure I wanted to incorporate some origami cranes. At first I planned to make a mobile to hang. However, mobiles make me think of nurseries. I decided that I'd stick with the cranes but add them to a vintage bird cage when I could find one. The bird cage went on my want list.

This past weekend on our road trip I spotted a perfect bird cage marked down to $32. It had already been painted white (thank you!) so it just needed to be hung. I found a great origami crane tutorial on Youtube here. Then I used four different scrapbook papers to create my cranes. Make sure to check the measurements of each sheet before beginning as some scrapbook paper is not exactly square. I made my largest crane from a 12x12 sheet and then used 1- 8x8 sheet and 2- 6x6 sheets to complete my birds.


The finished product is whimsical and fun and adds just the touch I wanted in front of my window.