Walnut harvest articles

October is harvest time for walnuts. Below are the articles we have done in the past about harvest.

September 28, 2007 Walnut harvest
October 10, 2008 Walnut harvest 1
October 17, 2008 Walnut harvest 2
October 24, 2008 Walnut harvest 3
October 31, 2008 Walnuts to market

Other related articles about growing and caring for walnuts are:
June 19, 2009 Walnut husk fly
June 12, 2009 Coddling moth
February 20, 2009 Walnut tree removal
April 18, 2008 Walnut pollination
October 19, 2007 Walnut varities

Articles with recipes and nutrition about walnuts:
August 8, 2008 Walnut oatmeal burgers
October 5, 2007 Nutrition in nuts
April 20, 2007 Flavored nut recipes

Enjoy!

Marriage related articles

Marriage is not a happily ever-after once the "I Do's" are said on the wedding day. Here is a list of our former columns that will help in working to make any marriage one step closer to to the ideal marriage most couples only dream about.

March 6, 2009 - Overcoming Winter Blahs
February 27, 2009 - Loose Change Date
January 9, 2009 - Marriage Bible
September 19, 2008 - Marriage takes three
August 15, 2008 - Margin or overloaded lives
July 4, 2008 - Marriage maintenance
June 27, 2008 - The Don't song
March 28, 2008 - Date your mate
July 13, 2007 Romance

Keep your marriage a priority to help it last your lifetime.

Boulder Creek Falls

Boulder Creek Falls in Whiskeytown National Park.

This week we received a letter from the current publisher of the Red Bluff Daily News, Greg Stevens. He begun his letter thanking us for our “valuable contribution.” Then went on to say they had “financial difficulties” and would “no longer pay for local columns,” but hoped that we would still “continue to contribute” them.
We do a lot of volunteer work for non-profit organizations but draw the line when it comes to for-profit businesses. So this will be our last column for now.
This week we hiked to Boulder Creek Falls in Whiskeytown Park. It was a lot of fun.
We researched the park’s website to find the directions to the trail. There are two ways to the falls. One starts about 2.5 miles past the Carr Powerhouse on South Shore Drive. That way is about 2.75 miles long one way, and has an elevation change of 1300 to 2250 feet, or 950 feet total change. The trail is a steady uphill climb and is rated “moderate.”
The falls can also be accessed by a trail that starts at Mill Creek Road. This trail is one mile in length one way and has an elevation change of only 80 feet. It is also rated as “moderate.” This is the trail we hiked.
Mill Creek Road is located about .5 miles from Highway 299 off Carr Powerhouse Road. It is a fairly rough jeep track that rapidly climbs the side of the hill for about two miles to the trailhead.
The park guide recommends a four-wheel drive vehicle, but we found that is probably not completely necessary. Any vehicle with good ground clearance, such as a pickup should have no trouble. The road is closed after the first winter storm and reopened in late spring.
There are two trails leading from the parking area. The trail on the left, which goes uphill, is the correct trail.
The first part of the trail climbs rather steeply for a short distance but then is mostly level for the rest of the walk. With a few exceptions, it is nicely shaded for the whole route.
After crossing the creek the trail proceeds to a fork. The right side goes to the falls and the left side goes back down to the South Shore Drive. The trail to the falls follows right along the creek to the base of the falls.
The falls are impressive this time of year with a considerable water flow. There is also a path of steps going up the side of the hill to an overlook where the entire 81 feet of the falls is visible, plus the 28 feet of cataracts above the falls.
It was not so difficult as to leave us exhausted, but was a good walk just the same. We thought it was on the easy side of the moderate rating. This would be a good family hike.
Farewell for now. Maybe we will see some of you in town from time to time.

Civilization Game

Original “Civilization” game along with newly made cards.

Our family has played a game called “Civilization” for years. It is a little complicated and takes about five hours to play, but is one of our favorites.
One problem with the game is that it is worn out. We wanted to replace the parts that were the most worn, such as the cards. But the game has been out of print for many years. We looked at online auction sites and while there are few available the price is prohibitive. Additionally, while the game was still being made, an add-on game was produced, called “Advanced Civilization.” It is also out of production today, and is even more expensive.
Finished pieces can also be obtained from independent internet suppliers. But they are fairly expensive. Plus, we think half the fun of a new game is making it yourself.
We wanted to get a copy of “Advanced Civilization” and replace our worn out pieces. The best way to accomplish both of those objectives for us was to make it ourselves. All the art work necessary for the various cards are available online at: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/177.
All the additional information necessary for the game to work, such as the rules and various player aids are also online.
A game board expansion was made for this game but that is also no longer available. But we were able to locate files for this online too. All that remained to do was to print everything out.
Printing the cards came first. The files we got for the cards required that we create a document in a word processor and place the card images on it. We also had to create a separate document for the card backs.
Civilization uses multiples of individual cards so we had to print several of each one. Some of the cards came with lines on them to help with the cutting out while other did not.
For the one that did not we devised a template to help. That way we could get them all evenly sized. Previously we had purchased a corner clipper at a craft store. Using that gave the cards a finished look.
The cards come in two shapes: square and rectangle. The square cards we laminated with clear self-adhesive contact paper. We used the corner clipper on the rectangle cards but that made it difficult to use contact paper. So in its place, we sprayed them with clear craft varnish. It is not as bullet proof as the contact paper, but they should hold up well enough.
Printing the map is another story. We actually have not done that yet. It is larger that a standard 8.5 by 11-inch paper, so it requires additional software to split the file up into paper-size chunks before it can be printed out. Once we figure this out we plan to attach it to a foam board for stability.
Meanwhile the game is playable with the original game board. We are all set to play again.

Mill Creek Falls

Mill Creek Falls in Lassen Park.

This weekend was the “Fee Free” weekend at the local national parks. We are always looking for ways to save a little so we decided it was a good time to go up to Lassen Park for a hike. Also the weather was beautiful so what more could we ask for?
Mill Creek Falls trail is considered a “moderate” trail. We rate it a little more difficult than that. The total elevation change is about 300 feet, but the trail goes up and down over the whole length of it so the actual climbing is probably much more.
The falls are very nice this time of year. There is enough snow melt to keep the water levels up to a point to produce considerable water flow. Two streams come together to form the falls: East Sulphur Creek and Bumpass Creek. We were surprised to find out that Mill Creek Falls is not really on Mill Creek. Mill Creek actually begins downstream where East Sulphur Creek meets West Sulphur Creek.
The trail starts at the north end of the campground just inside the park on the Highway 89 side. There was a little confusion for us on finding the trail. There is a nice description of the trail on a post right next to a very substantial looking asphalt path. We found out that is the path to the campsite, not the falls. The falls trail is a rather narrow dirt track that takes off downhill to the left of the signpost.
The walk to the falls goes through nice forest terrain. Depending on the description, the trail is either 4.7 or 3.6 miles long round trip or somewhere in between. There are some open areas covered with wildflowers, as well as a lot of mature forest.
From the trail we saw a young deer fawn. It walked off as we approached but we got a good picture. There were also numbers of pine tree seedlings just coming up from the ground. Many seeds were still stuck to the top needles of the seedlings.
We continued on the trail up and down until it comes out to an overlook of the falls. The falls are 69 feet high, the tallest in Lassen Park. The water falls into a deep ravine. From the overlook it certainly seems to be a lot more that 69 feet deep!
For those that are interested, there is an additional spur of the trail that runs out to the top of the falls. It is said to be a great place to rest on the boulders and have lunch, but just a little farther than we wanted to go at the time.
When we got back from out hike, we checked out the new visitor center and amphitheater. The visitor center is a large building which houses a café, gift shop and display areas.
Our day was enjoyable and we would recommend the falls as a “must see.” Just be in good shape before you go!

Walnut husk fly

Husk fly trap hanging on rope lowered from walnut tree to check for flys.

In our last column we talked about coddling moth and what a pest it can be to walnut growers. Another insect walnut farmers have to watch out for is husk fly.
The husk fly is an actual fly that lays it’s eggs in the walnut husk. The eggs hatch and small maggots emerge to eat the husk. They do not actually eat into the nut itself, just the husk. But when they eat through the husk it turns all black and mushy which stains the nut a dark brown or black.
Also nuts with husk fly damage are more likely to have moldy nut meat. Either of these conditions makes the nut unmarketable. Therefore controlling them is important.
As with many insects if left alone, husk fly will build up numbers year after year until they will attack nearly every nut in the orchard. They were first noticed about 40 years ago, when substantial portions of the crop were being destroyed by the pest. Some growers lost over a third of their crop before adequate control measures were put in place.
Husk fly have only one generation per year. The adult fly deposits eggs into a nut husk. The eggs hatch and the maggots feed on the nut, eventually dropping to the ground and forming a pupa where they stay until the next year.
Unfortunately they do not all come out at the same time. The generation emerges anywhere from the first of July to the end of September.
Treatment of the flies must be done consistently to be effective. Most sprays only last a couple of weeks so repeat applications are necessary.
Usually an insecticide is mixed with fly bait, such as molasses, and then sprayed on the trees. Because bait is used only every other row needs to be treated. The flies are monitored using a yellow sticky card hung in a tree. They are attracted to the card with a lure and caught in the glue. They can then be counted to see if it is necessary to treat the orchard.
Recently a method has been developed to more accurately time the spray. The flies caught in a trap can be divided up by sex. Then the females are checked to see if they have any eggs. If they do, then the farmer knows it is time to spray.
Controlling insects is not the only thing walnut farmers do in the summer. Irrigation is another big task.
Walnut trees use a tremendous amount of water this time of year. That water has to be constantly replenished to keep the trees from stressing.
Some crops can tolerate a lack of water for a period of time. That is not true for walnuts, however. There is no time that walnut trees can go without water and not be damaged.
We use sprinklers on three-inch aluminum pipe that have to be moved every day. It runs into a fair amount of work for the farmer, but the trees like it.

Coddling Moth

Coddling Moth trap is lowered from tree on cord to check for moths. Then it is raised to about 20 feet to catch moths.

Insects are a big concern for walnut farmers at this time of year. The Coddling Moth is one of them.
They usually have three generations each growing season. The first overwinters from the previous year, surviving between cracks in tree bark or debris on the ground. They come out as moths in early to mid April, mate and lay their eggs on or near the developing walnuts. The larva hatch out and eat their way into a nearby walnut.
The second comes out in early to mid June, mate and lays their eggs on what are now mostly full-sized nuts. The larvas again move to a nut and eat their way in. The third comes out in late July or August, and because of the shorter days and cooler weather in September and October, usually remains as a larva until spring. Some warmer growing areas can have a fourth generation, but that is rare in Red Bluff.
If left uncontrolled, Coddling Moth can cause extensive economic damage to the crop, even to the point of making it unmarketable. Fortunately a lot of scientific research has been done resulting in various control strategies to help keep damage to a minimum.
Most moth control is done by spraying an insecticide on the trees. The idea is not to kill off the flying moths, although any that are around will be goners. The real strategy is to coat the outside of the walnut husks with the insecticide. This will kill the moth larva when they eat into the nuts.
One problem with this method is the insecticides only last 10 to 15 days before they become ineffective. That means timing is critical. If sprayed too early or too late some larva will be missed.
Through research it has been determined that it takes a specific number of day degrees for a Coddling Moth generation to be completed. If the spray is applied at a certain point in that day degree cycle, the generation can be suppressed.
It takes a fair amount of monitoring and attention to get an accurate total of day degrees. Here in Red Bluff the Davis University of California extension office monitors this for farmers.
One of the newest control measures is called mating disruption. The idea is that if we can prevent the moths from mating, then there will be no eggs, thus no damage.
When mating, the moths find each other through a pheromone scent given off by the female. The disruption occurs from a number of “puffers” or aerosol cans located throughout the orchard that emits Coddling Moth pheromone. These automatically dispense a puff of pheromone at predetermined intervals through the night during moth mating time. With the orchard saturated in pheromone, the moths cannot find each other to mate. This method is new but it shows great promise.
The cost is currently why most farmers are not using them. They are waiting for mass production to kick in and the price to come down to an affordable level.

Whiskeytown hikes

Crystal Creek falls seen from the foot of the falls.

Hiking was the activity we choose for our date last week. After searching the internet for ideas we found several interesting trails around the Whiskytown lake area. Information is available on the park’s website: http://www.nps.gov/whis/planyourvisit/upload/All%20Trails%20Guide8x14FINAL5.31.07.pdf.
We were not quite ready for a strenuous hike yet, so we picked one of the easier trails. The one we thought looked interesting was the Crystal Creek Water Ditch trail. It is mostly level and only about three-fourths of a mile long, one way.
Looking at a ditch does not sound all that intriguing at first until one considers where it is located. These ditches were not dug in open fields or by the roadside. Instead they were built on the sheer edge of a rocky canyon. The engineering planning and human labor that went into the construction of the ditch is easy to see.
It seems that in the 1850’s most economic activity in the north state revolved around mining and agriculture. And for both of them, water was a necessity. Charles Camden claimed water rights to Crystal Creek and Mill Creek in the mid 1800’s. He hired a crew of workers and built the Crystal Creek water ditch to supply water to his orchards and mines during the years 1855 to 1858.
Near the beginning of the trail is the cleanout house. Its purpose is to remove pine cones, leaves, sticks and other debris from the water before it goes into the pipe. It is done in a very clever way. The water turns a small turbine which is connected to an old automotive rear end. That rotates, via a chain drive, a rake wheel that removes the floating material from the water.
The trail continues along the canyon wall next to the ditch. In many places rock retaining walls had to be built to hold the ditch in place. In one area the canyon walls are nearly vertical, so a flume had to be built that is about 250 feet long.
After we got back to the car, we decided to go to Crystal Creek Falls, just up the road a ways. This also was an easy walk, but more out in the sun than the trail along the ditch. We suggest bringing a hat for this one. The falls are very nice this time of year.
Once at the falls we climbed down the rocks to the water at the base of the falls. Compared to the trail, which is in the full sun and rather warm, being right by the falls feels like sitting under an air conditioner.
We did both of these walks in less that three hours and the trails are fairly easy. This also included a stop for eating snacks and picture taking along the way.
Both of these hikes would also be ideal activities for families looking for something to do with children. These hikes are not too difficult that even smaller children should be able to finish them.

Refashioned T's

Close-up view of print tank top edged with an overlock stitch using a decorative thread and stains on plain t-shirt covered by bleached butterfly designs.

Refashioning unusable clothing and other items into usable has been a big part of our week. Several weeks ago we went thrift store shopping and while finding many items we could use as-is, some needed a little help.
First, several pieces of clothing had stains or just looked tired. Also we got a couple of extra-large plush bath towels but they had bleach spots on them. These items were all candidates for a dye job.
We had a bottle of brown dye so after mixing it with water we soaked all these items until they were a nice dark brown. Most items were good as new after this.
The towels were all one color with no bleach spots showing. Also a nightgown that had a few stains on the front and a pair of shorts that were a dingy off-white color were now a nice shade of brown.
However one t-shirt that was stained took more dye in on the stains than the rest of the shirt. So instead of covering up the stains they showed even more. That called for plan B.
We went on the internet and found some patterns of butterflies which were free. Next we cut out the butterfly shapes and placed them on the shirt over the stains. Using a bleach pen we traced around the butterflies. Then we removed the patterns and filled in the details using the bleach pen again. We had the washing machine full and ready to wash so when the bleached areas were looking good we washed the shirt. That did the trick. No more stains to be seen.
Next item to fix was a t-shirt someone had started but never finished. The body was sewed together but it had no sleeves or neck facing or hem. There was a pattern and extra fabric so we could have finished the shirt but opted instead to finish the edges of the neck, arms and hem with an overlock stitch using decorative thread on a serger-sewing machine. This made it into a tank top perfect for the summer weather ahead.
Then our daughter had a t-shirt top she liked but the sleeves were too tight to be comfortable. We opened up the side seam under the arm and on the sleeve. Next we sewed in a wedge of contrasting fabric making the sleeves a little roomier.
The towels were only $2 each and the clothing was all about 50 cents to $1 each. The dye was a bottle we had on the shelf for a few years but never used. Now they are all like new and can be used again.
Before tossing out something because it has a stain or minor flaw think about a way to make it new again. It not only saves money but makes you feel good about successfully completing a project.
More refashioning in blogs on March 27, "Refashioning thrifted clothes" and March 13 "Wardrobe refashion."

Mosaic flower pot

Clay flower pot covered with broken pieces of ceramic coffee cups and then grouted.

Decorating does not have to be expensive. Broken bits from ceramic coffee cups can dress up an old clay flower pot. Making something old look new is fun and saves money. Refashioning is something everyone can do with a little time.
We decided to try this project after seeing a similar one at this website: http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2008/07/newspaper-column-re-crafting-with.html. It is by Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza. They glued buttons to a clay pot and then grouted around them.
Other items that could be used to decorate a pot could be coins, keys or store bought mosaic tiles. Even sea shells or small pebbles would be good choices. Old picture frames could also be decorated with similar items to give them a new look. The possible variations to this project are endless.
Ceramic cups get chipped or broken from time to time at our house. We just hate to throw anything out. So when we came across the idea to use them to decorate flower pots we decided to give it a try.
First we used a hammer to break the cups into small pieces. The pieces need to be smaller than one might think to fit flat onto the surface of the pot.
To attach the pieces to the clay pot we used E6000 glue. This glue is applied to the pot as well as the broken pieces. Then the pieces are fit onto the pot, it is kind of like putting a puzzle together. We tried to mix the colors as much as possible and not make any particular pattern.
If a particular design is desired one would need to draw an outline first, then fill it in with one color and so on. Another choice could be to use items of all one color and a contrasting grout color.
The glue takes about 24 hours to dry completely. After waiting a day we grouted between the broken pieces. We just followed the directions on the package of grout.
All the materials for this project we had on hand except for the glue. So our project was low in cost.
This was our first time using the E6000 glue. It works a little like rubber cement except when it dries it is stuck on for good. That made it the perfect choice for this project.
This project does take three or four hours to complete, not including drying time. But doing it with your spouse, friend or children will make it fun.
Before buying something new always look for ways to reuse things you already have. It will not only save money but make a fun project as well.
Projects like this are always nice to use for gifts as well. Handmade gifts are always special.

Books by Cramer

“Levi’s Will” and “Sutter’s Cross” both by W. Dale Cramer.

A novel we found in one of our recent thrift store shopping trips is “Levi’s Will”, by W. Dale Cramer. This is the first book by Cramer we have read and found it to be very rewarding. He has written four books, “Levi’s Will” being the third.
The main character is Will Mullet who was raised Amish but left the church as a young man in 1943 to find both the freedom he desired and to escape the harsh rules of the Amish. In leaving, Mullet condemned himself to a lifetime of being shunned by the Amish community, his father Levi Mullet and his family.
Once outside of the Amish community, he works various jobs but finally ends up in the United States Army because he is afraid that he will get arrested as a draft dodger.
In the Army he finds plenty of hard work but also starts to live a lie: he changes his name to Will McGruder to prevent his father from finding him, he also changes his birth date to avoid trouble with the Army and he changes his place of origin to Canada to explain his Amish Dutch accent.
He marries Helen, a southern girl, and they live in the Georgia. They have two children and he soon realizes that he is raising them just like his father raised him. The difficult and demanding relationship he had with his father was one of the main things that drove him away and he finds himself doing the same thing to his youngest son.
The book is setup in a series of alternating time periods, beginning with the characters in 1985 attending Levi’s funeral. The next chapter is in 1943, then back to 1985 and so on. By the end of the book, the past has caught up to the present, and we can see all of Will’s struggle to be accepted by his father, his brothers and sisters, his wife and his son. But to reconcile any of these relationships he must give up the lie.
We really liked “Levi’s Will” so we got another of Creamer’s books, “Sutter’s Cross.” This book is about a burned out biker, Harley, who found a relationship with God and the upset he causes in the small town of Sutter’s Cross. People in the town were comfortable in their church and businesses but Harley, in demonstrating authentic love and speaking the truth, makes everyone feel a little threatened.
“Sutter’s Cross” was Creamer’s first published effort. It was a good read and the plot is very creative, but we thought “Levi’s Will” had better characters. Still we highly recommend either of these books.
Now that summer is approaching, they would be great for reading at the beach or on the deck with a tall glass of ice tea. Additionally, for those on the go, complete and unabridged audio versions of both books are available on the internet at various music websites.

Flower pot stack

Flower pot stack with succulent plants.

Gardeners are busy sprucing up their yards. For those with limited space gardening in pots is one way to still have a garden. If space is really tight stacking the pots could be an answer to finding more room for plants.
We came across a cute idea on the internet that we decided to try for ourselves. We do have more room than most for gardening but this idea is also great for a decorative look.
The internet address for the idea we found is at: http://www.instructables.com/id/Tip-Top-Flower-Pots-Maximize-limited-space-to-gro/. We followed the basic design shown but instead of flowering plants we used a variety of succulent plants. They also come in a variety of colors and shapes.
For the larger pot in our version we used a glazed 12-inch ceramic pot. Our 8-inch pots were the plain terra cotta variety. For the stake going up through the center we used a 40-inch piece of rebar.
To hold the rebar centered in the large flower pot we used two pieces of 1-inch plastic pipe the width of the inside of the pot. We drilled a hole the diameter of the rebar through the center of each plastic pipe.
After the rebar is placed into the plastic pipe and resting on the bottom of the large pot we filled that pot with potting soil. Next we placed one of the 8-inch pots onto the rebar and let it sit at an angle with the top edge resting against the rebar.
Once that pot is filled with potting soil the other 8-inch pots are placed on the rebar. They are tilted as seen in the photo and filled with potting soil.
Once all the pots are in place and filled with potting soil it is time for the plants. We choose a variety of succulent plants for our stack. Succulents are slower growing and look nice for longer than annuals or perennials. When the flowers are through blooming on annuals or perennials they loose there appeal and have to be replaced.
Our pot stack is off to one side on our front porch where it is sheltered from the wind. With strong wind gust like we have here in Red Bluff we do not want to take any chances with it falling over.
But that is enough for decorative plants for now. It is time to focus on getting our vegetable plants started. We are disking up our vegetable plots this week. Then it is off to the nursery we go for plants and seeds.
We always choose a variety of tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash. It has been several years since we have grown corn but we hope to try some again this year. We will probably come home with something else new to try also. Trying something different is always fun for us.
Whether it is gardening, crafting, shopping or something else, we hope all our readers are having a good week. Maybe even try something new to you and have fun.

Half Moon Bay trip

Goat cheese from Harley Farm Goat Dairy. At left cranberry and walnuts top a chevre and brightly-colored edible flowers top one called “Van Goat” which has basil and sunflower seeds inside.

Recently we visited Half Moon Bay. We made our usual stops at all the thrift stores and craft-type stores. There were also a number of yard sales to stop at. One highlight of our visit was to hear a performance by New York-based classical guitarist Peter Fletcher.
The San Mateo County Library System had arranged to circulate several special programs to libraries around the county. Most are related to literary or cultural topics, with only a couple music programs: a mariachi program, a concert by a Latin jazz vocalist and Fletcher.
According to his press release he has been a featured performer at Carnegie Hall several times. His most recent performance there was in March.
At the performance we saw he played selections from “Music of the Baroque,” his 2008 CD release on Tower Hill records. It also included music by J.S. Bach, Erik Satie, Edvard Grieg, Russian composer Nikita Koshkin, Carlo Domeniconi, Andrew York and others.
Our favorite piece he played was “Sunburst” by Andrew York. For this piece he had to re-tune his guitar so that he could play a base line as well as a melody at the same time. Several other selections he performed were also done with alternative tuning on the guitar.
Fletcher began to study guitar at age 7 and made his formal debut at 15 with the Brasstown Concert Association in North Carolina. He continues studying with luminaries of the field: he was the youngest student to perform in a 1980 master class taught by José Torres and was a student of Andres Segovia. He has also studied with Christopher Parkening, Pepe Romero, David Russell and others.
We purchased several of his CD’s. They made nice background music to listen to in between our yard sale stops. More information about his recordings and schedule are at: http://www.peterfletcher.com/index.htm.
Of course we also were successful in our yard sale and thrift store finds. We have a few new to us used books, flower pots, an extra large decorative glass jar, an extra large vase, shelving for a closet, towels and more.
Eating out was fun too. We enjoyed several very good fish dinners during our trip. There is nothing like fresh caught ocean fish. Something we can only enjoy when visiting the coast.
One final place we visited was a little south of Half Moon Bay. It was the Harley Farm Goat Dairy in Pescadero. Their store is full of many kinds of goat cheese that they make there. Samples are offered for tasting also.
They are all very good and it was hard to decide which ones to purchase. We ended up getting a chevre with cranberries and walnuts on top and one called “Van Goat” topped with brightly-colored edible flowers which had basil and sunflower seeds inside.
They also offer tours and dinners. Information about the dairy is at: http://harleyfarms.com/Home.html.
All in all it was an enjoyable trip from the scenic drives to the shopping and the great concert.

Conservatory of Flowers

The Transamerica building made out of old computer keyboards with the aluminum spire made out of CD discs. It was one of the buildings on the garden railroad at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers in the Golden Gate Park has special exhibits that last a few months at a time. We came across an article on the internet about a garden railway exhibit but it was set to end this last weekend. It just so happened that we were able to go down and see it before the last day.
Garden railways are often found outdoors but this one was inside the building. The theme of the railway was San Francisco buildings made out of recycled items. Eleven landmark San Francisco structures were on the railway and it was interesting to try to figure out what was used to build them.
For instance, the Ghirardelli building was made out of light switch covers. Another building was built entirely of old cassette tapes. The Transamerica building was made out of old computer keyboards with the aluminum spire made out of CD discs.
The railway was a combined effort of many individuals and was constructed in only eight days. It consists of three separate loops of track that continually run trains without needing an operator.
The regular exhibits were also nice to go through. The Conservatory of Flowers is a large building that is divided into several environmental zones.
Upon entering the building the first zone is the lowland tropics, the next zone is the highland tropics, then the next is aquatic plants. There is also a section for potted plants and the section for special exhibits. Each zone is independently climate controlled for both temperature and humidity to resemble the climate from which the plants are native. In one it might be very warm and humid, but the next zone might be cool and much dryer.
The special exhibit is changed periodically. Starting May 7 and going to November they will have an exhibit called Edible Expeditions. Details are at: http://www.conservatoryofflowers.
Featured plants in this exhibit produce many food products that we use every day, such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee, rice and spices. According to conservatory descriptions, various demonstrations will explain how the food goes from the plant to the finished product.
The Conservatory of Flowers was completely rebuilt about seven years ago. They display over 1750 species of plants from dozens of countries, including Brazil and the Philippines. There are about 16,800 window panes in the building which are all whitewashed to reduce the light and heat intensity and to maintain the historical appearance.
The structure of the building is made mostly out of redwood, because it will not rot in the high humidity present in some areas. About two-thirds of the redwood was salvaged from the original building and reused in the present building.
The Conservatory of Flowers was a great experience. And it is within walking distance of several other attractions, such as the Museum of Science and the Art Museum. Our only advice in going is to get there early, as parking is quite limited.

More repurposed denim

Denim parrot and oatmeal canister covered in decorated denim. All denim used is from worn out jeans.

Great ideas are coming in. Several readers have given us suggestions for more things to be made with used denim jeans. Also one reader emailed us about a TV antenna he built that was similar to the one we wrote about several weeks ago in this column.
The web site he referred to in making his antenna is at: http://vimeo.com/2931902?pg=embed&sec=.
The denim ideas suggested are:
One reader called and said her mother cut squares out of used jeans and made a quilt. In the past we had heard about others that did this so we tried one too. Then about half way through we decided it was too heavy for us but not all was lost. We made it into a dog bed which we wrote about in our Aug. 24, 2007 blog "Dog bed."
Another reader emailed this idea: "My favorite use for recycling jeans when my sons were young was to turn the best fabric left into bean bags. We then gave a half dozen or so to the older sibling of a new baby when we delivered a baby gift. My own boys loved trying to toss the bags into a big plastic bucket on rainy days."
We also found more ideas to make using denim. One is at: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/04/how-to_make_a_nature_can.html. It is an empty oatmeal canister covered with denim and decorated with felt cutouts. We made a similar one but used iron-on appliqués and various trims instead of the felt cutouts.
Next we came across a parrot pattern, Simplicity 3691, that suggested fleece fabric be used for their birds. We instead used denim.
Using denim was a little difficult to work with but it is doable. This was not a quick and easy project but if you really want one it does work. Fleece fabric is expensive and used denim is free. That made the difference for us.
Of course we never follow a pattern exactly. We started with view B and cut out all the pieces from blue denim except for the eye pieces. Those we cut from a used white twill pair of pants.
Next we sewed around the wing, tail and feet pieces about a fourth-inch in from the edge. Then we frayed the edges. The feet also have wire in them to make the bird stand up.
After machine sewing the bird body according to directions we attached the wings, tail and feet by hand. Then for the eyes we used a permanent black marker to draw the eyes and lines around the eyes.
This parrot is just for decoration and not a toy because of the wire used to make it stand up. But we found another child-friendly variation of this bird on the internet that used polyester fabric from outdated garments.
Pictures and explanations about changes are at: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=276223.0. They are changed to look a little more cartoonish.
Keep those ideas coming. It is fun to see and hear about what others are doing.

Repurposed denim jeans

Bucket bag pictured is repurposed from worn out denim jeans. Second photo shows extra strip to be sewn under butted together side seams.

Worn out denim jeans have been piling up at our house. Patches and mending can make jeans last a longer than normal life but even that comes to an end. We have used the worn out jeans for some craft projects in the past but still have piles of them.
In our search for ideas on how to make them useful again we came across a website on the internet that showed how to make bucket bags. The pattern used new fabrics but we thought worn out jeans would be just perfect for this idea.
Detailed directions are at: http://woolfoodmama.typepad.com/weblog/2007/06/my_bucket_bag_p.html. We used the dimensions given as a guideline for making our bucket but made ours a little larger.
Using the parts of the jeans that still have wear left in them we made a sample bucket bag. The lower portion of the legs worked great for the bucket sides. Further up on the back side of the legs was good for the bucket bottom. Strips for the handles came from other portions of the back legs.
First we cut the inside seams of the legs open. Laying them open flat we measured each for half the length of the bucket side and then double for the height. This way the outside leg seam is the top seam of the bucket. To avoid sewing over the thick side seams we cut one-inch wide fabric strips from another good part of the jeans, placed them under the side seams, then butt the seams together instead of overlapping them. We used a wide zigzag stitch to sew these seams together.
For decoration we sewed various widths and colors of rickrack and trims around the sides of the bucket and on the sides of the handle. The rickrack was hand sewn and the cording was sewn in the handle seams by machine.
To cover the bucket side seams we used wide bias tape sewed on with a decorative machine stitch. We also used a wide folded over trim to go around the outside bottom of the bucket instead of making the seam on the inside.
All the trims came from our stash that has grown over the years. As with all our craft supplies, we pick up trims from thrift stores, yard sales and even friends who are discarding things they no longer want.
These buckets are great to keep craft supplies in. They would also be good for children to keep toys in. If not enough drawer space is available for clothes the buckets could be used to keep socks and underwear in.
Used jean fabric can be used in many other ways. Our June 20, 2008 blog “Creative gift wrapping” shows how we used the legs from worn out jeans to make gift bags.
We would love to hear of other uses for used jeans. All ideas are welcome. Please leave comments.

Update: One of our readers called and said her mother made a quilt out of used jeans. We tried this once but about half way through we decided it was too heavy for us but not all was lost. We made it into a dog bed cover which we wrote about in our Aug. 24, 2007 blog "Dog Bed."
Another reader emailed this idea: "My favorite use for recycling jeans when my sons were young was to turn the best fabric left into bean bags. We then gave a half dozen or so to the older sibling of a new baby when we delivered a baby gift. My own boys loved trying to toss the bags into a big plastic bucket on rainy days.
Thanks for the ideas."

Improving digital TV

Homemade HDTV antenna.

The digital TV transition is here. For those that depend on an antenna to receive over-the-air TV broadcasts, getting the new digital signals may be a problem, even with converter box or using a new TV with a digital tuner.
Digital signals do not propagate as well as the old broadcasts. They can be blocked by buildings, hills or even trees.
The solution in many cases is to install a more sensitive antenna. Old rabbit ears and even older rooftop antennas may not be as effective as they once were.
We found an easy and inexpensive antenna project on the internet. It can be built in a couple of hours.
Directions are at: http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/2007/01/post-any-questions-or-comments.html.
We built ours with scrap wood, four metal coat hangers, aluminum foil and a 75-300 ohm matching transformer. These are the steps we followed:
- Find a piece of scrap plywood, paneling or stiff cardboard 30 by 16 inches.
- Cover one side with aluminum foil.
- Attach a 2x4 to the foiled side of the panel. The 2x4 should be long enough to be useable as a stand.
- Cut out the “head” of each coat hanger. Then cut the bottom in half to make two vees from each hanger for a total of eight. Trim each vee to have seven-inch legs. Sand the elbow part to allow for electrical contact when assembled.
- Measure from the top of the 2x4, equally dividing the area of the 2x4 that covers the aluminum panel into four parts. Ours is seven-inches on center.
- Attach vees and hookup wire at the marked positions on the 2x4 with wood screws and washers. For wire we used leftover Romex wire, but any wire will do, even a straightened coat hanger. If a coat hanger is used sand it where it contacts the vees.
- There are two hookup wires, one for the right and one for the left. The wires are crossed at both the top and bottom vees. Insulate the wires where they cross.
- In the center of the 2x4, between the top and bottom two sets of vees, install the matching transformer. Attach the transformer leads to the hookup wires. Make sure the hookup wires do not touch each other.
Attach the antenna to a base of some sort. Then connect it to the TV (or converter box). We had excellent results with our antenna just sitting on the floor. It can also be installed in an attic or on the roof if it is built of durable materials.
The antenna is directional, meaning that it needs to be pointed at the broadcasting station for best reception. However, we found that ours worked just fine without aiming.
Broadcast station location and compass directions to aim an antenna are at: http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx. It is a marketing tool, but entering only a zip code will produce a list of broadcast TV stations for your area.
Improved signals are possible without spending a bundle. Try it for yourself.

Refashioning thrifted clothes

First photo: Refashion skirt is now a purse. Tank top and t-shirt refashioned made a summer maternity top. Second photo: a tank top cut from one more large men's t-shirt plus the inside bottom of the skirt purse.
Thrift stores are some of our favorite shopping places. This last weekend was no different. We headed down to Chico this time.
One store was having a special where shoppers could fill a large paper grocery bag with clothes from several tables. The cost was only $2 per bag.
We decided to see what we could get into a bag. Our final total was 18 items of clothing in one bag making them less 12 cents each. Then the challenge came, how to use the clothes we chose to stuff our bag with.
Several items fit us and we can use them as is. The rest we are using to refashion into other usable items.
The first item we decided to refashion was a size three toddlers skirt with shorts attached inside. It has butterflies embroidered along the front bottom. Very cute but we can not use that size. So an idea formed to make it into a purse for our adult daughter. She likes butterflies.
First we cut the legs off the shorts underneath. Then we cut a contrasting piece of fabric from another thrifted pair of women’s pants to sew onto the bottom of the cut off short. That formed the bottom of the purse.
Next we cut another strip of fabric from the same women’s pants to use for the purse strap. After sewing and turning the strap we attached it at the sides of the skirt. The end result was a very cute purse.
The next idea came when we paired a women’s small tank top with a man’s large t-shirt. We decided they would make a nice summer maternity top to donate to CareNet Pregnancy Center.
Taking the tank top we cut it off just below the chest. Then the men’s shirt we cut straight across about 13 inches from the bottom. Next we laid the tank top and t-shirt bottom together and cut the sides of the t-shirt to flair out a few inches.
After sewing the side seams of the t-shirt we attached the two together in the middle. The result did not seem to be roomy enough for a growing baby.
After thinking about what change could be made to make the bottom a little roomier we came up with plan B. We cut two slits, one on each side of the center front and inserted triangular pieces from the bottom of the tank top. That seemed to be just enough.
Now we only have about a dozen more items left to redesign into clothes or items that we can use or give to others to use. Refashioning is a fun challenge. It also saves money when we do not have to buy new items.
This time we spent only $2 and have five items all ready in use. More ideas for the rest of the items are forming as we write.
Additional refashion ideas can be found in our March 13 blog.

Paper modeling

Paper steak, carrots, plate, knife and fork shown on napkin and placemat.

Paper modeling is one of our favorite pastimes. Most of the paper models we make are downloaded from the internet for free. We recently came across one that we just had to build: the paper steak.
Most paper models depict a vehicle or building. Only a few are of animals or other organic things. The problem with such models is that it is difficult to get a proper representation of the subject. Most living creatures are made up of many compound curves and angles which are hard to duplicate in paper.
We found this model on http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/steak.html website. This particular website does in fact have several models of living things, including a paper hornet, a paper scorpion and a paper roast chicken at
http://www.wombat.zaq.ne.jp/fare/chicken.html.
The paper steak model is made up of two steaks, one cooked and one uncooked. Also included are two carrots, a plate, a knife and fork. We made the cooked version. The steak is mostly flat, which makes assembly easier. The sides are the steak are somewhat fiddly to get on, especially on the second side.
The carrots were also a challenge due to their small size. They are five-sided and fold so they come to a point at the end. The fork and the knife were easier to make, each consisting of several parts to give to appropriate thickness. The plate was the easiest to make, as it has only two parts.
We put the whole thing together in about three hours. Cutting out the pieces actually took more time than the assembly.
Recently we also acquired a model of the Kremlin. It is a Micromodels kit, published in book form. Originally the Micromodels were designed in the 1950’s and printed on post-card size 3 by 5-inch cards, which makes them really micro. The one we got was enlarged to double size and printed in 1983. Even at that, a lot of the parts are still fairly small.
Our copy of this book we found at www.paperbackswap.com. At this site books are swapped for the cost of postage only.
In doing some reading about the Kremlin we found out that the original building was designed as a castle to protect the local population from the Mongols. Its walls were first established in 1156 in Moscow. Gradually it was reinforced and expanded and in 1397 the first stone walls were built. As the Mongol threat diminished, the Kremlin became used more and more for government and church buildings. During the Romanov rule, which ran from 1613 to 1917, the famous cathedrals were built.
After the communist revolution in 1918 it was used completely for the government. It covers an area of approximately 64 acres and contains 26 major buildings, including Lenin’s tomb which lies outside the walls.
More information on card models can be found in these past blogs from 2008: “Card models and P&P games” on Dec. 19, “Card models” on July 18 and “Making Dune game” June 13.

Wardrobe refashion

Skirt made from a black extra large t-shirt with boarder trim. Pattern used was Butterick 5907 view c in one size smaller than normal to allow for stretch of knit fabric.

Wardrobe refashioning is a way to get new clothes at a fraction of the cost of new garments. It can even be done by spending no money at all!
Start with going through the closets and pulling out clothing that no longer fits or is no longer desired as it is. All these items are candidates to be refashioned into usable items of clothing.
Ideas for refashioning the old into new can come from catalogs, store sales flyers or the internet. There are even websites where people show off their refashioned garments such as http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/. Websites like this can inspire many ideas.
A blog by Melynda found at http://countrygirlcouture.blogspot.com/ shows examples of refashions that she has done. Many of her ideas come from J. Crew. Their website is at http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WomenBrowse/Women_Feature_Assortment/NewArrivals.jsp?srcCode=GGLB00125&noPopUp=true.
Refashioning is a great way to learn to sew. Most ideas take some sewing skill and require the use of a sewing machine but some do not. But if mistakes are made the loss is small because the clothing was not being used in the first place. It was just taking up space in a closet.
Sometimes a refashion can mean adding trim or embroidery accents to an item to make it more fashionable. Or putting an appliqué over a hole or stain can make a piece of clothing usable again.
To completely change an article of clothing, say from a top to a skirt, may take a pattern. A place to get free patterns is http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns. A how-to for men’s boxers is at http://wkdesigner.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/boxer-shorts/. And thrift stores usually sell patterns for only 10 to 50 cents each.
Children’s clothing is the easiest to refashion. Instead of hand-me-downs make a hand-me-up. An example for a top is at http://blog.betzwhite.com/2007/10/hand-me-up.html. An example for pants is at http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/03/howto_lengthen_kids_pants.html.
Another great site to make a child’s skirt is at http://whipup.net/2008/11/12/toddler-sweater-skirt-tutorial/. This one is made from an old sweater but the same thing can be done with a t-shirt.
One of our latest finds for ideas is how to use old, men’s ties to make scarves. This site is at http://redhenstudios.blogspot.com/2008/12/alchemy-necktie-scarves.html.
If inspiration does not hit with what is already in the closet the thrift stores are a great place to find items that can be refashioned. Shopping at yard sales can also yield clothes that are good candidates for a refashion.
Bed sheets are another great source when a large amount of fabric is required for a garment. Many even use just a pillowcase to make smaller things such as tops. An example of a top made from a pillowcase by Meg is on her blog at http://theclosetseamstress.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-wear-pillowcase.html.
Since summer is coming soon even cutting off long pants that probably have worn out knees and making them into shorts is refashioning. Cut long sleeves off to make short sleeves or even cut them all the way off to make a tank top.
Be creative and save money at the same time. See how many refashioned items you can make for your family.

Overcome winter blahs

Roasting marshmallows in the wood stove when the weather is blustery outside can be a fun way to beat the winter blahs.

Spring is still a couple of weeks off and the rainy weather we have had recently can be very depressing. The children may be bored and your marriage may be suffering. Beating the winter blahs can energize your marriage and family.
Consider some of the following ideas:
- Have a picnic on the living room floor. Gather your indoor plants, spread a table cloth or blanket and pretend you are outside. You can have a great picnic and be minus the ants all at the same time.
- Try a new recipe for dinner. While enjoying the meal with the family, take turns sharing something you are looking forward to this spring.
- Have a window shopping date with a twist. Look for all the things you already have!
- Call, write, e-mail or text someone you haven not contacted for a long time. The children can get out the rubber stamps and or colored markers and make a card for their grandparents. It will brighten your day as well as theirs.
- Clean out a cluttered closet or junk drawer. Donate the usable items that you do not need to a charity or save them up and hold a yard sale when spring arrives. Children will be interested in this idea if they get to keep the money raised from the items they contribute to the sale.
- Have a dinnertime shuffle. Have each family member sit at someone else’s place and act like that person.
- Take a picnic lunch to work. Include a checkered tablecloth to spread out on a lunchroom table. Also add some colored eggs. Plan a few days ahead and get your coworkers to join in.
- Visit someone in a nursing home or a friend in the hospital. Bring flowers or a balloon to brighten their room.
- On a rainy day put on boots or shoes that can get wet and go splash in the puddles. When you have had enough go inside, dry off and make hot chocolate with marshmallows.
- Roast hot dogs and or marshmallows in the fireplace or wood stove. Talk about your favorite past camping trip or talk about plans for one you can take this summer.
- Get out a favorite board game. Make popcorn or the family’s favorite snack to munch on while playing the game.
- Get out the seed catalogs or go to the local nursery to look at seed that you might like to plant in a few weeks. Plan what you want your garden to look like.
Remember spring is just around the corner. Invest time now in your marriage and family. Then you can begin the new season with healthy relationships.

Loose change date

A count of our loose change totals $17.80. It has been awhile since we have gone on a loose change date!

Loose change is something most people have at least some of laying around. Many people come home at the end of the day and empty their pockets or purse of the loose change. Some days there is more than other days but the pile slowly grows.
We like to go on what we call a loose change date. After counting up all our loose change we then plan what can be done with that amount of money.
Sometimes is only enough to go out for coffee or tea, an ice cream or maybe French fries. Other times we have enough to go thrift store shopping at one or more places. Finding bargains is always something we have a lot of fun doing.
Back when our children were just babies we did a thrift store date. We hit the jackpot and several nice outfits for the children as well as a few other items for them. The total for all items was under $5, just under the amount we had in change. We were patting ourselves on the back for doing so well. Then a problem came when we got in line to pay. The clerk did not want to take a large amount of pennies as payment for our purchases.
Standing there we were at a loss for what items to leave behind. It was too hard to part with any of the items we seen as treasures. It was a busy day at the shop and a line had formed behind us.
Then one person in line offered to buy our pennies. We do not know if he felt sorry for us or was just in a hurry. So we gave him the pennies and he gave us larger coins worth the equivalent in change. We made our purchases and left. He went home with a pocket full of pennies for his change collection.
It is always an adventure when going on a loose change date. Try coming up with your own challenge and have fun. Email us at the address below and tell us about your adventures.
During this down time in our economy we have to find ways to stretch our money, making it go further than we normally do. There are also no cost dates that can be just as fun as ones that can break the bank.
Go for a walk and tell your date what you most admire about them. Discuss what your dream vacation would look like if money were no object. Recall what your most favorite dates have been in the past. There are endless fun and uplifting topics to discuss while on a walk.
Dust off your old tennis rackets or borrow some from a friend. Play a few games at the public courts in town.
Spend and evening at home doing one of the following activities: play card or board games, put a puzzle together, or take turns reading a book out loud to each other. Enjoy each others company.
For more ideas see our March 28, 2008 blog on "Date your mate" and our July 13, 2007 blog on "Romance."

Walnut tree removal

Excavator lifting up walnut tree after it is pushed over.

This last week we had 15 acres of our walnut trees uprooted. Walnuts only last so long and then they have to be replaced. An orchard can be nursed along to a pretty old age, 60 years or more, but the quality and quantity of the nuts will continue to decline to a point where the costs of maintaining the orchard will eat up most of the returns from the crop.
Replacing an orchard is a huge job. Walnuts are large trees and they require big machines to pull them out. We hired a company to do ours. They have a large excavator that is big enough to actually push the trees over. After the trees are pushed, the excavator picks them up, shakes off the dirt and lays them in neat rows. Later, after the uprooted trees have had a chance to dry, they are shredded and the chips sent to a co-generation plant to be used as fuel.
The next step in the process is to remove the roots. Walnuts have big root systems that spread out over a wide area. It is important that as many of the old roots are removed as possible because they harbor plant diseases that will affect the new trees when they are planted. A large bulldozer such as a Caterpillar D8 or D9 with rippers is used for this task. The root pieces brought to the surface by the bulldozer are picked up by hand and removed from the field.
Once the old trees and roots have been removed, the soil must be fumigated to destroy pests and diseases that are in it. We attended a class recently regarding this. It was amazing how many disease organisms were in the soil just waiting to eat the new little trees we need to plant. Soil fumigation is an essential step – walnuts cannot be successfully planted without it.
That is actually a problem these days. State regulations have strictly limited the amount of fumigant that is available for use. This drives up prices and in some cases forces the use of inferior materials. It may even mean we have to wait an extra year before planting new trees.
To properly fumigate the field, the soil must be dry. There are strategies to dry out the soil. One is to plant a grass called Sedan grass. This grass has long roots that pull up moisture from several feet deep in the soil. After it is matured, it can be mowed, bailed and used for animal feed. The fumigation process can be started after the grass is removed.
If everything is properly done, the ground will be ready to receive the new trees. Spring of 2010 will be the soonest we can plant. But more likely it will be spring of 2011.
Looking ahead it will take four or five years to start getting a crop after the new trees are planted. It really is a lot of work and expense to replace an orchard.

Bird mobile

First picture: Single bird with feet. Second picture: Birds on mobile made with pattern found on Internet.

The warm, sunny days that we have been enjoying over the last month or so makes it feel like spring. And springtime is when the birds are busy building nests and laying eggs.
Putting us even more in the mood for spring was our project of building several bird mobiles. They are from another idea we found on the Internet. The web site is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/. And the bird pattern is at: http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/birdpattern1-1.pdf. Sewing directions for the birds are with the pattern.
The birds are made out of assorted small print woven fabric. The type a quilter uses is great but just about anything similar will do. Even fabric from a dress or shirt that is no longer worn can be a good candidate for making a bird.
It takes two contrasting fabrics for each bird, one for the top of the body and one for the bottom. Solid colors can be used but prints are more interesting.
These are easy to hand sew. They are also addicting. After we made one bird we were back to the fabric pile we pulled out to find two more coordinating fabrics. And after that one it was back to find two more matches and so on. Before we knew it we had more than a dozen birds.
After making the birds we went out to collect small branch pieces to attach the birds to and make them into mobiles. We used fishing line to tie the branches together. To attach the birds to the mobile we used regular brown sewing thread and that turned into their feet. Some of the birds tended to flop upside down so we added hot glue under each one to give it a better hold on the branch.
So far we have two mobiles complete with six birds each and a few birds left over. A third mobile is probably not far behind. We are donating our mobiles to CareNet Pregnancy Center here in Red Bluff. They will give them away to clients chosen from a monthly drawing.
The mobiles are great for hanging in the window, above a baby crib or even in a child’s room as decoration. Multiple colors are best when using for a babies room as it will keep them more interested.
Individual birds can be given feet with two shank type buttons. This makes them stand on their own. Then they can be placed on a windowsill, table or even in a flower arrangement. But we bet you can’t make just one. It would be like eating just one potato chip.
For an example of a single bird with button feet we will post an additional picture at the blog site listed below. Pictures at the blog site are in color and can be enlarged to see details.
Have fun crafting a few dozen birds. Let us know how they turn out.

Fan-folded heart

Red fan-folded paper heart.

Valentine’s Day is one week closer. And for those who are looking for something easy, we found it. Fan folded hearts.
Thanks to the Internet again there are many sites to look at for ideas. This one was posted on a blog site called http://blog.craftzine.com/. They have many posts with craft ideas. Some even have links to directions and patterns for the craft shown.
The heart we made pictured above is from a regular size piece of red printer paper. The corners are rounded off to make it look like the shape of a capsule. Then it is fan-folded lengthwise with about one-inch folds for this size paper. To finish, it is folded in half and glued at the center. A string can be added for hanging.
It would be easy to make several dozen of these and hang them in the window for decorations. They are even easy enough to use as a craft project for children.
Complete directions for the fan folded hearts are at http://worldofwhimm.blogspot.com/2009/01/fan-hearts-tutorial.html. Pictures for each step are also shown.
Many types of paper can be used for this project such as: printer paper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper or even pretty paper bags with cute designs on them. The size can also be changed to smaller or larger depending upon the size of paper.
Other crafts ideas we like at the blog site listed above include: recycled light bulbs made into hanging vases, cards made with scrap trim shaped into flowers, wall art and handspun recycled newspaper yarn.
The direct links to each of these in the order listed above are: http://craftershock.com/blog/2009/01/06/turn-your-old-light-bulbs-into-hanging-vases/, http://www.craftstylish.com/item/9581/how-to-make-fringe-flower-greeting-cards, http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=289329.0 and http://greenupgrader.com/2138/handspun-recycled-newspaper-yarn/.
Many posts are submitted each day at the Craftzine blog site. So we bookmark the directions right away for the ones we are interested in. Otherwise they are hard to go back and find a second time, especially if it has been a few days.
Another way to look up what we want on this blog is to go to the list of craft categories listed on the right side of the blog. Our favorite categories include: recycle, refashion and paper crafts just to name a few.
There is also an archive listed by the month. We clicked on Feb. 2008 to see what Valentines ideas were listed last year and came up with this one: http://www.dailycandy.com/kids/chicago/article/34902/Gleaming+the+Cube. The file containing the pattern for this idea is at: http://www.orangebeautiful.com/valentine.pdf. It is a printable pattern to make a decorated cube to hold little goodies.
And finally a recycling idea to make a coin purse out of an audio cassette from last February is here: http://www.chezlin.com/2008/04/cassette-tape-tutorial/#more-16.
Have fun browsing for new craft ideas. Share your favorites with us.

Thread-lace hearts

First picture is pink thread-lace heart on card. We added a fabric flower cut-out in between the layers of fabric. This heart did not get as much sewing on the inside as we would have liked. Second is the white thread-lace heart still in embroidery hoop on water-soluble fabric. In his heart we added strips of white ribbon between the layers of fabric before sewing. Third is the red thread-lace heart on white card.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. The time to plan is now. Do not wait until the last minute.
We are making thread-lace hearts to decorate cards with. We got the idea from the book “decorative crafts sourcebook” published by Thunder Bay Press. This 304 page book is full of recipes and projects for paper, fabric and more. It is a great book to get starter ideas from and then create a whole new project with those ideas.
Beginners to advanced sewers can make thread-lace hearts but a zigzag sewing machine is required. Other items needed include: water-soluble embroidery fabric, disappearing ink marker, thread, thread snippets, ribbon pieces and an embroidery hoop.
There are different types of water-soluble embroidery fabric but for this project a completely clear one is best. We used “Super Solvy” made by sulky. Two layers of water-soluble fabric are placed in the embroidery hoop. If snippets of thread or ribbon are used they should be placed between the two layers.
Next we drew a heart shape onto the fabric. We used a regular pen as we did not have a disappearing ink type. Since the fabric washes away it seemed to us that the ink would wash away also. Turns out it did just that.
Thread the sewing machine with the color thread to be used and set it to a medium zigzag stitch. Lower the feed dogs so that the embroidery hoop can be moved freely while stitching. Begin stitching around the outline of the heart making at least three rounds. Continue sewing across the center to fill in with a random mixture of connecting straight and zigzag stitches.
When the sewing is complete remove the fabric from the hoop and trim excess fabric from the edges. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for dissolving fabric. If a stiffer ornament is desired, remove the embroidery from the water as soon as the fabric melts from between the stitches.
Our sewing machine is a Bernina 1030 model. To fit the embroidery hoop under the presser foot we had to remove it, put the hoop under and then reattach the foot. We also used a smaller foot that is more suited for embroidery work.
The hearts only take about 10 minutes each to sew. It took us longer to plan and design them. But once that part is done they work up fast.
We found that more stitching was needed than we first thought to hold the design together. The first heart we made our stitches did not overlap enough. When the fabric was melted away our design was a little lopsided.
The heart pictured above is done with just zigzag stitching repeated over and over around and across the design. Other hearts we have made including the one without enough stitching and one with the fabric still in place will be posted at our blog site listed below.
Be creative and try something new for Valentine’s Day. Share your results in comments.

Refashion, old to new

New shades made from window screen and painted to match lamp.

Things get old, fall apart, break and are rendered useless. But do not give in, you can be creative and repair or remake the offending item.
We have a floor lamp with three lights at the top, each with their own shade. The shades were just hard plastic. They have become brittle with age and were beginning to show cracks. Then one broke enough to touch the light bulb and started to melt. What a stink!
After looking at many floor lamps in stores and online we could not find one we liked that would replace the one we have. Finally an idea struck that we could make new shades for the one we have. In our online search we got an idea from a lamp that someone used mesh window screen to make a shade around one light bulb.
First we purchased a roll of aluminum window screen. Next we made a pattern from newspaper, a 14-inch diameter circle. Tracing around the pattern onto the screen gave us a guide for cutting out the screen circle. Then we cut a 2-inch diameter hole in the center. We folded the edges in about a fourth-inch and then pleated the wire until it stood up in the shape of a bowl.
After making two more we had three new shades. They fit over the bulb sockets and are held down with the plastic rings that held the old shades on. To finish the look we spray painted them bronze to match the rest of the lamp.
Our old lamp now has a new look. And the cost was far less than a new lamp would have been. Not bad!
The project was simple and quick. The thing that took the most time was coming up with the idea. But it was worth the time. Now the money we saved can be used for something else.
Recently we were also looking to buy a new coffee table. Our old one was large and took up too much space. We looked in many furniture stores and even online. Nothing looked just right or was the right size.
Then on one of our thrift store shopping sprees we found just the thing. It was an extra large end table in just the style we were looking for to replace our coffee table. For only $17 and a good rubbing with polish we have our new coffee table.
Refashioning and refinishing old items to make new ones can be challenging but rewarding. We would like to hear about your remade items. Post them in comments below.

Sourdough starter

Sourdough starter in re-sealable bag on counter.

Making our own sourdough bread is something we decided to try again last week. Prior to commercial yeast becoming available all bread was sourdough. We found that making sourdough bread was very simple, but does require a couple of extra steps. First, a starter is needed. This is a bubbly batter that serves as the yeast to make the dough rise.
We got premade starter culture from the flour mill in Redding and followed the directions it came with. Currently our starter is in a re-sealable bag on the counter. When kept at room temperature, the starter should be fed half cup flour and half cup warm water daily. If stored in the refrigerator, it needs feeding only once a week.
If your child wants a pet they could practice feeding sourdough starter to see if they are ready for the responsibility.
Several hours before making dough, a sponge needs to be made. This is a bowl of warm, fermented batter. First, remove one cup starter from the starter container and put it into a large plastic or glass mixing bowl. For starter kept in the refrigerator, allow the removed portion to warm up to room temperature. Feed original starter and put it away. Add one and a half cups flour and one cup warm water to the bowl. Stir well and set in a warm place for several hours, or overnight. This is called proofing. The sponge is ready when it is bubbly and has a pungent or sour odor.
The proofing-time varies. Some can be ready in an hour or two. Others take six to eight hours, or even longer. If we want to bake in the morning, we make the sponge and proof overnight. One reason ours takes longer is we use spelt flour instead of white flour.
This is the basic recipe we use: two cups sponge, three cups flour, two tablespoons vegetable oil, four teaspoons sugar and two teaspoons salt. Combine the ingredients and knead by hand for 15 minutes or 10 minutes with dough hook.
Put dough in a warm place and allow to raise until double. Next, shape into loaves and let it raise again until doubled. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Then place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake the bread for 30 to 45 minutes.
The recipe says to allow the baked bread to cool before cutting, but we never do that. There is just something about fresh hot sourdough bread with butter that cannot wait.
We also like to make pancakes with the sourdough starter. Use one cup starter, one cup flour, one teaspoon baking soda, one-half teaspoon salt, two tablespoons oil, one egg, two tablespoons sugar and three-fourths cup milk. Mix everything together while heating the skillet; a few lumps are fine. Cook until bubbles appear then flip over for about 45 seconds. Remove from pan and serve with syrup, jam, or fruit. Enjoy!

Marriage Bible

The “Marriage Devotional Bible” for couples.

This is the beginning of a new year. One thing we are starting new this year is using the “Marriage Devotional Bible” published by Zondervan Publishing House. It is in the New International Version.
The authors of the devotionals include: Dave and Claudia Arp, Bob and Rosemary Barnes, and Les and Leslie Parrott. They are all involved in many ministries and have written many books on relationships.
The Arps are the founders and directors of Marriage Alive International and have written several books including “The Second Half of Marriage” and “10 Great Dates.” The Barnes are involved in many ministries that work with families and have written several books including: “Great Sexpectations,” “We Need to Talk” and “Rock-Solid Marriage.” The Parrotts are co-directors of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University and have written several books including “Becoming Soul Mates,” “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” and “Questions Couples Ask.”
Devotions are provided for everyday in the week and one for the weekend in the “Marriage Devotional Bible” each written by one of these couples. It can be started at any time during the year. We just happen to be starting at the beginning of January. Also each devotional takes less than 10 minutes to read including the suggested scripture it refers to.
In addition to the devotionals there are book introductions which give an overview of each book in the Bible. There are also quizzes called “Just Between You and Me” which allow for discussion between spouses.
Another feature is profiles of couples in the Bible. These offer readers points of discussion and application to improve their relationship with God and their spouse. They show both good and bad examples of married couples in the Bible.
Indexes are also included to help find certain topics from the devotions, such as communication, prayer, intimacy and finances. Other indexes included are for the “Couples in the Bible” and “Just Between You and Me” segments.
For those wishing to read through the Bible there are several plans in the back that give three different ways to do that. They include: reading the Bible for the first time, reading through the entire Bible in one year and then also in two years. Then it lists each book of the Bible and a place to check off each chapter that has been read.
Other things included in the back are weights and measures mentioned in the Bible and approximate American and metric equivalents for them. Then at the end are about 15 pages to write personal notes on.
There are many other good devotional books out there, many of which we have used in the past. This is the current one we are using beginning this week. We would love to hear from our readers about new things they are doing this year.