I feel good, because this week, I saved time and money by . . .

. . . cooking several meals and snacks ahead of need.

I was out of commission for the early part of this week. I injured my back on Sunday, then pulled a muscle in my calf on Monday. I was a hunched over, hobbling mess. The real difficulty came late Tuesday afternoon when I realized that there was virtually nothing close to being ready to have for dinner, and I was in no shape to make beef stew, as I had planned. My two daughters stepped up for me and made a delicious split pea soup and a batch of carrot muffins, all from scratch. But this took away from their time for homework. Not good!


When my kids open the refrigerator and pantry doors a hundred times and call out, "Mom, there's nothing to eat!" I know that this is family code for, "there's nothing prepared that I can pop into my mouth!" Which, for me, means it's time to get busy, get creative and use what I have to make several snacks, treats and drinks.

So, pain or no pain, I had to get some things prepared so that we could actually eat around here. Looking into my fridge on Wednesday, you'd think I'd stolen a page out of a nursery rhyme.

some milk, eggs, butter, sour cream and single-serving of
leftover beans, plus onions and carrots, not exactly a feast

                          ~~Old Mother Hubbard, your cupboard is bare!~~ 

Or is it? A little "Mom Magic" and we'll just see if we can't transform this emptiness into abundance.

• I took the beef that I had thawed for stew, and cut the pieces smaller and made a jumbo batch of vegetable-beef soup, enough for Wednesday and Thursday dinners (make that "enough for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday dinners!")

• I also used the last of a loaf of French bread to make croutons for the soup.  Wow, those were yummy, and easy!

• I cooked up a large pot of rice. With the rice, I can quickly make a fried rice supper, or rice and lentil pilaf, or my favorite breakfast and lunch when I'm going both gluten and dairy-free, rice with almonds, raisins and cinnamon. 

• And while we sat and ate dinner, I had a pot of maple and brown sugar oatmeal cooking for tomorrow's breakfast. 

And that was it for my big cooking spree on Wednesday -- I had to lie down.

Thursday morning, I got myself into the kitchen again to prepare ahead of hunger and need.

• I made a double batch of cranberry-orange bread. Making quick bread takes less hands-on time than a large batch of muffins, with no individual cups to fill. I could get back to resting my back sooner.

• One daughter likes healthy snacks, so I used the food processor to shred carrots, and made carrot-raisin salad, enough for her snacking, and for our dinner on Thursday.
• Another favorite snack in our house is popcorn. I like to change things up a bit, so this time I made Southwest-style popcorn. It's just popcorn with chili powder and cumin sprinkled over it all. 

• And of course, a pitcher of lemonade (from bottled lemon juice and sugar) to wash down all these snacks.

Now, take a look inside my fridge -- abundance once again! And just about everything that I made was either quick and easy, or saved me time in the long run, because I made extra for future snacks and meals.

top left, 3 containers of vegetable-beef soup, middle left, potato skins
waiting to be  tossed with oil and salt and roasted, bottom left, leftover
maple/brown sugar oatmeal and plain rice, top right, pitcher of lemonade,
bottom right, carrot-raisin salad

Like I said, I didn't whip this all up in a tornado-like fury. No, I was hobbling about, and did this over a 2-day span. I chose mostly uncomplicated foods to prepare, and I used my food processor, when possible, to lighten my work. So, it's definitely a doable solution the next time my family screams, "Mom, there's nothing to eat!"


Have you used any "Mom Magic" lately? Is there something that you've done this week that saved you time and/or money, and made you feel good?

Sometimes an empty fridge is a blessing. You can finally wipe down the shelves, for one thing. But also, I love the challenge of creating abundance when it appeared there was nothing much there. How about you?

Some springtime decor for my home

Do you add decorations to your home for the spring time? Most of us decorate our homes for the autumn and winter holidays (summer for those of you down under). But often we get busy with, well, life! Too busy to think about some visual treat for our homes.

And I am one of those persons. I've been far too busy to consider what a delight to the eye can do for my mood. Yes, I'm suggesting a little spring decor as a mood enhancer. Skip the Prozac! Give me a fun craft that results in something of beauty to add to my home.

Having recently been inspired by Jemma's blog At Home With Jemma -- Jemma's Easter Table  and  Spring Decor Updates, and her lovely springtime decorations, I finally became motivated to make something that has been on a back burner for several years, a springtime wreath.

You see, we have a spot in our entry hall which holds an autumn wreath of dried leaves and gourds in fall, a faux evergreen wreath in the della Robbia style for Christmas, and a seashell wreath for summer. It's been my custom to replace the Christmas wreath in early January with the summer wreath, which just seemed wrong to me.

I had vowed to make a springtime wreath that would double as Easter decor, but still remain up until summer actually started here. Most years, I was bogged down with taxes, 4 springtime birthdays, and the Easter celebration itself (and all the surrounding activities).

        ~~crafting beautiful things brings me joy ~~


This year, I finally realized how much joy I would have in choosing items to make a springtime wreath. And equally important, that my joy was important, too.

Last Friday afternoon, one of my daughters needed a ride to the fabric and craft store to pick up some trim. Perfect opportunity! I browsed the floral department, thought and rethought many possibilities.

Ultimately, I decided that I wanted something very natural looking, using items that spoke "spring" to me -- a bird's nest, pansies or violas (the artificial violas actually looked the most realistic to me), moss (living in the Pacific Northwest, moss is part of the natural landscape), and English Ivy, in particular, needlepoint English Ivy.

I also remembered a small basket that was part of a flower arrangement I'd received a couple of years ago. I saved the basket, knowing I would someday do something with it. I'll use the leftover bits from the wreath to make this basket centerpiece for the kitchen table.

So, I'm (almost) finished with these two projects. With the wreath, I pinned on ivy and violas, and a tiny bird's nest with eggs. I've left it very natural looking. It seems to echo the Pacific Northwest landscape that I see outdoors. The wreath now hangs in our entry hall, on the hook where I hang the seasonal wreaths. The seashell wreath had to go back to the closet until summer comes. (I think the wreath needs a small bird on the top edge. I didn't see any at Jo-Ann's, but will check Hobby Lobby when I'm in that complex on Friday. What do you think? Bird, yes? Bird, no?)

With the basket, I wrapped the base of the basket in moss, then pinned ivy over the moss, added some violas and another tiny bird's next with eggs.

I've set the basket on the kitchen table. On the one side you can see the nest,

and on the other side, the violas.


A few tips (that I've learned the hard way) on making wreaths and baskets:

• For wreaths, identify where the top is going to be, before you begin. Place a hook made of wire in this spot, on the back side. As needed, you can hold the wreath up as you work, to see if everything is placed how you want it.

• Near the end of your work, find a nail on the wall to hang the wreath, so that you can make sure what you want to be visible, will be visible. I needed to adjust the tiny bird's nest, so that it could be seen from below (this wreath will hang up high).

• I use floral wire for most of the work, but I also use flexible craft cement, (the goopy stuff that is rubbery when dry). If you ever want to get the cap off again, leave the tube open, on top of some newspapers (it will ooze), until you are all done. Then, take a paper towel or disposable piece of cloth and wet with rubbing alcohol, and wipe the applicator tip clean. Now, seal with the cap. 
• To get your hands clean, a bit of vegetable oil rubbed into the rubbery stuff on your fingers is a non-toxic way to remove this stuff. You still may need to pick bits off. Alternatively, fingernail polish remover will also dissolve this type of craft cement.

floral pick, with tight cluster of flowers

same floral pick with the flower stems spread out,
it covers almost twice the area with flowers this way

• To get the most bang for your buck with those small floral picks (that look like tiny bouquets), spread the tiny floral stems apart and you will almost double the size of your floral pick.

While I bought almost everything for these projects, there is a frugal side. I'll use these items year after year, so this is a one-time investment for decor for the home.

And secondly, I had coupons! Lots and lots of coupons! Every single item I bought either was on sale already, or I had a 50% off coupon I could apply. Which just goes to show you how much of a markup fabric and craft supply stores have. I really try to never buy anything in those stores that's not either on sale or that I don't have a coupon that I could use.

In addition to making this basket and wreath, I already had a few Easter items to set out. Among them, these chocolate bunny molds. I put them in my main work area of the kitchen, as I'm the one who will most appreciate some spring decor.

          ~~we all have it within us to create~~


I have a theory that all mankind is designed to create. That this is a part of man being designed in God's image. Some of us create directly with our hands, others use traditional tools, many create in their gardens and kitchens, and others yet, create with technology. We all have it in us to be creative.

What have you been wanting to make, but have been putting off? If you made the time to create this special item(s), would you find joy in the process, as I do? What is your favorite type of crafting, redesigning, or needle work?

updated photo of the basket -- with chickadee on handle