Water Drum to Composter

We're getting ready for spring around here and I thought I'd share an idea the hubby came up with a few years back for an easy, clean composter.

First, take an old water drum. This one is 55 gallons and has a screwtop lid.

Drill holes on the bottom (for draining the dirt), then two on the side to put a bar in the middle for rotating the dirt. Attach to a pallet to keep it off the ground and the lid keeps critters out. The drum can be spun to shake and mix the dirt and create some yummy, yummy compost!

Here's a peek inside to see how the spinning mechanics work. We ended up donating this one to our son's school garden because our dirt needs are ever growing, but this would be a great option for the backyard gardener in areas with critters or pets.

What kind of spring and garden prep are you getting ready for right now? Share in the comments!

Reupholstering with Burlap

Reupholstering was something I thought a Renaissance gal should know how to do, like chopping wood or hemming pants. But it can get expensive, so why not try it with something frugal like burlap?

These ghastly chairs made the perfect victims. Getting them apart was easy, just unscrewing the bottom from the back and making a simple slipcover. (Ahem, I did not follow any proper upholstery protocol at all!)

Sticking burlap is a little tricky due to the wide open weave and fraying, not to mention if you are doing weird patchwork tricks to jury-rig a wider piece of fabric.

This was done with absolute beginner sewing skills on the machine. Tidy hems will make it all the more polished and kick the shabby chic up a notch.

Here you can see the seam where more fabric was added, but I don't really mind it. In fact, I think it adds some personality.

This was an easy way to dive into reupholstering. What else could you burlap?!

Saturday Mornings

I'm not usually a morning person, but weekends have me waking up early to feed my neighbor's horses.

What started as a chore has become a peaceful, almost zenlike approach to the day. I appreciate the intention it brings and any moment to connect with animals is a good one in my book.

These are my "neigh"bors Entrigue and Val, so you can catch a glimpse of their cute faces before they get covered in fly masks.

Entrigue doesn't like to come up for air until he's had every morsel of his breakfast.

I then take a moment to admire the vegetable garden. (Not my work of course- my thumb is more gangreen than green.)

The last chore is letting out and feeding the chickens.

And trying to stay out of the rooster's way. I don't know him very well, but he always seems to be in a bad mood.

Not me! I'm looking at the best start to my day.

An Overview of Jam Making

If you haven't been seeing so much of me these days, it's probably because I've been busy canning. That's right, Chuck and I have a new obsession, and when we aren't talking about it or doing it, we're thinking about it. As a newcomer to canning, this is the best time to be obsessed with it, as it's been peak season into next month.

For detailed recipes, fantastic directions and supplies, check out the Ball website, or better yet, get a Ball Blue Book guide to preserving.

I know you have a slew of mason jars lying around, so this is the chance to put them to work. Sterilize them in a pot of boiling water for several minutes, then store in a 200 degree oven while you wait for the mixture to be ready. Every recipe is different depending on the fruit, use of pectin, and total amount, so I'm not listing a specific recipe. You can adjust your recipe according to how much fruit you have, or just follow a recipe from the Book.

For our first jam, we used freshly picked blackberries. Mix pectin into sugar and add to the boiling mixture.

After the pectin is cooked, pour the jam to the top of the jars, leaving no gaping air space between the jar and the lip (it can affect the jam's shelf life). Use a clean cloth to wipe the brims, then place the cover on. (The quick wipe helps the vacuum.) Screw the lid until closed but not tight, and place in the pot of boiling water. We boiled for 15 minutes, according to our recipe. When you pull out the jars, the lids pop when they seal.

The only question is what to can next?

Revamped Switch Plates

 I've been in my new apartment for three months and it's cute as can be- except for the light switch covers. They're just terrible and awful and I'm offended every time I see them. 

This one is by far the worst.

And this one isn't that much better. Don't get me wrong, wolves, turtles, sea bass and cheesy nature scenes have their charm in the right place, but definitely not in my decor. This weekend, they were ready for an extreme makeover.

I pulled pages from an old dictionary and set to work making a smarter, more neutral decoupage to fit my aesthetic.

And best of all, you just need a little glue and a sharp edge for trimming down. For the more interesting pictures on pages, I lined them up in the switch plate frame, glued them down, evened out the edges and folded them over the back like so. When laid flat, then the hole for the switch can be cut out with a clean edge.

Paint the decoupaged surface with Mod Podge to add an extra coating. Yes, a new adhesive to work with! (I'm a big fan of projects involving glue, in case you didn't know.) This helps projects last longer, especially if using fragile materials.

Here are the rest I made.

This one is my favorite. It's going in the bathroom, of course.

Sorry, Wolfie, it was time for you to move out.

Nordic Kiss

My good friends know that I have trouble transitioning into summer drinks, given my passion for porters, stouts and whiskeys during the cooler months. Don't get me wrong, I love a cosmo or a gin and tonic as much as a gal can, but finding my "summer drink" is tricky. 

I drink Lillet on ice or Campari sodas when I'm with friends or in the garden, but I like having a regular stock of something more versatile in the home. And one should never drink Lillet alone, really.

I've made a couple Ikea runs since my move and I found a bottle of elderflower syrup. I was curious, and drawn to something that is sweet and feminine, but also recommended for flavoring water. How practical! I got a bottle, hoping I could get creative.

This is a lovely variation of a drink my godmother made me, only hers uses St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur in the most beautiful bottle you've ever seen. This is my take, a little twist on the French Gimlet.

 -2 oz. citrus vodka
-1 Tablespoon of elderflower syrup or St. Germain
-4 oz. grapefruit soda (you can use juice, but I like the bubbles for summer)
-slice or twist of lime

Serve up or on the rocks.

Great for a party, or just to celebrate you!