DIY Planner Pt. 3- Printable Menu Planner &Grocery List

In an effort to organize our meals, I've come up with this menu planner.  It prints on a whole sheet of paper.  Is folded in half with holes punched on the unfolded edge and placed in your mini sized binder.

Each week as you make your menu on the right side of the planner, you use the back of the previous weeks menu (on the left) for writing your grocery list.  When you finish, rip out the grocery list and you are ready to go shopping. 

Do you know what you're having for dinner, but not quite sure what night you're having it?  No problem.  The sections where you plan your dinners are numbered.  When you know which night of the week you'll be having them, enter the number under the weekday.

It's easy!  Just download here,  print, fold, punch, plan and go.

DIY Planner Adventure Pt. 2 - Printable Calendar

In Pt 1 of my DIY planning adventure I chose a size, what needed to go into my planner, and started gathering materials.  Now lets put those material to use and print a few things to into the planner. Every planner really needs a calendar, so lets start there. 

 If you do a google search for free printable calendar, there are plenty to choose from, even mini sized ones like what I need. But, I chose to take the extra time and make one from scratch using open office.  This allowed me to choose font, colors, add decorations, and customize days off and holidays.  I even added a notation on each week to keep track of my middle-school kids' rotating schedules.   

But my favorite feature of doing it myself, is the unique way the pages go into the binder.  Each page is printed with 1/2 of 2 months, so that when the pages are folded in half with back together, you see 1/2 of a different month on each side.  It sound confusing, but it works and translates to no cut pages and the ability to write with markers without fear of them bleeding onto the adjoining months.

I'm including a printable PDF file for a Plain Jane version of my calendar.  It has no decoration and no holidays, so you can write in whatever you like and add decorations as you wish.  

Mom Planner - My DIY Planner Adventure Pt. 1

As part of my New School Year Resolution to get organized, I decided I really need a planner of some sort to keep up with...well, everything.  But, I refuse to spend big money on a ready made planner that's not designed for my lifestyle, so I'm going to try to DIY one.  As I go, I'll share my process Step by step, show you what I learn along the way, and add links for free printable pages on the Mom Planner Page.

Step 1 - Choose a format.  
(Binder, Notebook, or Digital)
There are so many planner options out there these days. For me, a mini binder is the perfect choice, not too big, not too small so it's easy to carry.  I'm a visual and tactile learner.  Having pages to flip helps me keep info in my head.  I think that is why I have a hard time using a phone or computer as a planner.  I guess a bound notebook could also work, but I like the freedom to rearrange that a binder gives.   I can take pages out, put new ones in and instantly replace pages that are torn or messy.  My penmanship may be horrific, but messy pages play havoc with my OCD and leave me feeling irritated.  Irritation = emotional unbalance, so mini binder it is. 

Step 2 - Decide what to put inside.
One of my biggest organizational problems is keeping up with information, like dates and times of appointments, phone numbers (remember I don't use my cell phone so no one is on speed dial), and grocery lists.  

So for me, a planner needs to have sections for the following:

• Calendar - needs to cover the entire school year, have room to write appointments, and ideally be expandable.
• Contact Information - important phone numbers for doctors, dentists, the vet, emergency contacts and such.
• Children - one section for each kid to serve as a place to keep up with school/activity schedules and things specific to each child.
• Schools - one stop for school contact info and blank school notes to be filled out quickly on crazy mornings.
• Daily TTD
• Menu/Grocery Planning
• Ideas - for blog or anything else.
• Notes - filled with scrap paper to jot things down.

Step 3 - Gather materials:

Mini Binder

Mini or Adjustable Hole Punch

Dividers

Printer 

Paper

3-ring Pocket (sized to binder)

King Bed Build Pt.1 - choosing a design

Spring is almost here, and I can't wait.  It is the perfect time to get outside and start new projects.  This year, the project topping our list is a new bed.  Years ago when we first got married, we received a 4 poster queen sized bed complete with mattress set as a gift.  It was a "starter model", but we loved it, especially since it was free.

Flash forward too many years and 3 kids later and I'm a lot older and little wiser. 

I now understand why my mom told us not to jump on the bed.  Two words,... broken springs.  
I've also learned that a six year old who climbs in your bed in the middle of the night, takes up more mattress real estate than a full grown man.  

So, with tax refund on it's way, and President's Day sales in full swing, we bought a new mattress set just a few weeks ago.  We even upgraded and got a King.  It is glorious.  However, there is one tiny problem.  This upgrade has left us without a frame or headboard.  And there is only one solution for that.  

DIY it.

But what to build?

I really like this farmhouse bed from Pottery Barn.

Here are some similar ones with plans.

 picture from: The Bumper Crop

free plans from: Ana White

Plans by: Ana White

Plans by: Ana White

But, I also like these other Pottery Barn beds.

Sumatra Bed

Dawson Bed

Addison Bed

Feel free to chime in in the comments section and tell me what you'd pick.

A Clean Start a.k.a Historic Charcoal Toothpaste

It has been far too long since I did a proper post, so let's have a clean start shall we.  But, let's do it with a twist, and maybe a nod to dear old great great great grandma.  

Do you know how she got a clean start?  

Charcoal toothpaste. 

Just Joking.  It's quite likely that great great great grandma didn't start her day by brushing her teeth.  In fact, that whole thing about brushing your teeth twice a day didn't really take off until soldiers returned from WWII and shared military hygiene practices with their families.

However, back in the day she might have used charcoal toothpaste from time to time, or one of the other forms of dentifrices that often contained things like:  baking soda, chalk, orris root, pumice, talc, cuttle fish bone, soap, myrrh, benzoin, sugar, flavorings, & colorants.

The toothpaste tutorial I'm sharing today is part of my "Victorian Vanities" presentation, (read about it here), and is made from an 1893 recipe taken from The Era Formulary 5000 Formulas for Druggist.    Back in the day, the book sold for $5.  Today, you can find a digital copy free on Google books.  In case you want to look it up it is formula 1312 on p. 125.

Charcoal Tooth Paste

powdered charcoal 16 ounces

powdered orris root 16 ounces

Precipitated chalk 32 ounces

glycerin to proper consistency

Since I only wanted a sample and not a vat of "historic" toothpaste, I reduced the recipe significantly.  I'm not sure I'll ever want to actually use this stuff, but if you do, it is dead easy to make. Just measure, mix and mix again.  I take no responsibility for the outcome, but I'd love to see pictures and hear about it.

Mmmmmm...

 Doesn't that just look scruptious?

1927 Singer Sewing Cabinet Restoration Pt. 3 - removing the treadle frame and drawer supports.

It's been an all out eternity since I've posted anything about Freddie Mae.  But I haven't forgotten her.  If you've not read about my lovely singer sewing machine "Freddie Mae" and her restoration, be sure to check out the other posts here.  But if you're all caught up and ready for an update, read on.

Where were we?  Oh yes, I had finished the restoration of the sewing machine head, and was ready to move on to the cabinet.  I believe I also waxed poetic about why disassembling a piece prior to restoration is a pretty good idea.  

But how does one disassemble a vintage Singer sewing machine cabinet?

First cover your work surface, remove the drawers, then flip that puppy upside down.

With everything unscrewed you can remove the drawer frame.  Cringe at the dust and spider parts.

Separate the top of the cabinet from the treadle frame.  It should just lift off, but it'll be super heavy.  It is cast iron after all.

If you've gotten this far without finding copious amounts of dirt or other cringe worthy findings, and your finish is pretty good, you could stop disassembling here, give everything a good cleaning and a coat of wax and put it back together.

Or, if you're like me you could move onto the next stage. 

(Coming Soon)

Charging Station - Free Cut List and Diagrams

A while ago, I posted pictures of my Charging Station.  Today, I give you a cut list and Diagrams.


Finished Dimensions:

7 3/4" H x 14" W x 12 1/4 " D

Notes:
This charging station was built using scraps I had on hand.  The measurements below, reflect the measurements of those scraps.  This plan could be modified to suit a variety of material thicknesses.  Please make any necessary adjustments for material widths before cutting out your pieces.  

Warning:  Some chargers and devices produce quite  bit of heat.   Build at your own risk.

**There may be a tutorial or additional plans for using new wood in the future, please check back.**

Materials:

• Scraps, I used scrap 1 x10 boards, 1/4" ply and some hobby boards.
• glue
• nails
• 2 small hinges

Cut List: 
From 3/4 " plywood or board 

• 2-7 3/4" x 12 1/4" (will become sides)

 From 1/4" ply 

• 1 -5 3/4" x 13" middle shelf
• 1 - 9 7/8" x 13 bottom shelf

From 3/8 ply or board

• 3 3/4" x 12 1/2" back
• 1 - 4" x 12 3/8" top shelf
• 2 - 3 3/4 x 3 7/8 dividers

Don't miss my other free plans!

One Station to Charge Them All

Remember my post not too long ago "What we need here is some organization".  It was a call to action, to get my tush in gear and come up with some solutions to the disorganization that runs rampant in my kitchen.  You know like...

So, first up on my "Organize That"  to do list is finding a way to slay the ugly cord monster that lurks in the corner of my kitchen.  To do that, I'm going to need a charging station that can tame those cords and give my devices a permanent home, putting a  end  
(in theory)
to cell phone hide and seek.  It's such a one sided game after all, I'm always the seeker. 

I could buy a charging station.....

  But I don't really want to shell out the $$ for something that doesn't quite meet my needs.  My garage filled with wood scraps, and penchant for thriftiness, leave me only one choice.
It's time to get my build on.

Like it?

Those messy cords are out of sight, and now I have room to charge two phones, two ipads, and and a notebook, if I wanted to.  

  Now I'm one step closer to an organized and less chaotic kitchen.
Yay me!

Check back in the future.  I'll be posting free plans for my charging station, and maybe even a tutorial.    

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Well enough to keep me from working on my other projects right now.

School is almost out and I've been super busy trying to get things done that will be harder once the kiddos are home.  Between that, a spring cold that knocked me on my rear for several days, and garden chores, I've honestly not had the time, or the inclination to sit down and write a blog entry.  

However, today the skies are darkening, threatening rain, keeping me inside and blog guilt has gotten to me.  So, here's an update on my garden.

As a reminder, here's my garden  in mid April.  

And here it is on May 9th.

And here it is today.

The first produce from the garden came from this tiny little 1'x 2' rectangle planted with assorted Greens.  I harvest just the outer leaves as they mature, leaving the inner leaves to grow.  So far, we've gotten about half a dozen family sized salads from it.  

Since it's really starting to warm up here I know it's days are numbered.  I'm planning for Cucumbers to follow the Greens.  So, I pulled up enough of the Greens to  make way for the seeds and cut the rest of the greens to soil level.  Apparently, not all of them are ready to call it quits and I may get one last harvest.

Spinach is the second thing the garden has yielded.  I've gotten 2 good harvests out of it so far.  Like the other greens, it want's to bolt and is trying to send up flower stalks, which I've been pinching off.  

Since it's days are also numbered, I went ahead and planted Bush Beans between the existing plants.  I figure the Spinach leaves will act as a canopy to shade the soil and keep it from dying out too quickly giving the seeds a better chance to sprout.

  

To extend the greens harvest, I have two other small sections in the garden, that will be ready to harvest this week.  I also decided to start a couple of pots which will live on our cooler and more shaded porch in the hopes of getting a much later harvest.

Another thing I've done is to plant Soybeans between my Sunflowers, now that the Sunflowers are about 4 ft tall.  I'm growing a Mammoth variety that should reach 12 ft.  As they grow taller, I'll strip off the lowest leaves to allow sun to reach the soy beans in what would otherwise be wasted space.  

How is your garden growing?

I'd love to know.

Leave me a comment and let me know what your growing, and how it's doing.  

Do you have any super clever tips or tricks?

If so, share those in a comment too.

1927 Singer Sewing Cabinet Restoration Pt. 2 - Beware What Lurks in the Shadows

I could also subtitle this:

 "Why disassembling a project prior to restoration is not such a bad idea, especially if it's easy to take apart, has been in storage a long time,  and is really really dirty with lots of crevices that are hard to clean"

But That's a lot to type and it doesn't fit so nicely on the page, besides, 

"Beware What Lurks in the Shadows" 

has such a nice ring to it.

Any who, I just know there is some one out there who has read part 1 and has thought to themselves.  

"What a waste of time!  

"That top is the only thing that looks bad. Why on earth is she going to take that whole cabinet apart?  She could  work on as it is and it'd look just as good!"

I know this because the same thought went through my head for a second.  
Followed by:

"Yep, I could do that!  But...... "

 But, there are a few really good reasons to disassemble this piece before I start restoration.  

1. It's got lots of crevices, and it's filthy in those crevices.  I can't get it really clean as it is.  Most of the pieces are just screwed together, so it comes apart and should go back together pretty easy.
2. It's a learning experience. I can see first hand how the fastenings and mechanisms work.
3. Working on individual pieces, I'm less likely to accidentally drip the denatured alcohol (which will dissolve the shellac) somewhere it doesn't belong.
4. The most important reason! I can easily check for things I wouldn't find other wise. Things like hidden damage, 

or these guys:

Talk about a monster case of the Heeby Jeebies! 

It's true, I dropped my tools and took rather large and swift step back when I saw the first one.  I probably gasped a little too, and I don't feel a bit ashamed about that!  After all, this cabinet spent some quality time in an attic before it saw the inside of my house.  In these parts it pays to be wary of things that have spent a lot of time in cellars or attics.

A prod with the screwdriver confirmed the spiders weren't alive.  I continue to take things apart, finding more "dead spiders" as I worked, but not without the nagging feeling that something seemed "off" with my new friends.

So I took a closer look.  Then I saw it!

It's legs are sticking straight out!
Spiders usually curl up when they die. 

Those aren't dead spiders, those are shed spider skins!  

I quickly Goggled "shed spider skins" and scanned the pictures. 

Hmm, those look an awful lot like the ones here on this page about how to identify brown recluse spiders. 

A shiver ran up my spine and my skin began to crawl at the thought.

This cabinet was sitting inside my house for at least a month before I started to take it apart! 

I scanned the floors expecting to see hoards of creepy crawlies marching toward me.  

Whew!  Cat hair, dust, and plenty of crumbs, but no spiders.

Once the panic subsided and rational thought returned, I decided the spiders were probably long gone before the cabinet even got to my house. 

I also realized my floors are filthy and need a good cleaning.

  

Up Next: 
Pt. 3- Disassembling the Cabinet

1927 Singer Sewing Cabinet Restoration Pt. 1 - Assessing the Damage

Warmer weather is here!

  

The garden is planted and although free time is still hard to find, I'm making time to turn my attentions back to Freddie Mae, or more specifically, her cabinet.  

 It wouldn't be right to put her back into a time ravaged cabinet, now that she's been revitalized, would it?

Step 1 Assess the damage.

Like other singer cabinets of it's time, this one rolled off the factory floor with a pristine shellac finish.  But time and water have taken their toll.

(shellac really doesn't like water, and that's it's downside) 

Looks pretty bad doesn't it?  Believe me it's worse in person.  

The bad news: 

The top is in bad shape.  In addition to the obvious water damage, there are speckles of what I believe to be white paint on the top plus, the veneer has lifted in a few spots.  

The bottom line is that the finish on the top can't be saved.  It'll have to come off.  But that's the upside to shellac.  It'll be pretty easy to remove and I think, I can manage it without loosing too much of the patina.  

The good news:

 Aside from a few small scratches and some dirt, the sides are in good shape and won't need to be stripped.

  The plan:

• Disassemble the cabinet.
• Use denatured alcohol and very fine steel wool to remove/level the worst of the shellac on the top.
• Clean the rest of the piece with my new favorite homemade fine furniture cleaner.
• Apply a fresh coat of boiled linseed oil.  
• Add a fresh coat or two of shellac.
• Buff with superfine steel wool to remove the "brand new" feel.
• Apply a coat of good quality furniture wax.
• Put it all back together.

Next Up:

Pt. 2 - Beware What Lurks in the Shadows  

Adventures in Gardening - Pt. 4 From Grassy Spot to Garden Plot a.k.a "Can you dig it?"

Perfect Grassy Spot - check
 Soil Test - check
Following the Rules for Gardening with Clay - check

For weeks we dug off an on as time and weather permitted.  We took the garden section by section.  Digging the clay, amending the soil, breaking up clods and tossing the worst clay chunks aside.  My little guy had a blast digging into the soil with gloved hands and his tiny little guy sized shovel to mix in the compost and break up the chunks of clay.    

Once a section was prepared it was planted and watered. We made use of the bricks and pavers, left by the previous owner, to create a border and pathways.  In the center, we created a mulched path edged with brick to provide a knee friendly work area.  

Everything was coming together so well, and I thought to myself:
  
"Nice!  But......."  

" if I extend the garden another 4 feet off of the closest paver path, it would look even better and we'd gain 24 ft of planting area."
"Yep, I'm sure I can knock out that last section in an hour or so."

 With Hubby and the kids otherwise engaged, I started digging.  Minutes later, I hit a little snag.

3 coaxial looking cables ran across my newest garden section.  buried at a depth that varied from 1"- 6" beneath the sod.  One end disappeared beneath the fence and into our neighbors yard ominously pointing toward the corner of their house, the other end pointed to a distant utility pole.  

Theory 1:  That's my neighbors cable line.  
(I like them, better safe than sorry.)

I put down my shovel and picked up my phone.  The next few days saw a parade of utility trucks and technicians with their brightly colored spray paint cans.  Each utility marked their lines and a week after the digging had stopped the verdict was official.  

Theory 1 was busted!  

No one had a clue what these lines were for, or why they were there.  ATT didn't claim them.  Our WOW/Knology/Cable technician said "Yep! They look like cable lines, but they don't feed your house or your neighbors.  The only way to tell is to cut into them, and I'm not comfortable doing that."  He also said that distant utility pole they seem to go to is too far away to provide a strong enough signal for either house if they were connected.

Technician: "Just try to work around it."

Me to myself:  "Seriously?!  That's all you've got? I've been twiddling my thumbs for a week for this?"
(Shaking head thinking about the wasted week when I could have been digging.)

Then it rained and my little hole became a little pool. 
Sigh........ 

While I waited for things to dry out, I worked on some other projects including one involving power tools and wood stain, which I might show you someday.  While working, I  came up with another theory about the cables.

 Theory 2:  Garden Gnomes are stealing cable from the neighbors.

(hmm....  now that I'm typing that something else occurs to me.  Perhaps I need better ventilation for those projects involving wood stain.)

Eventually, the ground dried up and I was able to "work around the cables" to finish the garden plot, put up a trellis, and get the last section planted.

I can't wait to see what it looks like all grown up!

Adventures in Gardening - Pt. 2 Soil Test

With the location decided, hubby took on the chore of ripping up the sod to reveal our wonderful (if you want to make bricks) Alabama red clay.  

  While he did the grunt work, I did a soil test. 

PH -on the acid side of neutral.

Nitrogen- non-existant.

Phosphorus- plenty

Potash- good enough

This soil is better than the soil at our old house which in addition to being the same lovely clay was more acidic and had an assortment of construction debris, tree roots, and rocks.

Up Next:  Rules for Gardening with Clay 

Adventures in Gardening - Pt. 1

I mentioned in a previous post that I'd tell you later about my adventures in gardening.  Well, it's later!

We've been in this house nearly a year and a half now, without really changing or adding anything new to the existing landscape.  That whole time, I've been itching to get my hands in some dirt and plant something.  

This year, as Spring was first trying to spring, I felt the overwhelming need to scratch that itch, but how?  
Flowers?  Herbs?  Vegetables? 

Then, it was obvious. We enjoyed the fresh veggies from our fall CSA so much last fall, but at an average of $40 a week, it wasn't cheap.  

"What if we plant our own veggie garden?"  
 At the old house we had an herb garden, and occasionally grew beans and tomatoes there.  But that was for fun, this would be for food.  
"Could we actually do it?"
 "It would so much work and we'd have to invest some money.  But not as much as a full or even half share of our CSA. " 
"It might be fun."

I got the hubby and kids on board, and it was settled.  I just had to pick the spot and make a plan.

This is the spot we chose. It's our only open bit of fence and runs along the ENE edge of our lot.  

The fence prevents the garden from getting the early morning's sun, but somewhere around 10:00, the sun starts peeking over the top.  From then until dusk, the spot is bathed in full unfiltered sunlight. 
   
The ground here has a very slight slope which should help with drainage, and we never use this part of the yard for anything, but it is close enough to our house, water hose, and gardening tools to make it convenient.  It's also easily viewed from the back of the house and driveway so every time we come and go we'll be reminded to tend it. 

Up Next:
Adventures in Gardening Pt. 2 - Soil Test