Recent Posts
Suburban Backyard Gardening 2024 Recap: Tomatoes, Flowers, and More! (Year 6)
Read how I made this year's garden lower effort, but still with a decent yield! See how crop rotation and my other gardening goals turned out.
Beekeeping Year 2 Recap: Splitting Hives, Harvesting Honey, Readying for Winter
Our bees were busy this year! Here's how we split hives, details our improved harvest setup, how our new honey extractor worked, and what we're doing this winter.
Project: Tapestry Weaving on My Lap Loom
Diving into fiber arts, I warped my tapestry loom and set to work. Here's what I made and the weaving skills I'm working on.
Tutorial: How to Make a Camp Sink/Dishwashing Station with PVC (In Three Easy Steps!)
Dreading washing up after camp meals? This sink/dishwashing station, based on one I used with girl scouts as a kid, makes it easy!
Backyard Suburban Garden Plan, Year 6 (2024)
I'm growing tomatoes (of course), repeating other favorites, trying new veggies, and planting more flowers than last year! Read how my crop rotation is panning out, and goals for this year's garden.
Bees: Splitting a Hive That Survived the Winter
Northern winters can be rough for beehives. Not all of our hives made it. Instead of buying a new nuc or queen, here's how we've attempted a split! Plus, read what I've been doing with the harvested honey and beeswax.
Tutorial: Super Simple Crocheted Water Bottle Holder in 5 Steps (Great First Project!)
Never go thirsty with this straightforward and functional water bottle carrier! Comes together fast. A good project for beginning crocheters!
Projects: Learning to Crochet! Scarves, Water Bottle Carriers, a Hat, and Shawls
When your friends decide to learn to crochet at book club, you bring yarn and join in! Here's what I've been making from yarn this winter!
Backyard Suburban Gardening: My Year 5 Harvest
This year's expanded garden was more work, but the increased yield was worth it! I added to the front flower garden, too. Here's how everything grew and what I want to do differently next year.
Winterizing the Bees, Year 1
Northern winters are cold—so what do the bees do? Here's how we prepared our hives for the snowy months.
How We Managed Our First Honey Harvest
Our bees have been productive this summer, so we decided to harvest some honey! Here's what we've learned about the honey extraction process.
Why We Started Beekeeping—And How It's Going!
No secrets: We wanted the honey. Here's why we started with four hives, how we setup the bees, what happened when one hive swarmed, and other faced challenges so far.
Backyard Gardening, Year 5: Expanded Beds and New Seed Starting Setup
This year, I've more than doubled my garden space! I added new plant varieties—and now, we have bees! See how my 250+ bulbs did and learn how I'm keeping track of everything in the yard.
Tutorial: How to Make an Easy Patchwork Peasant Skirt
Pick your favorite colorful scraps and start sewing—here's an easy, tiered skirt you can customize! Make it bright, or choose shades of one or two colors; change up the waistband; make it shorter or longer.
One Year Later, Are Backyard Chickens Worth It?
We brought chicks home a year ago. Now, how do we like having hens? How many eggs do they produce? What do you do when they escape their run or get attacked by hawks? Are they more work than they're worth?
How I Planted My Suburban Yard Garden, How It Grew, and What I Learned (Gardening, Year 4!)
A long, cold spring; a late first frost; new spaces, new flowers, new tools—here's how this year's garden grew!
Tutorial: How to Make a Braided Rag Rug From Old Sheets or T-Shirts
Upcycle old shirts and sheets into wonderfully colorful braided rugs in 6 simple steps! Minimal or even no sewing; easy-to-follow instructions; lots of photos!
How I Made A Linen Wrap Skirt With Rainbow Embroidered Flowers
Women's clothing is so often function or pretty—but rarely both. This project was my attempt to bridge that gap by making my own wrap skirt and learning embroidery to decorate it!
Tutorial: How to Make a Hobby Horse from a Sock and Scrap Fabric in 7 Steps
Upcycle an old sock into a classic children's toy! A straightforward craft that's infinitely customizable and leads to a neighborhood of fun.
Backyard Chickens: First Eggs, Starting Compost, and New Challenges
We set up our backyard coop and got chicks in late March. After months of waiting, the payoff is real: the first eggs! But not everything is peachy… flies? adventuring hens? What did we sign up for?
Backyard Gardening, Year 4: Spring Planning, Planting, and Improvements
Each year I try to level up a few gardening skills—and this year we have to landscape along a new front fence and incorporate the chickens into our routine!
Tutorial: How to Make a Plush Rag Rug from Old Socks in 5 Steps
Save your socks! Upcycle old socks into a squishy, colorful rug—it's an easy way to make something beautiful!
Backyard Chickens: Why We Got Them, Where We Set Up the Coop, and What's Next!
Chickens? We weren't going to get animals until our kids could do the chores. Here's why we changed our minds and how we got chickens set up in our backyard.
Making Rag Rugs From T-Shirts and Old Sheets (Reuse and Upcycle!)
I love finding new uses for old stuff. I had a collection of old t-shirts and ripped sheets... what better thing to do than repurpose them into beautiful rugs?