5 min crafts

See 5 Min. Crafts on Instagram for a recipe of boiling water, soda, and aluminum foil to clean silver.

Time Saving Household Tips

If you are at all like me, there aren't enough hours in the day for you. Now that I am writing full time and setting up a doll museum, my life is not my own, add to that family, teens, pets, extended family, committees, church, other responsibilities and a knee injury, well, you get it.


I hold it together; and function, well, more than function.  I learned multitasking in  grad school; I was in law school and did my Masters at the same time.  I did fine in both, made it to class, took my finals, published a little, and never had to ask for an Incomplete.  I even took ballet on Saturdays and ran in my spare time.


So, here are a couple tips.


1.  This morning, I got up first, and it was quiet.  I made my breakfast, which is simple, instant oatmeal and bran with fruit, maybe a little cheese, and coffee.  While I made coffee, I started on the dishes.


2. While I was eating, I finished the dishes and tidied up.


3.  I laid out my clothes from the night before, even on weekends.


4.  I did some of my social media work for various companies and checked email


5.  The rest of Saturday is errands and light housework.


6. I like to write and type on front of my British sitcoms and Miss Fisher Mysteries in the evening if we aren't out. 


7. I write it, yes write it, all down in my calendar.


Happy Weekend!  More survival tips soon.  You may not end up House Beautiful, but you will be House Sane and House Livable, without "all falling down" like in Jennifer Weiner's novel.


Hints from Heloise:  http://www.heloise.com/

Pioneer Woman at Walmart

Floral serving bowls pictured are from Walmart Pioneer Woman collection.  There is a whole PW culture out there, including a magazine.  I also bought a couple of dessert plates.

They are lovely, and reasonable, from about $3 for the little ramkin type bowls, to $33 or so for a large kitchen rack with porcelain and floral accents.  They work well in the Microwave, too.

Scratch , Meatballs, Meatloaf, and Spaghetti

Tips for Maintaining House Livable, if not House Beatuiful!!

So, today, I ate well but badly.  My customary oatmeal and coffee, which is the “well.”  Lunch, the best and worst of times.  Iced cold brew with half and half and splenda, goat cheese spread with spicy peach jam and sliced almonds with a mini, sliced French bread loaf, and a flowerless slice of chocolate tort.  That was the bad.  Bread is  in honor of French doll artist Bernard Ravca, who used French bread crumbs to create fantastic character dolls, among cloth and other media.

Ravca Stockinet Dolls, Public Domain

 

Bad because of the heat, though it is better, and a painful knee.  At my favorite coffee shop, there is no where to elevate it, more bad.  Sill I a rash, still allergies.  But, my family is well, and I puttered this morning around the house, accomplishing small thing, noting what needs to be done.

 

Tips; like Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House in the Ozarks, you can’t do it all.  We are not House Beautiful; ok, there is  great wall display here, a worthy bookshelf there. A doll house in great order.  Yet with a teenaged boy, a husband [another teenaged boy], two cats, a nasty  back injury, bad knee and dust allergies, you do the math.

Public Domain

 

I have a great friend who helps me inside, and as nice many who does the lawn and garden, except for little things I do.  But, here’s my tips for keeping the house livable, not beautiful.

 

1. Clean up as you cook.
2. Watch the litter box and keep it fresh.
3. Make the beds; it makes you feel sane and accomplished.
4. Go around and tidy up, couch cushions, doilies, do some spot dusting.
5. Do spot cleaning, a little sweeping and vacuuming where needed.  Knock down cobwebs.
6. ic up clothes off the floor.
7. Take out garbage several times a day, fi needed.
8. Get little blue thing to put on the rim of the toilet.  They help.  Swish it out frequently and flush and run even plumbing you don’t use often.
9. Stack books and magazines  Go through them and organize them.
10. Deep clean one manageable art of a room at a time.
11. Don’t stress and take breaks.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Kombucha

This natural, probiotic drink, is a brewed concoction available in health food stores and the health food section of large grocery chains.  I prefer berry varieties, like this black berry mint.  They are lightly carbonated, but I have been reading Mayo Clinic on healthy foods and drinks, and this is on it.  Other things good for you, that thank heaven, I've always eater are oatmeal, bran [just add a spoonful to the oatmeal, or anything else], avocados, tomatoes, black pepper, Almond milk,cinnamon, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, red and green peppers, fresh veggies in salads, etc.,  mushrooms, yogurt, strawberries and other fruits, watermelon [I'm allergic!!], and broiled fish.  I've read that lean, broiled meat is good for gall bladder issues, too.

Kombucha is pricey, but often on sale at 2 for 5 or 6 dollars.  Soda can cost a lot more.  I'm not giving any advice to anyone, just passing on what I have read and tried.  I have numerous stomach issues, many caused by stress, and these food seem to help me a lot.

Bon Appetit, and Have a Healthy Week!!



Dollar Tree Bargains and More!!

Bargains at the Dollar Store

Happy Sunday!  More photos and bargains and clothes and accessories will follow, especially as we get closer to back to school.  A couple tantalizing tips:  Goodwill often has 2 for$.88 specials.  Also, they pick a tag to be half price on clothes. I needed clothes in sizes I don't wear to donate to a couple who recently lost everything but their lives and pet dogs in a fire.  I was able to fill a bag for them.

Ikaria, featured on A Taste of Greece for Wonderful Recipes, Public Domain

Also, at the Dollar Stores, especially Dollar Tree, I found beautiful vinyl binders with a front pocket where you can insert a cover.  I prefer white, but they were in all colors.  I also bought one in print, pale pink like on Havilland plates.

Also, I discovered a new PBS Create Cooking Store, A Taste of Greece.  Great tips, scenery and ideas.   Lots of the PBS cooking shows talk about local growing and local foods used in restaurants, as well as sustainability. I get great ideas for cooking and gardening from these

 

In a brief detour, here are some household and grocery bargains available at your local dollar store, though brands may vary.

These are classics ad perfect for tea.  Usually, they are in the local grocers or in stores that feature Latino cuisine, but
I found these for only $1!! They are delicious not high in calories.  They would be great for lemonade stands,
tea parties, potlucks, teddy bear teas, or other special summer occasions.

Only $1, and it's excellent pound cake.  Think making a trifle, or  serve with strawberries or other fruit. 
Slice and layer with pudding, whipped cream, and fruit for a great layer cake dessert.  Or, eat it plain.  Make a fruit sauce
with fresh or frozen berries, 1/4 c wine or port, 1 tbsp. sugar or to taste,  bring to a boil and simmer.

Cryopak by Canada, only $1.  I twisted my knee badly on July 4th.   This pak takes away the pain and stays on.  Use it
hot or cold. Think school sports and soccer league booboos!  Great for your back to school or home
first aid kid.



2  Kinds of Pretzels, and 2 Kinds of Crackers. $1.  Terrific with hummus, or any dip. 
Just grab a handful for snacks, soups, or to pair with cheese.

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: One Step Closer to being a Museum and Happy 4th!

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: One Step Closer to being a Museum and Happy 4th!: Happy and safe 4th of July!!  This is a special one for us.  Today, we took another step closer to becoming a brick and mortar doll museum. ...

Whole wheat spaghetti and pork

Here is a simple one pot supper with many possible variations. I used an unseasoned pork loin, roughly cut into six pieces.  You could use chicken, beef, Boca burgers, tofu, or seafood or fish.  Place it in a Dutch over or large stock pot.  I added cut up Yukon god potatoes, garlic chives I grow in my garden, a gift from our piano teacher, Mrs. P., broccoli, one half vine tomato, about a four onion, cut in three pieces, not chopped.  You can add other vegetables, too. Season with oregano, salt, pepper, rosemary.  Cover barely with water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer about an hour.  I added some tomato bullion. to the water.  Meet should be completely done and potatoes easy to cut.  Bring to a boil again, and add whole wheat spaghetti, or other pasta.  Gluten free or rice noodles work as well.  You can use a vegetable stock or broth, and any other Vegan products if you want to go meatless, etc.

When pasta is done, about ten minutes, serve in bowls and sprinkle with grated cheeses like those pictured below.



Pork with whole wheat spaghetti, garlic chives, broccoli, potatoes, tomato.

Grated Mdzithra and ricotta salata for the one pot supper



A Healthy Breakfast

This is oatmeal, organic, with a tbsp. of bran mixed in and fresh strawberries. The rest is
Tricuits, and slivers of Pioneer Co-op ricotta salata and longhorn Colby.  Tw dark Dove chocolates and
a tsp of organic peanut butter.