my clotheslines

These are my clothesline lines before, except where the blanket is hanging from the swingset.  That one I just put up so I could hang out all the quilts.  The clothesline in front had to be sacrificed for a playhouse that is attached to the swingset on this side.  The post became legs for the playhouse.

I needed the clothesline space though so I improvised.  I attached the boards from the tore down clothesline to a tree and the backside of the post for my other clothesline (which is also attached to the garage).  It works but is just temporary.  Next year I am getting a "real" clothesline!

view from the other side. 

~Jess~

What I am making today.

I get the pretend maple syrup.  You know the cheap stuff.  I believe it is $1.49 at Aldi.  I dislike the real thing.  Yuck!    Anyway, we are having breakfast for dinner and I am making my own homemade strawberry pancake syrup.

Strawberry syrup recipe

If this works out I plan to make my own syrup from now on.  I will buy the maple flavoring and make my own artificial maple syrup.  It should cost pennies to make and be a bit healthier than the stuff I buy.  My girls would eat waffles and pancakes every day if I would let them so we go through a lot of syrup.

cooking the syrup

I changed the recipe a bit.  I only added 1/2 cup of sugar and add 1/2 package of strawberry flavored jello (mostly for color but a little for sweetness too).  It seemed a bit too thin so I added a 1/4 tsp of cornstarch to 1 tbsp water and stirred it into the syrup mix.  I strained out the leftover strawberry mash and we are putting that over angel food cake for dessert tommorrow!

~Jess~

meat sale and wrapping tutorial

I went to a meat sale today.  I spent $65 and got

That is just over 32 pounds of meat.

or

an average of $2.03 per pound.

The average is higher than I would have liked due to R wanting baby back ribs.  Without the ribs it would have been $1.75 average...much more to my liking, but R works hard so I can stay at home so he deserves a "treat" once in a while.

Once I got home with all the meat, I proceeded to wrap it into meal sized portions.  Here is a tutorial on how I wrap meat.  I wrap this way because the meat stays fresh longer and prevents freezer burn for a longer time frame.  I cooked ribs last night that were from April 2009.  They got misplaced in the freezer.  They were still as fresh as the day I froze them.  That's some good wrapping!

First I take a piece of Reynolds Freezer wrap.  Place it waxed side up.

Then I stick my meat about 1/3 of the way in from a corner.  This paper wasn't ripped square but you can get the idea.

Then I fold the first corner over the meat, pressing down to flatten the meat and release any air.

Then I bring in the sides. Again squeezing out any air.

I fold the sides in to make a point at the opposite end and I crease the folds, squeezing out any air as I crease.

Bring the wrapped meat over, flipping it onto the creased area.  Again sqeeze out any air.

bring the end over the top of the wrapped meat.

The very edge of the paper should be just a triangle shape.

Secure the triangle using one piece of freezer tape.

label the package with type of meat and date packaged.

For meat with bones I do it essentially the same but I add one step.

I place meat on plastic wrap.

Wrap the meat with the plastic wrap, making sure to squeeze out as much as as possible.

and then proceed with the wrapping.

Ta-Da!  lots of meat wrapped and ready to freeze!

bottom 2 shelves.  Very bottom is all ground beef

2nd from botton is (from left to right)

in the box: Ham, pork ribs.

white wrapped: beef roasts

 clear packaging: ring bologna

top box right side: pork chops

bottom box rght side: Bratwurst

top shelf: chicken, frozen pizzas

2nd shelf: veggies, fries, onion rings,

3rd shelf: steaks, pan of muffins that I need to wrap, cottage cheese (I buy it marked down and freeze it for use in lasagna), homemade strawberry freezer jam.

freezer door

margarine, breadsticks, homemade waffles, ground turkey, butter, pizza sticks, pearl onions, cocktail weiners

garlic bread, juice concentrate, pie crust, cheese, sausage links.

~Jess~

quilts and more quilts.

I am covered in quilts.  HA!  but seriously, I have one almost done for a friend for Christmas.  Just need to tie it.
O's is done and waiting for tying.  Matching pillowcase also made...on a whim.  The pillowcase matches the back of the quilt
square are cut for K's quilt and mostly cut for the youngest neice's quilt.
Instead of tying the quilts which is probably one of the most relaxing things to do, I decided to "fix" the quilt I picked up yesterday.  I had a sheet that was *almost* big enough so I used that for a new back.  By new back I mean I just sewed it right onto the quilt, over the old back.  There is one corner of the old back that is in good shape so I left that corner exposed.  IDK.  It seemed like a good idea.  Kinda show what the quilt originally looked like.  It looks a bit goofy IMO, but this is a HEAVY quilt and will be a good winter quilt for us.  I stood on the scale with it and it added 10 lbs to my weight.  YIKES! I think it is going to be too heavy for O though.  Originally she wanted the quilt but I don't think she will like the bulkiness of it.  I think it will be alright.  I do NOT do show quality quilts.  I do utility quilts.  Ones that are meant to be used.  They are not perfect but they are made with LOVE...that's what's important..IMHO.

the back-ignore my fabric mess.  That is next on my list of things to tackle.

different view of the back

the top.

~Jess~

surprise dig n save trip

I adore the dig and save outlet in Madison.  If you are in Madison and have a couple hours to spare, check out ST Vincent de Paul dig and save outlet at 1900 S park st.  They are open from 10-5.  I believe they now accept debit cards but cash is best. 

A few scores today.  There were more however the rest are quilt stuff which I will take pics of later.  One of the quilt things I picked up is a completed quilt that the backing is tore in a couple spots.  I plan to fix that. 

purple hoodie for Kait and a shirt for Kait

this is going to be the backing for my youngest neice's toddler bed quilt

Levi and Gap carpenter shorts for R

shirts for Liv and Kait (SO, Old Navy, Children's place and something else)

childrens place and Levi shirt for youngest neice, hello Kitty shirt for Liv,children's place pants for youngest neice, peace shirt for K

Gap shirt, skirt and some PJ pants for K, Dora PJ shirt for O

Gap and Lands' End fleece for K and/or O, Sweater Dress K had to have.

pants, PJ pants, shorts for K

Between mom and I we FILLED the trunk of her car for $40.  Sweet!

~Jess~

house is done and more

The contractor finished the house on Friday.  Hooray!  Now we started planning for a deck for next spring and rain gutter. 

Today R and I blanched and prepped 36 ears of corn for the freezer.  We also chopped 5 vidalia onions for the freezer and added 2 diced green peppers to our freezer stash of green peppers.  We planned dinners for this week too.

It has been 2 weeks since my surgery and we are finally getting back into the swing of things. 

I started a Christmas present quilt and have a tote Christmas present pieced.  I just need to do some more sewing.  I scored a huge bag of fabric (25 lbs or better) for $6.50 at a local thrift store.  Some of that will become potholders for Christmas gifts, as well as totes and quilt squares.  I have a ton of sewing to do before Christmas!

the next couple of months are winter prep mode around here.  Not only do we do outside winter prep, we also do inside winter prep stuff.  Which is stocking the freezer with the delicious veggies of summer so we can enjoy them in the winter.  We also stock meats and whatever else we feel like (zucchini bread actually freezes really well!). 
~Jess~