MUSHROOM HUNTING.

We didn't have to go far  to find them this year.  They where in our yard in Frankfort.

I love this time of year !

Our front yard in Zaleski, has come alive ! Just look at all the vibrant colors !!

The Vegetable Garden Post

I have , for some time now, been attempting to grow a vegetable garden. We have plenty of room, sunshine, and I believed I could devote enough time to make it worth while. Nothing tastes better than some thing you grew. HOMEGROWN.   WELL LET ME TELL YOU, it wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be... The plants grew just fine. In fact very well in most cases. I just never got any produce ! Every morning I would go out to check the garden only to find " something " had dug up all my potatoes ate anything that had started growing on them and then cast them aside. The tomatoes never got big enough before " something "ate them. Oh , and did I mention our youngest kindly mowed down the strawberry patch when he mowed the lawn. This year I decided to go about things in a different  way.  I decided after countless hours of research to try a new approach. Lasagna gardening in raised beds. My motto was to be " NO TILLING, NO WEEDING, NO VARMINTS, NO KIDDING ! We built raised beds out of old deck boards "from when we replaced our old deck". We constructed 2 beds that each measured 4x20. and then 3 more ,off the long side of one of the 4x20beds,that measured 4x12. We than lanyard cardboard down in the bottom of each bed overlapping it so to not allow weeds to grow. Cut slits in the cardboard , so roots could slip through and than wet ted it down. next layered soil, dried leaves, pine needles(what ever I could find in my own backyard-try to mimic the natural woods. Next I added manure in my case I used what was close and free ( horse ).

I than decided to try and see if I could get a head start on the season. I planted as much as I could in April. I cut milk cartons (the bottoms off) and kept the young plants from the cold and unscrewed the caps of the day for more air and sunlight. It WORKED !  As to my potatoes, well I planted them in black trash bags and cut pieces of old garden hose, coiled each piece into a circle and rolled the extra bag top down around the hose. Now every time I need to hill the potatoes I just add a layer of dirt or mulch and unroll once or twice. I THINK I GOT EM FOOLED. Any how , this is what it all looks like .. and I'll keep you posted as per how it produces and how long I can keep it producing. I'm hoping to grow crops till winter snow.. Let me know what you think.. happy gardening.

May not look like much now, but check back for a list of what I planted, when I planted and how it did.  YOU MIGHT BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISE !

Make your own rugs from carpet.

Hello again ! I just recently went to a grade opening of a Re-Store , habitat for humanity. While I was there I spotted 2 pieces of carpet, left over from a new install for a home. We got the 2 pieces of carpet and a folding table for $32.00. WHAT A BARGAIN !!! I've been wanting new rugs, but not wanting to pay the price. I couldn't believe the prices when I went looking ! So, I decided to try making my own... I got 7 rugs out of my two carpet remnants and I was lucky enough to find 100% cotton cording at Hobby Lobby for 99 Cents a yard. I bought it all. $10.24 was the cost of the cording. So , I have $32.00 - $ 8.00 for the table add $ 10.24, I have $34.24 invested in my rugs and it took me 2 nights of 5 hrs each. Check them out.. They turned out nice..... and I have enough left over to make a cat box/scratch post ( another time ). Have a look see .

tools also included a razor knife and plenty of blades.

 I gathered the rugs so you can see them all.

 

ANY size YOU need.

Two tone rug is a scrap piece I added the corners I cut off too. 

I was pleased.

just look at all the rugs...

use cardboard under carpet pieces to perfect your floor.

I got more rugs than I could have afforded  for less... I WILL BE MAKING MORE.

My son's desk to island project , compleated.



BEFORE



Finally ! Remember the torn-up desk my son Rock brung me? Well it's finally done after all this time. It wasn't that hard or time con summing. It was the weather! That, and the fact that my garage is so full of other projects that I had no room to work on it . And well it's been to cold to do things out side. So here is a refresher of the project...



Side view, It was missing one leg, part of it's side and it had no back at all behind the drawers

 

Here we have taken it down to frame.

BELOW;Framed back together with new parts.Reconstructed with draws, shelves, and a place to slide baking sheets in, up-right.



Now!!!! See other pic's ..



AFTER, detailed pic's below.



BEFORE                                       





see more below

Trash to Treasure !

























  

Laundry room / small space storage solutions

Our small laundry room has a huge storage shortage problem, as you can see.

I have been trying to pack so much in one lonely cabinet, for so long, that It has come to the point that if I don't retire this cabinet. This cabinet will be retiring it's self, right on to my folding space below. It is coming apart from all the weight.

Not wanting to go out and spend $ I decided to see what we had around the house and garage. My husband and I came up with a solution . A very simple solution. And as always looks good and cheap and easy to do. This is what we used. You will need to determine how much plywood you will need according to your size of storage needed. I will tell you this , our cubical sizes are 12x8's. Read on to see how they came out.




This is my husband , Chuck taking measurements.

Cut ,sanded and painted pieces.

4 boards (tall) for up and down, and 4 short for across.

This is the project installed.

Wow , just look at all the storage we have gained. And it looks so clean and uncluttered. We are considering doing a whole wall in our bedroom. Just think of all the stuff I could get organized. Maybe?

Valintines day

Valentines day is fast approaching and,I've been getting a lot of request for ICE CREAM CAKES !
Well , I had never made an Ice Cream Cake before. So I spent a lot of time researching recipes and settled on this great one. It's Quick, easy, and only 5 ingredients. Big on taste not your wallet. And it looks nice.

her is the cake , keep in mind this cake is for some on else and needs to stay wrapped in the freezer. But you can serve on a nice platter when serving.  Takes 10 minutes to make and 4 hours to freeze.serves 12.  Here is the recipe. ingredients are:    1/2 c. fudge ice cream topping warmed.     8 oz. tub cool whip topping, thawed and divided.      1 pkg. (4 servings)chocolate flavored instant pudding and pie filling mix.         8 Oreo cookies.     12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches.    Directions:   pour fudge topping into med. bowl. Stir in 1 c. of whipped tapping with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix,stir 2 min., or until well blended. " if to thick to spread stir in 1/4 c milk.   chop cookies into pieces, add into pudding mixture.
    NOTE:(you may want your cake more square and more layers" I made my cakes 2 layers and 6 sandwiches long do to my freezer space available) . so, keeping size in mind . Arrange 4 or 6 ice cream sandwiches side by side on a 24 x 12 piece of foil,top with pudding mixture, repeat as needed. Frost the sides and top with remaining whipped topping . I also drizzled fudge topping over top ( that's just me) Freeze at least 4 hours, Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly be for serving.  Store left overs in freezer. Hope you enjoy. This would save you tones of $ at birth day parties. And people will think you slaved over making this cake.  Talk more soon.  OH,and  this cake looks striped when cut !