Welcome to I'll Pour! Relax, put your feet up, and have a cup of tea with me. You will find posts relating to hearth and home. Including soap making, spinning, sewing, knitting, quilting, crocheting, baking, family, chickens, and just plain living on the Kansas plains.
.jpg)
Do you remember how to turn baking soda into washing soda? We are out of washing soda and I need it to make laundry soap (laundry butter, laundry cream, laundry whip...). I will spread baking soda thinly onto a baking sheet and heat for about an hour at 400 degrees. I understand that washing soda is much better to clean with than baking soda. One reason is due to the PH level being higher. Even if you are not a soap maker, it may be worth a try to make some.
This will be the first time in 7 years that we won't be celebrating my youngest granddaughter and my mother's birthday at the same time. Mom passed away in April. Their birthdays were on 9/11. My granddaughter told me she wanted to celebrate Mom's birthday too, even though Mom won't be present. I am not sure what her plans are.
The older I become, the more I realize that many people out there do not have family or are estranged from them. My brother is a senior citizen with no kids or spouse. Since Mom passed away, the only one that will remember him on his birthday is me, unless I remind my sister. When managing property, I found many people far away from family and needing friendship. Thanksgiving is not that far away. Think about inviting others to your table. My late brother invited an older single man, Fuzz, and his male cousin to Thanksgiving dinner. My brother was in his early teens. I think he told my Mom the day of Thanksgiving. This was in the 70's; the cousin even dressed up and wore hippie beads.
Maybe Thanksgiving is on my mind because I am slowly sorting 30+ years of accumulated junk and I found a tub of Thanksgiving decorations. You would think that all of the decorations would be stored together.
What is on your weekend agenda?
I hope you have a great weekend! Dawnie
For those that make his or her laundry soap, what do you use do store it in?
I have used a plastic jug-like container. It was OK, but soap got stuck in the handle since it was hollow. I have used mostly quart jars with wide mouths. I was gone for two weeks and I came back to numerous jars mostly empty still on top of the dryer making music every time the dryer went on. I really can't figure out why the complete amount of soap can't be used and the jars rinced out and put away. I was able to pick up 3 big gallon pickle jars at an estate sale about a week ago. I think these will be my new storage containers. The jars are heavier but they contain much more laundry soap.
What do you think?
I found another picture of my Mom holding a fresh baked cherry pie in her vintage kitchen!
It has been so long since I made a blog post. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months, then years. I think the birth of my second grandchild limited most of my blogging. I continued to create, but I didn't display my creations often and my "how-to" blog posts ended. My home life has changed somewhat. My house is still full of family and friends. Unfortunately, it isn't quiet most of the time. The old dogs have passed away and a new rescue chiwennie has taken their place. He is adorable, but he takes his job as a guard dog very seriously. Cage-free chickens still roam the backyard. I am retired now and I no longer need to answer the telephone after the first ring. I may not answer it at all. LOL
Knitting, spinning, crocheting, sewing, quilting, cooking, and soap-making still happen, but a little less of my time is devoted to them.
Recently I've had the loss of my mother. She was such a wonderful lady. A trip to visit her still meant that she would cook your favorite meals and, of course, it would include homemade pie. It is now my turn to make the pies. I will be making them in her vintage kitchen and sharing the recipes with you soon.
Today I completed a baby quilt top. I photographed it outside on the fence. It is not ironed yet, but it looks good enough to view. I purchased pre-cut 30's reproduction prints from a store on Etsy. I asked if they used Accuquilt because I have an Accuquilt die to cut out fabric in the same Tumbler style. They use an Accuquilt professional cutting die. I planned to make a larger quilt where every other piece would be one of the delicate pink pieces I cut. However, I hadn't considered the size difference. I have 200 delicate pink tumbler pieces ready for me to use, but no print fabric pieces since the purchased pre-cut printed tumblers were about an inch smaller. I will be cutting prints from my stash and making another quilt.
This is a lot of work, but worth it!
Thanks for viewing! Dawnie
I hang 2 or 3 potholders by my stove because I have limited drawer space in my kitchen. My mother places all but one of hers in a drawer by her stove. My brother hates the loops. He thinks the plastic ones melt and the other loops get in his way. What is your preference?
I like to place loops in the corners of the hot pads/potholders I make. If I knit or crochet them, I usually make a loop with yarn. If I use fabric to make them, I sew a small plastic hoop on a corner of the fabric. I have used a leather strip for hanging in the past along with crocheting around the plastic rings. I find that the rings are what wear will out the fastest on potholders. I found plastic loose-leaf paper rings. The box I ordered has 5 colors of rings which can be easily installed and removed from a potholder if desired.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DQTZLKS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
What do you think?
Thanks for viewing!
Dawnie
I hope your Christmas and New Year holidays were wonderful! I wish I had the excitement I once did. I know the grandgirls loved Christmas!
New changes have happened since my last post. I have retired. With more time on my hands, I get little done. I am sorting through all my material possessions. I have given some items away and I sold some. I have also added a couple of new possessions. Here is one:
I have been knitting away on a new hat pattern. The first hat
came out perfect. The second one grew when I washed it. The third one I made into a ponytail hat and it came out great! I did go down 2 knitting needle sizes.
The first hat made:
The second hat made:
I will be making one more hat to perfect the pattern. What do you think of this hat pattern?
When I travel from my home to my mother's, I see many interesting homes. Wouldn't you love to live on Honey Lane? All I can think of is the song Penney Lane by the Beatles. That song is in my head!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7syIxQCquo
I also see abandoned homes. I always think of all the dashed dreams and aspirations the people had. What happened? Where did they go? Have you ever watched Youtube videos where people look at abandoned homes? Some of the occupants left with a meal on the table. I understand how people become ill, pass away, or maybe run from his or her past. What would make someone leave mansions behind?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qiwQjsdbDc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wLpX8mw9j8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsMJZWLaa7E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27YB4LttlHs
Thank you for viewing! Dawnie
lane.
