a handmade life
My back yard borders a pasture which happens to be abundant in milk thistle. These are the plants that you don't seem to notice until you are walking pleasantly through your garden, having a grand time, and then impale your foot upon its sharp leaves. Despite this occurrence (multiple times), I have a fondness for …
Autumn officially arrived the other day, when the frost-covered plants and dew-speckled spider webs greeted me as the sun rose over the mountains. I breathed a visible "Hello" to anyone listening. It was hinted at all week. And the week before that. The air tinged with the promise of crisp mornings and warm afternoons; of …
So I decided to try my hand at string painting. They did not come out as impressive as some that I've seen on the world wide web, but they were pretty rad nonetheless. It's really simple, however I think the success lies in the amount — and perhaps the type — of paint applied to …
From Wellness Mama. Heat oven to 400° F. Pour baking soda into a baking dish (I use a glass Pyrex casserole dish) about 1⁄2 inch deep. Bake in the oven for ~1 hour, or until the consistency is right; stir a couple of times. Washing soda tends to feel "grainy" rather than "silky". When cool, …
From Live Simply. 1 C. borax 1 C. washing soda 1 C. liquid castile soap 1 gallon (16 C.) water ~40 drops essential oils (optional) Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add borax and washing soda. In a separate container combine the rest of the water, liquid castile soap, …
I am pretty excited. This is my first art exhibit other than the mandatory Sophomore Project during college, at which I didn't receive very good reviews, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was a bit traumatizing. I understand the concept of constructive criticism, but when you literally pour your sweat and …
I cook nearly every night. I do not particularly like leftovers, and if it were economically and environmentally responsible then I would have a freshly cooked meal every time I eat. When I do heat up leftovers, I often do not use the microwave. When I reheat food on the stove-top I like to incorporate …
We left at 5:00 a.m. I am rarely awake at that time in the morning, but I do enjoy it on occasion - what I don't enjoy is a 5 hour car ride. However, it was a means to an end, and that end was camping. At five in the morning, the Pacific coast is …
Here is another of my ceramic masterpieces. It actually started off really well, then when I was trimming the bottom, I made a hole. Also, one of the sides was thin and broke (hence the swirly design). So I decided to turn it into a really cool yarn bowl. I think my favorite part about …
In my attempt to limit the amount of caustic chemicals I put on, in, or near my body I have eradicated store-bought shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste from my hygienic regime. The areas I am still working on are body/hand soap, dish soap, and laundry soap. I finally got the supplies I needed to make bar …
From Hadria 