Peach Freezer Jam That Actually Sets Up
UPDATE: The recipe described in this post is delicious. However, it was in response to a problem with the Sure Jell pectin recipe. The recipe in the Sure Jell pectin box has improved since this post was written. I have since made the jam using the Sure Jell directions and the jam has set up. Try them both and see what you think. Have I mentioned how much I love freezer jam? Okay, yes, I’ve mentioned it one or two million times. It just tastes so much fresher than cooked jam. Trust me. I’ve had great success making raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry and marionberry freezer jam. Peach jam? Not so…
A Spot to be Creative – Office Update
This is one of my favorite places in this house. It’s a spot we’ve created in the office for the kids to get crafty and creative. The backdrop of this scene is a picture my husband took of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area between Oregon and Washington. We tacked it behind a giant old window that we found in the barn of our last house. The frame is chipped to perfection! The picture is so large, it definitely gives the feeling that there is an actual window on that wall. I love to see how my kids’ imaginations come alive on paper, but for my sanity, I need to have the 1.3 million broken crayons…
We Went to the Lake and I Didn’t Want to Leave
We live really close to the Chattahoochee River. So close, we can walk to it. I regularly see a lot people on the river: rowing team, kayakers, inner tubers, etc. They all look like they are having a grand ol’ time. Except. Well, I can’t seem to get over how gross the water looks. I realize slow moving rivers can look a little murkier than fast moving ones. Intellectually, I know it’s probably fine, but I just haven’t been able to bring myself to get in the water – even in our kayaks. Speaking of kayaks, we’ve been in Georgia for about 5 months now (holy cow) and we haven’t…
Welcome Knock Off Decor Readers
If you’re visiting today from Knock Off Decor, WELCOME! If you’re coming from somewhere else, WELCOME! Basically, if you’re here, I’m ecstatic and can’t wait to virtually meet you! All of the projects Beckie features are incredible, so I’m happy to be listed among the folks who make my jaw drop regularly with their creative projects. This is me and my family: This is probably the last family picture we’ll get where we are all looking sort of toward the camera for, oh, the next 5 years or so. I’d better savor this one! If you like Pottery Barn Knock Offs, here are two you might like… (Yes, the bed was featured…
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Here’s one of my rules to live by: “oatmeal raisin cookies should be soft and chewy.” It falls somewhere on the list between “treat others the way you want to be treated” and “always wear a slip with a dress.” Now that you know what my priorities are, my mission to find a homemade oatmeal raisin cookie recipe to end all recipes, doesn’t really seem all that ridiculous. Does it? So I began my quest (aka I Googled it) and after the longest 3.2 seconds of my life, I found a recipe that had almost 5 stars and close to 2,500 comments. I took that as a “sign” that my righteous quest was…
DIY Pottery Barn Inspired Farmhouse Bed
Editor’s Note: I wrote a one year later post about how we like this bed and what we’d do different. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a little lumber and elbow grease. I know I’m not the only one who pours over the Pottery Barn catalog looking for inspiration. I think I own a handful of actual Pottery Barn creations – a throw, a hook thingie (technical term there) and I’m sure there must be something else. However, I can’t seem to pull the trigger on any of the big stuff though – the sofas, the tables, the beds. That’s where I owe a debt of gratitude to Ana White for…
A Boy and a Train
I met a train conductor once. An actual, real life conductor. He didn’t necessarily fill my preconceived notions of what a conductor should look like, which are honestly, completely colored by reading one million and one Thomas the Train books. It struck me as funny at the time that trains are fascinating to little boys and that railcars play a huge role in the movement of goods in this country. Yet, not many people grow up to work on the railroad anymore. Or if they do, I certainly have not met many of them. Perhaps I need to get out and about more. I often wonder what goes through my…
Bacon Feta Jalapeño Potato Salad
My husband doesn’t cook very often anymore. So when I came home last week to find him cooking up something that looked highly questionable, I’ll admit I had my doubts. Which, in retrospect, was totally the wrong attitude – especially if I’d like him to do more cooking. *insert major forehead slap here* When all was said and done, instead of eating crow, I ate two helpings of his potato salad. It all started with bacon. And, really, all good things start with bacon. I’m just not sure why it had to be on the grill, but I’m going with the flow here. Again, husband cooking = excellent idea. He…
$2.50 Cloth Napkin Art
Generally speaking, I’m at that point in my life where I can deal with blank walls while I wait for inspiration to strike. So zen of me, I know. The truth is, once I put a hole in the wall, it’s all over. That artwork is going to be up there for a REALLY long time. For some reason, I lack the motivation it takes to spend 10 minutes filling in that hole and repainting in order to hang a new piece of artwork. But, let’s not dwell on my issues. Now, if I can hide that nail hole… Please tell me I’m not the only one who has multiple nail…
Blueberry Freezer Jam with Frozen Berries
If you’ve known me for 3 seconds, you will know that I LOVE freezer jam. I love it so much that when we moved to Georgia, I packed a cooler with our remaining precious containers of jam and some ice packs and checked it as luggage on the plane. I’m sure TSA (and my family and friends) thought I was cuckoo, but I didn’t care! I brought a little piece of home to our new home. There’s just one little problem with freezer jam. Say it isn’t so! Freezer space can be a problem. Even having enough containers can be a problem. So, what’s a girl to do? Simple. Freeze berries in…
