Tutorials

Grape Jelly Time

Around here in SC we are wrapping up grape picking season. You have another week or so to get yourself (and your kids!) out there picking the lovely muscadine grapes that are growing right on the vine. After you come home with them, you’ll want to be sure to make the easiest jelly on earth out of ’em. This is my favorite preserve to make, because there is no hulling, cutting, dicing, getting the seeds out, milling, peeling, etc… that comes along with strawberry jelly, apple jelly, cherry, etc. I guess it’s about equal to making my other favorite preserve, …

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Rainbow craft goodness

  Last week, my children and I had fun working on a project I had seen all over the bloggersphere… in too many places to even credit (just google crayon art) it is all over Pinterest, StumbledUpon, and blogs galore.     Miles and Clara did an amazing job on theirs… so good I just have to frame and hang them! I just love these… somehow they combine the spirit of childhood with freedom and flow… melting crayons into something new, each one totally unique… it is just pure fun.   If you want to create your own this weekend, …

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Saving Seeds, a tutorial (i.e. the perks of lazy gardening)

  All this heat is causing my plants to bolt early!  Here, you can see my basil has started shooting up flower/seed heads…   I’m really excited about this tutorial. And the reason I’m excited is because I’m going to be trying it for the first time myself, along with anyone out there who wants to try it with me! Okay, so I admit that this topic is only an issue because of my sub-par gardening skills.  That and the extreme heat/drought that we are experiencing in this part of SC.  All of my (admittedly unattended) garden crops are bolting… …

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Lobster. Easiest food I’ve ever grilled.

Now that you’ve made some free eco-friendly fire starters… what should you cook over that summertime fire pit? I have a great tutorial for you today… I use my grill but if you just cook these over a fire pit, I have no doubt they are amazing. I’ll try that next and let you know how it goes. Easiest in the world way to prepare lobster, no steaming up your kitchen this summer… it’s grilled lobster! Ready? You won’t even need to print this out, it’s so easy. Just place on grill and cook about 8 minutes. Simple. But if …

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Tutorial: FREE, eco-friendly firepit starters!!! And a Garden Update…

I have a great tutorial for you today… the perfect thing to do outside, amidst your gorgeous summer garden? Nighttime fire pit! Nothing like a summer bonfire… under a full moon is even better! I love hotdogs and smores cooked in an outdoor firepit on those nights when I don’t even want to *think* about cooking. Add a sprinkler nearby, and you’ve got an instant summertime party. The best part is that the firestarters are free, or near free. I made about three dozen fire starters for exactly $0.00. Perfect! And reusing old containers before recycling them… priceless.   Ready …

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Dates for the next set of Health eCourses… and the first Strawberry Recipe!!!!

  First, some bookkeeping stuff. Just wanted to post the new start dates for my next run of Health eCourses. The Detox eCourse started today and I’m loving it! I am so excited to be detoxing this week right along with all the participants. I feel like “spring” inside and out. The first class sold out, but the next class runs in May and you can reserve your spot right now! Also, the next Skin Care eCourse starts April 25th, so now is the PERFECT time to sign up. I will be creating the next batch of skin care goodie …

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Winter Solstice (and a quick sewing tutorial)

Winter solstice this year was a great one… a full lunar eclipse (although I admit we slept right on through it in our house) on the eve of winter solstice… magic in the air for sure! We really enjoy winter solstice at our house… we have a few traditions that we repeat every year. One is stringing cereal onto thread and draping it across the bare branches of our trees for the wildlife to share… some apples too, hung on a thread. Our gift to the creatures that share our yard in the night, the longest night of the year. …

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