DIY Cleanser

I have had this book for some years now, and have been using the recipes for home cleansers to great effect. My favorite is the Earth Scrub:

Mix 1 2/3 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup of liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with 1/2 cup water. Add 2 tbsp vinegar last (you'll see why if you don't). Stir until the lumps are gone, then pour into a 16 - to - 20oz squirt bottle. Make sure the lid is on well, to avoid drying out.

Truly, this stuff is great - the baking soda is super good at getting rid of grease and isn't damaging to wood (if it doesn't linger). I think you do need to be careful, though, when using it on aluminum, as it can do damage if left on too long.

I have noticed something about making my own cleaners: they make me want to clean! After I made this yesterday, I ended up scrubbing counters, fridge, oven, cabinets, floor and even the kettle! And no, I'm not nesting...

Bookcase Beds

Considering the new one's arrival in a couple months now, we've been discussing the bed issue - where to put everyone. Apparently, it's not a problem. If Abigail's a good judge, we can just tuck 'em all up in here with room to spare. I know they'll be glad not to have to make their beds anymore...

Spoiler Alert: Gross Picture Herein!

It was about a month or so ago that Abigail shut her right ring finger in the car door. Now, for the child who is so sensitive to injury that she has insisted she cannot walk due to a scraped knee, she handled such pain really well. She got a little tearful at the sight of blood, but that's about it.

Within a couple of days, the nail started to turn black and swollen. We were confident the bone wasn't broken, but we were thinking that the nail might fall off. Lo and behold, there was a pretty gnarly blood blister beneath the nail that started to heal rather nicely once the blister was burst and drained (pretty gross/cool).

But then it happened - the nail started to lose its grip on her finger. A few weeks of monitoring and band-aids came and went until last night, when Abigail decided that the nail had to come off. After about 45 minutes, some gritted teeth and a little help from Daddy, the job was done.

If you're of a squirmish nature, don't scroll down...

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Sorry if you can't enlarge the photo - I have no idea how to do that!

Okay, so maybe it's not that gross, but gross is a rather relative concept. Plus, it was really gross watching her trying to lift it off her finger...

By the way, the nail will grow back, right? There is really no nail left at the moment and a decent little dent in the nail bed, but the nail will grow back eventually, right? Right?

New Year, New Booklist

Well, the booklist for 2009 was a really helpful tool to organize my reading. Normally, I'd just pick up whatever suited my fancy, rarely branching out to try anything new. Being intentional about what I read is new for me, but a really good way to grow.

Some reading highlights from 2009:

Pocketful of Pinecones - a fictional account of a family employing the Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling. Really sweet.

Respectable Sins - a wonderful resource for identifying common sins that are particularly overlooked within Christian circles, and how to battle them.

Adopted for Life - the story of all believers, adopted by God, intertwined with the story of the author's adoption of his two sons by a Russian orphanage. A must read for those interested in adoption or not - though if you're not interested, this book might change your mind.

And one to miss:

Travelling Mercies - really, nothing redemptive or encouraging at all available here. Just a whole lot of self-absorption. Don't waste your time.

I'll probably be adding another title or two over the next few days - any suggestions?

A Christmas Preview

I think it's close enough to the big day that I can show off a few of the gifts without concern that the kids will spoil the surprise.

The first thing is not actually handmade, but was assembled at home. That would be the

kitchen, from Mum & Peter. It's so cool, really sturdy, and weighing in at almost 90lbs, should stand up to whatever abuse they're liable to throw at it. Thanks so much, Mum & Peter - they are going to be so jazzed about it! Toby suggested making some oven mitts to go with it, which I will probably get to soon.

A big thanks to Erik, too, who helped Toby put it up last night - so that I didn't have to!

Next is a little something for Noah - he's so into carrying his tool box around that Toby decided the boy needed a toolbelt. How could I fail to oblige? Found the pattern in this book, and with just a minor tweek here and there, my boy is as handy as they come. And I'm sorry, but I think the mattress ticking fabric is beyond cute.

Finally, that which I must confess to being most excited about. A month or so ago, Toby and I were looking through a slew of kid catalogues together, trying to get some idea of gifts for the kids, and we saw this:

I also saw the price tag, and thought, "Surely, I can make that for a lot less." Then Toby said aloud, "Surely, you can make that for a lot less." So, the challenge was given and received. And I think what I made might even be cooler. (Toot, toot on my own horn)

Half a dozen pockets for all sorts of things, and three embroidered velcro signs: Post, Shop & Cafe. This is my first real go at embroidery, people! How exciting! And though it's probably not the best part, but pretty high up there, is that everything (so far) was free! All scrap fabric from my stash - the only thing that needs buying is the tension rod to hang it with.

So now the kids can sell stuff, dine out or post letters. Looking forward to Christmas morning!

How we spent the weekend

A lot of this, poor man...

No reason why he shouldn't help a little...

And when they got too cold or tired, we did this...

...and this.

It was a good weekend.

Providence

So I woke up Friday morning with an unexplainable compulsion: I must make myself this hat. Now. Ewenique Yarns in Bel Air happily obliged me with a couple skeins of a wool blend and mohair blend, and by evening, I had this soft, warm and sweetly apple-y green hat. Love it.

This was all Providential, as I had no particular need for a hat at the moment, aside from the fact that I didn't have one. I had no clue of the approaching snowstorm, nor any premonition of the couple feet we would get within 24 hours of the knitting urge. I tell ya, folks, the kindness of God is a marvellous thing - He even works through obscure pregnancy urges...

Pootling

After a very pleasant Thanksgiving with family, it's been busy and yet quiet around here. Nothing of great significance going on, but we've been making and schooling and doing.

My Singer Athena 2000 (sewing machine - duh) has all but died - definitely on her last legs (or spools). There was a frenzy of comparison shopping and trying to figure out: do I want mechanical or touch pad-face? What speed? How many stitches? How much? At the end of it all, I realized that in spite of the Black Friday sales, if anyone else was to receive a Christmas gift this year, my new machine would have to wait. Enter my sweet friend, Mandie, who has generously provided me with a long-term loaner. And so the business continues...

Business in the form of more hanging pockets, to organize Phoenix card supplies...

... a sewing machine cover for the mini-machine Abigail got for her birthday - after all, all Mommy's machines had them...

...a knitting bag, complete with internal pocket for yarn, external pocket for whatever, and 2 internal loops for knitting needles and/or keys.

Thanks go to Zoanna, who kindly provided all the scrap material I've been able to make stuff with!

Now, time for a market research question: For the crafty among you - what features would the perfect craft-bag have? Regardless of the craftiness in question, every bag I've ever bought had one little thing I didn't like or didn't use or didn't have. What's your must have: long or short straps? Velcro or zipper closing? Small hole for yarn feeding? Plastic pouch for stamps? Reinforced pocket for scissors? Give me some good feedback, and I might be able to come up with something special for you - you never know...

Sunday nights

a good fire

popcorn and caramel apples

apple cider

our new game, sneak attack

all we need for a great family night

Wishpot

This must be one of the best tools to organize your Christmas shopping: Wishpot. The ultimate wishlist, it pulls all other wishlists together into one central location. It also allows you to organize what you'd like to buy for others on your list, and even has a price comparison facility. For those who buy online or know those who'd like to shop for you online, this is a great tool. It's free to sign up, and the biggest thing (at least for me) has been the ability to create a wishlist for websites that don't have the facility (ie Vision Forum). And did I mention that it's got a baby and wedding registry? So cool. Check out my wishpot, if you're interested - you know, for research...