{a handmade Christmas}

I am all about decorating on a dime. And this Christmas, especially, offered no reason to change my ways.  So, here are some simple solutions for your grand taste but small pocketbook.

{above} Christmas trees using 12x12 sheets of scrapbook paper and candlestick holders.

In this we mixed burlap and grapevine together with some shimmer and shine to create a Winter Wonderland snowman for the front door.

And these little snowman ornaments will look great on our packages or make great little ornaments for our neighbors. Rolled with simple white yarn and hot glued together. Topped with a wire black hat and little wire arms...

But one of my favorites that I created this year for the home is this beautiful tulle wreath.

adding the special touch - a rolled flower from some quilt binding and a bird nestled inside.

{more to come}

for more ideas go to www.facebook.com/downhomemagazine or www.downhomemag.com

{how does your garden grow}

Mary, Mary, quite contrary How does you garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells and not one marigold...Well, not yet. I did plant some marigolds from seed over the weekend.

As well as harvest a few of my vegetables that I have cared for over the last several weeks.

I have plucked some beautiful spring onions

And after weeks of wondering what my cabbages would grow up to be...

one finally graduated to the Sunday dinner table...

Soon, we'll be gathering peppers and tomatoes and squash and beets 

 {then canning peppers and tomatoes and squash and beets}

I remember how much hard work goes into having a garden - with all the planting and weeding and watering. I did alot of garden work as a young person in my parents' garden. But it is not until you have your own garden that you experience/understand the harvest....making all the hard work worth while.

Pimp That Jar Contest by Down Home Magazine

You plan on doing any canning this year? Why not enter our contest?


DHM is hoping to inspire you to get out your glue gun, dig up some embellishments, and turn that trusty

old mason jar into something a little more flashy.


Here’s the Details:

* Embellish, package or otherwise ‘dress up’ your favorite jar of canned veggies, fruits jams or jellies with anything you like as long as it doesn’t damage the contents or break the seal.

{here are some samples from other contests}

* Send us a JPG of your creation to downhomemagazine@nc.rr.com with subject line: Pimp That Jar. (Jar must be available for us to photographed if you win)

*All entries must be received by 10pm EST August 3rd, 2011.

We will post the entries on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/downhomemagazine and leave it to our fans to vote for a winner! Winner will be announced in the Sept/Oct 2011 issue of Down Home Magazine - just in time for the Fair Issue! The winner will be contacted by email and receive a copy of “Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving” and an Eastern NC Goodie Bag.

Entry form available online at www.downhomemag.com

I Play Farmville - in real life

Anyone who knows anything about me at all knows that I lit up when I found this book - The Backyard Homestead -. I found it at one of the many visits to my local Tractor Supply store to gather ideas for my little “homestead”. (though I rarely buy anything from the big box store) I was amazed at how the book broke it all down for me and gave me real harvest amounts that I could relate to. I knew that having your own garden was helpful because i have one myself. I also have a few chickens and fruti trees, It is my goal to grow as much of my own sustainable foods as possible. The book tells you how to do just that. .

On the back of the book, it tells you that on a 1/4 acre, you can harvest:

1400 eggs (seriously? I love that!)

50 lbs of wheat

60 lbs of fruit

2000 lbs of vegetables

280 lbs of pork

75 lbs of nuts



Now you can call me nuts if you want to, but I sure would like to have even a quarter of these foods for free.. And, anyone who can;t see the savings in this terrible economy is nuts if you ask me.

My girls are no longer on Strike!

Now that the weather is warming up, my girls have to decided to get back to work - laying beautifully colored eggs - in shades of white, beige, brown and blue.

We eat good - real good when they start laying again. Omlets, scrambled, fried,  deviled eggs, Easter eggs, pickled. And though my favorite thing to do with our eggs is pickling them....

...there is not one thing wrong with a delicious egg salad sandwich!

(feel free to use the recipe below)

Ingredients:  {Makes 6}

 

10 hard-boiled egg whites

2 hard-boiled egg yolks

2 to 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 avocado, mashed, plus 1/2 avocado roughly chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Boston lettuce, arugula, and tomato slices (optional)

12 white sandwich bread, such as Pullman, sliced about 1/2-inch thick, toasted

Directions:

1.Using a pastry blender or fork, mash together egg whites and yolks in a large bowl; carefully fold in avocado. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

2.Place 6 slices of bread on a work surface. Evenly divide egg salad among bread slices. Add lettuce greens or tomato, if desired. Top with remaining 6 slices bread. Serve.

Digging in Dirt

One potato, two potato, three potato - GROW! Never planted potatoes as an adult. I remember digging them up as a child in our family garden, but as an adult...no.

Several years back my husband built me a few raised beds and each Summer we grow the basics - tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and peppers. And of course - some fresh herbs. But this year - we actually have a garden with rows and rows and rows. This month, we've planted onions, mustard, turnips and potatoes. The onions and mustard seeds have already broken ground and I am quite anxious to get out there and start pulling and cutting.

I hope to keep it fed and weeded and to keep you up to date on the harvest! I'm looking forward to planting peppers and okra and whatever else I please.