I Finally Got a Round Tuit!

       And in honor of Pink Saturday it's

(of course)

Pink!

Wishy-washy (me!) can't decide which button she likes best though.

Will you help me?

Do you like the pink button best ~ the one I made here: CoolText.com

or

the quilty-looking one (which I made myself!)?

***

But wait, I got the cart before the horse here.

I need to back up and tell you my plans for the button.

I'm having my very own Linky Party and you're invited!

I hope to make it a weekly party where you can come by my blog and link up to your post about something you've done that you've been putting off until you got a Round Tuit (around to it :)

For Instance:

• getting a haircut
• a crochet project
• learning to sew
• trying a new recipe
• going outside for a walk
• visiting a special place
• going on a diet
• trying a new deli
• hugging a child

You get the idea.

It could be anything you've been planning to do when you got a Round Tuit.

Doesn't it sound like fun?

 Would you be interested in participating?

I'm planning the party for Tuesdays (beginning next Tuesday).

Doesn't Tuit Tuesdays just have a lilting sound?

 

So, start planning your post now and come back to get your Round Tuit on Tuesday.

Okay, now back to the button.

I want to have a button for anyone that wants to participate and link back to my blog for the party.

So, again I ask:

Which button do you like best?

The Pink button

or

 the quilty button?

Don't be nervous, speak right up!

Just leave your vote in the Comments section.

Your help is deeply appreciated (and needed)!

This post ~ and the buttons~ are dedicated to my Pink Saturday friends and Beverly at

How Sweet the Sound.

I'm so glad Beverly got a Round Tuit and started Pink Saturday!

It's the reason I started my blog Way Back When!

Wishing you all a Happy Pink Saturday!

I hope you come back for

Tuit Tuesday!

Post is linked to:  Show and Tell Friday

Don't Try This at Home!

Please, come on up and join me on my front porch. 

I have a story to tell you. 

It's a story that taught me some lessons.

See this beautiful, innocent jalapeno pepper? 

 If you look closely you will see what looks like dew drops on it.  But really? They're tears.

The tears are for what its brothers and sisters did to poor me this week.  Being so proud of the bounty from my little square-foot-garden, I gathered up all the full-grown pepper pods from my two plants and carried them into my kitchen where  I washed them, cut them open, took out the seeds and membranes, then chopped them into tiny pieces for the freezer.

A little voice in the back of my head said, "Sherry, when you were a little girl, didn't your mother have a bad encounter with a sink full of peppers?"  Searching back through my memories, I remember coming into our house one summer day and finding Mama fanning her hands around and groaning because they were burning so bad after having them submerged in a sink full of peppers and water most of the morning.

"Oh yes," I said to the little voice, "but she had them in a sink full of water and mine aren't in water, and anyway it won't happen to me.  Besides, I cut them up all the time with almost no burning." 

And back to work I went. After chopping all the peppers up and putting them in a freezer bag, I washed my hands.   

That's when the trouble began!  Such intense burning!

I sluffed it off, put my bag of peppers in the freezer and fixed a sandwich for my lunch.  But wait!  Now my face is burning!  My lips are on fire and I haven't even touched them!  I did, however, touch the sandwich that touched my lips.

I'm thinking I may have a real problem now, so what do I do?  I Google it!  I found much advice, and was comforted (just a little) to know that I am one among many sillys that have cut up peppers without heeding the warning to WEAR GLOVES. 

I found one very entertaining blog post with almost 300 comments full of advice. I tried MANY of them: rinsed my hands in alcohol, rubbed them with a baking soda paste (this helped my burning lips but not my hands), slathered them with calamine lotion, washed them with very HOT water and dish soap (TORTURE!), rubbed them on stainless steel, rinsed them in lemon juice, soaked them in milk, rubbed them with aloe gel, and poured witch hazel over them (my own idea). I drew the line at peeing on them~yes, one of the commenters on the blog was adamant that it would help, but I never found out. 

Nothing I tried helped. Finally giving up on the treatments, I just laid my hands on an ice pack for rest of the day to wait it out.  In fact, I melted down several ice packs we had stashed in our freezer. 

Sweet hubby cooked supper for the family while I groaned. 

Oh, and did I mention, our air conditioner had quit and had been out for two days when this happened?  The Alabama heat and a sweltering house didn't help cool my hands any.

I was afraid that I would be up all night cradling my ice pack.  This burning lasted about twelve hours, then it slowly subsided. So sweet!  Finally, I was able to fall into a peaceful sleep, with an ice pack on my nightstand ~ just in case.

At least I learned some lessons from my pepper encounter:

• Listen to others' advice to wear gloves when chopping up even ONE hot pepper.
• Never think, "It won't happen to me."
• Listen to that little voice in the back of my mind.  God put it there for a reason. 
• Appreciate any day without pain!

Thank you for sticking with me through this story. 

Now, with a little help from my plants, I want to wish you all a very happy

Red, White, and

Blue Independence Day weekend,



our blueberry plants

with a big splash of Pink thrown in for my Pink Saturday friends!

Enjoy!

~Sherry~

Making Soap

I'm so glad you dropped by to join me on my soap making day.  You can visit this post to find my simplified and printable instructions. (You might want to print the instructions out to follow along with while looking at the steps pictured below.) I promised a picture post the next time I made soap, so here it is!

First put on an apron that makes you happy because you'll have it on for several hours. 

Now prepare your soap mold. You can simply line cardboard boxes with plastic wrap allowing the wrap to hang over on every side.  That's what I did the first couple of times I made soap.  Then my sweet hubby made me this mold out of scrap lumber.  It measures 28"  x 10"  x 3 1/2" deep. The mold is put together with screws which makes it much easier when it's time to get the soap out.  The night before my soap making day, Neil covers each piece of the mold with plastic wrap.  He pulls the plastic tight and tapes it on before screwing the mold back together.  In fact, he has it on so tight that it looks like glass.  This will assure wrinkle-free bars of soap.  My first two batches had wrinkles because I just lined cardboard boxes with the plastic, and believe me I was not the perfectionist Neil is.

The next step is to gather your supplies. (Check your printed out recipe for the ingredients and needed supplies.)

Don your long sleeves and rubber gloves.  Put 7 cups of cold water into the glass jug and carry it, a wooden spoon, a spoon rest, and the container of lye outside (because of the fumes).  Set it up in a place that is away from children and animals.  I don't have to worry about little Maggie (below) bothering mine.  She runs at the first hint of a chemical smell.  (I found that out the first time I went outside with nail polish remover. :)  However, I still put the jug on a high table out of her reach.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the water while slowly adding the lye.  Make sure you stir all the way to the bottom of the jug or the lye will clump there.  Stir until the lye is dissolved. Note: The chemical reaction causes the water to heat up to almost the boiling point when the two are combined!

Now for the tricky part, the temperature of the lye water and melted lard need to be brought to between 96 and 98 degrees at the same time before combining the two.

I used an old-fashioned candy thermometer for my first batch of soap, but this is the type of thermometer I use now.  It's an instant-read type and is so much faster.  I have two, one for the lye water and one to use when testing the lard.  Neil had the bright idea to loop a stiff wire over the shank of the thermometer so it will hang over the rim of the jar.

At this point I hook the thermometer in place and cover the jug with a paper towel and rubber band (just to make sure no dust falls into it).  I like to make my soap in cooler weather so that the lye will cool off faster, speeding up the soap making process considerably.  I run out and check the temp of the water and stir it every 15 minutes. The outdoor temperature at this time is 38 degrees and the water is cooling off 10 degrees every 15 minutes.

When the lye water is down to around 110 degrees I put the lard in the stainless steel pot on the stove and melt on low heat. (The lard will cool down much faster than the lye water.) 

While the lard is melting I bring the lye water inside. The smelly fumes of the lye are almost gone now. The water is at the right temperature so I put the pot of lard into a sink of ice and water to speed up the cooling off process.
 

When the lye water and lard are both at the right temperatures I pour the water into a plastic pitcher. It's much easier (and safer) to pour the water from a handled pitcher than it is from a slippery glass jug. Carefully pour the lye mixture into the lard (pour in a steady stream) while stirring constantly with your wooden spoon. 

This is what the mixture looks like at this point.

This is where you get to put your patience into practice.  Stir the mixture constantly for 15 minutes, then stir the soap every 15 minutes until it thickens and traces. Tracing is when you let a few drops of the soap fall from your spoon back into the pot and it stays on top a few seconds before sinking in (see picture below).  The mixture will be about the consistency of cake batter at this point.  It could take several hours to get there.  I stirred this particular batch at 15 minute intervals for 1 1/2 hours before it traced.  Each batch seems to be different though.  Don't pour your soap into the mold too early or it won't get firm! Don't ask me how I know that. :)  Essential oils may be added at this point if you want scented soap.

Now pour the soap into your prepared mold(s).

Cover with cardboard and several towels.  (I also threw a rug over the top of the towels.)  Leave until the next day.

Now, go clean up that messy kitchen! Still wearing your rubber gloves, carefully wash all utensils in hot, soapy water.  I label all my soap making supplies and keep them only for that use because of the lye usage.

Soap may be hard enough to cut into bars in 24 hours.  If not, wait another day.  Unmold the soap. If you used a plastic wrapped cardboard box, lay a clean board or stiff piece of cardboard over the mold and flip over. (Make sure your soap is firm first though.)  Then remove the box and peel off the plastic.  Neil just removes the screws from my mold and takes the sides off leaving the bottom of the mold in place.

Using a sharp knife, we cut our soap into 42 bars, each bar measuring 3 1/2" x 2" .  The soap will still be a little soft at this point, so the less you touch it, the better.

I leave the soap on its base until it's hardened, then I let it air-dry at least three weeks before using.

And there you have it!  Beautiful bars of pure white soap that are so very mild to your skin.  

I know it sounds complicated, but it gets easier with each batch you make.  I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about my soap making process.  Just leave them in the comment section and I'll get back with you soon.  Thanks for stopping by!  ~ Sherry

This post is linked to:  Show and Tell Friday, Frugal Friday, DIY Showoff, Life Made Lovely, Take-a-Look Tuesday

Bye bye

I've decided to take a break from my Pink Saturday posting for a while. I've got many exciting home projects swirling around in my head and plan to take the time to focus on them for a while.  I'm not taking a blogging break, just a Pink Saturday break.  Please check back often to see what I'm up to.  I will sure miss my Pink Saturday friends if you don't stop by for a visit and a chat.

Please go by Beverly's for this week's list of  Pink Saturday participants.

A Shocking Pink Saturday

I was quite surprised when I looked at the picture I snapped of my Mandevilla.  I didn't realize it was such a shocking pink until I saw it on my computer monitor.  

Sweet hubby and I are coming home from our camping trip tomorrow.  I hope to come by and visit every one of you just as soon as I get unpacked. Don't forget to leave me a comment so I'll know you stopped by.

Be sure to go by Beverly's for a list of all the Pink Saturday participants this week.



I Finished my Afghan in Time for Pink Saturday!

I finished up my crocheted afghan that I posted about here and here.

I sort of made up my own pattern for the edging as I went.  I like that it ended up looking kind of lacy.

I made the afghan for the camper but after draping it over this chair, I liked the pop of color it added to my otherwise pastel living room.   I just may have to make another one soon.  I still have plenty of left-over yarn from other projects and I like to have an evening project to work on so I don't fall asleep in front of the TV.

This blog is a happy participant of: Pink Saturday
                                                     Get Your Craft on Thursday

Remembering Sweet CC on this Pink Saturday

The world is a little less pink this Saturday because of the loss of one of our dear Pink Saturday friends. However, CC was such a happy soul that I don't think she would approve of us mourning our loss, but would, instead, want us to carry on her tradition of spreading joy and encouraging others. So, in honor of CC this day I will give away more smiles, reach out a hand to someone else, and try to be an encouragment to others.

To a Friend

by Grace Stricker Dawson

You entered my life in a casual way;

And saw at a glance what I needed;

There were others who passed me or met me each day,

But never a one of them heeded.

Perhaps you were thinking of other folks more,

Or chance simply seemed to decree it;

I know there were many such chances before,

But the others - well, they didn't see it.

You said just the things that I wished you would say,

And you made me believe that you meant it;

I held up my head in the old gallant way,

And resolved you should never repent it.

There are times when encouragement means such a lot,

And a word is enough to convey it;

There were others who could have, as easy as not -

But, just the same, they didn't say it.

There may have been someone who could have done more

To help me along, though I doubt it;

What I needed was cheering, and always before

They had let me plod onward without it.

You helped to refashion the dream of my heart,

And made me turn eagerly to it;

There were others who might have (I question that part)-

But, after all, they didn't do it.

You may visit CC's blog here and the list of other Pink Saturday participants here.

I've Gone Yoyo for Yo-yo's!

Can you guess what I'm making? Pictures of my completed project to be posted soon!


This blog is a happy participant of Pink Saturday.

The Magnificent Miracle Party

After my massive decluttering session summer, I have a confession to make, I am still a collector! But my collection isn't sitting on a shelf, gathering dust. Instead, it is contained in this one notebook.

I am a collector of words. I love funny and inspiring quotes and I have been collecting them for years. At one time I had little bits of paper with hastily scribbled quotations tucked here and there in so many different places. Deciding one day that I wanted to gather all my quotes together in a lovely place, I covered a three-ring binder with some girly fabric from my stash and made myself a "Happiness File."

I included inside pockets to hold special cards and other mementos that make me smile.



I collect snippets of magazine articles that I find useful and glue them on pretty scrapbook paper, placing them in page protectors and adding them to my notebook.



And lastly, in my very best handwriting, I added, and continue to add, quotes that hold special meaning for me.



I am including some of my favorite inspiring quotes on this special Pink Saturday:

• Worrying does not empty Tomorrow of its troubles, it empties Today of its joy. ~ Unknown
• Nothing good was ever achieved without enthusiasm. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
• No day is so bad that it can't be fixed with a nap. ~ Unknown
• We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." Goethe
• A good laugh is sunshine in a house. ~ Thackeray
• A loving heart is the truest wisdom. ~ Charles Dickens
• Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~ Abraham Lincoln
• God has given us life to be lived with enthusiasm and joy. ~ Rabbi Magnin
• Live your life and forget your age. ~ Norman Vincent Peale
• Celebrate every day! ~ Unknown
• It's never too late to live happily ever after. ~ Unknown
• Be still, and know that I am God. ~ Psalm 46:10
• He who sows courtesy, reaps friendship: He who plants kindness gathers love." ~ Basil the Great
• Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others? ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

We all have a chance to do something for someone else this weekend, and all it costs is just a few seconds of our time. Simply go to The Katillac Shack and follow the instructions at the bottom of the post. We can help others by just following the five links on this page and leaving a comment on each one. It's such a worthy cause! Thank you Beverly, for being one of these supporting links and allowing us all to participate in this inspiring Magnificent Miracle party!

Going for the Gold on Pink Saturday...

...and spray painting it.

Being inspired by several creative bloggers, I have been on a treasure hunt in my own home looking for things that would benefit from a redo. I found this little candle holder and decided it would fit into my decorating scheme better if a different color. I forgot to get a "before" picture but I also forgot to paint the bottom of it, so there's no doubt what it looked like before, bright, shiny, metallic-looking gold.



And here's what I'm still working on when I get away from my spray painting for a while. I've got the blocks all made, now for putting them together. I'm making this into an afghan for the camper. The blocks are not all pink, those are just the ones that crawled to the top for the picture on this Pink Saturday.



I want to thank Beverly for sponsoring Pink Saturday and for featuring my blog this week. I want to welcome anyone that is visiting here for the first time. Please leave me a comment. I love meeting new friends!