Make It for Yourself or to Give as a Gift This handy apron is made from cotton fabric remnants or repurposed cotton fabric and the legs of old blue jeans. Four pockets can hold everything from garden gloves to plant markers, sharpies and your phone. The flapped pocket secures with velcro to keep your phone… Continue reading →
Easy Nutritious and Filling Fare When my doctor suggested I try a vegan diet to help ease the aches of pains of aging, I was worried about how I’d get enough protein. My standard breakfast had consisted of a couple of slices of turkey bacon, some sort of carb and fruit—plus coffee, of course. I… Continue reading →
Create a Natural Cheese Display for Autumn Entertaining Decades ago I saw paper “grape leaves” advertised by Williams Sanoma to display cheeses. They were pretty—very French—but expensive! Once I got a grape arbor in my garden I saw what beautiful colors the leaves turn in fall. I thought back to a craft project from preschool… Continue reading →
Repurpose Old Pillowcases into Handy Stuff Sacks When traveling I like to have a place for my dirty clothes, and hate mixing them with clean ones when it’s time to pack up for home. Hotels often provide plastic bags for this purpose, but I bring my own when camping or staying on the cheap. Since… Continue reading →
Refashion Cast-Offs for the Look You Want. I have been a frustrated costume designer since I was a teen. Halloween was my favorite holiday and I loved dressing up as someone else. Since I learned to sew at the age of 11, I always made my own costumes rather than buying one of the flimsy… Continue reading →
75 Plants Yield a Year’s Worth of Pesto and More! Early September is still harvest season in Seattle. That means I’m spending more time in the kitchen processing our bounty, and less time at the computer working on this blog. To top it off, June was drier than normal this year, followed by hotter than… Continue reading →
Revel in the Change of Season It’s that time of year when some might think my garden looks a little sad. Blooms fade. Leaves yellow and wither. And the fruits and veggies are putting on their clearance sales before shuttering their doors for the season. I’m not one for annuals—except for a few mums in… Continue reading →
Simple Side a Snap to Prepare Once our cucumbers start coming in, we find ourselves inundated before we know it. Hence, I am always looking for new things to do with them. We love them raw in salads or sliced thin to add crunch to a sandwich. I’ve even added them to veggie smoothies! But… Continue reading →