My Mason jar love!

As many of you have probably figured out, I hate Mason jars.

Okay, not really.

I absolutely adore them!

I've been given so many by amazing friends

(Thank you, Darlene and Carol, in particular!)

in hopes that I will be able to preserve tons of fruits and veggies this year!

Here is a top shelf photo of only two kitchen cabinets-

full of potential.

This is a lid that I won't be able to use to can,

so this one was chosen to receive a makeover!

Thanks to Carol for this particularly awesome honey jar!

I chose this one because of the measurements indicated on the side.

I read a tutorial on Easie Peasie for Mason jar soap dispensers.

You know I had to try to make one!

It will perfectly match the little Mason Jar Light that was just purchased, but hasn't arrived yet!

(Messing with electrical stuff is a little beyond my capacity at this moment in time!)

I cut a hole in the lid big enough to put a pump through.

I cut it a little small so that it would fit snugly.

Apparently, some people glue theirs down-

I didn't, since it wasn't budging once it was in there!

I filled the mason jar with my lemon Trader Joe's soap from Beatrice of Sew Bea!

(thank you, thank you!)

The pump top for the jar is from this bottle.

The original soap container was recycled!

I can refill it any time!

And this particular jar, since it was my trial run, will be put in the kid's bathroom.

I'll use a smaller Mason jar to make one that will fit easily behind my kitchen sink.

I thinned the soap out to make it easier for small hands to scrub up!

And here it is!

Please pardon the lighting on the photos- my husband was packing for a business trip, I was feeling crafty, and it was about midnight!

Thanks again to Tiffany of Easie Peasie for the great idea!

Thanks to Beatrice of Sew Bea for the fantastic giveaway that provided the soap!

Thanks to my sweet friends who pass on their canning jars!

:)

GlassDharma glass straw review and GIVEAWAY!

I have a surprise for my amazing followers! I know some of you will remember a post I did a little while ago where I mentioned my love for Glass Dharma straws! Well, the makers of the original glass straw want to give YOU an opportunity to own and love one as much as I do- for FREE!

As I mentioned in my first post about this amazing glass straw- handmade in the United States- I've had mine for almost 3 years now! They have withstood being carried in my purse, dropped in the floor (although I don't recommend doing it on purpose), tossed by the kids, moved to 3 different dwellings while we were stationed at Fort Bragg, and not a single ONE has cracked, broken, or chipped! And if it had? Guess what! Their Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage would have handled the replacement!

Bear in mind that they are not unbreakable, just guaranteed! Glass Dharma wants it's customers to be completely satisfied with their products, so if you're not 100% satisfied, they want to know and they want to correct it! If your straw breaks, they want to know and they want to fix it- or replace it! Now, THAT is customer service as it should be.

I believe that all of us here are planet-friendly people, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I realized just how huge a problem plastic straw waste is! Imagine just how many of those things end up trashed every year!? How could something so small be an issue?

According to Glass Dharma's website, in 2008, McDonalds ALONE claimed to serve 52 MILLION meals a day. How many of those do you imagine included a drink with a plastic straw? One little straw is no biggie, but tens of MILLIONS of straws being trashed every day (from only one company!) easily becomes the straw that broke the camel's ecological back! What an environmental disaster (waste created) and biological disaster (chemicals leached from the plastic)! Using glass straws from Glass Dharma is the perfect way to completely avoid contributing to the problem.

I was sent a box of straws- one Beautiful Bends (super cool bent straw), one Simple Elegance (the kind I've had 3 of for almost 3 years and loved!), one green Decorative Dots (a long one), and one amber Decorative Dots (a short one). Also included was a hemp carrying sleeve (natural hemp) and two cleaning brushes, which I will tell you makes cleaning them a breeze.

The Beautiful Bends straw is 9.5mm wide and 9" long, retailing for $8.50. The bend makes it perfect for use in a taller glass and I actually used mine while I was online researching the effects of plastic straws on the environment! It hung over the side of my glass slightly, so I never had to take my eyes off of the screen to ensure that I wasn't about to knock my glass off of the dining room table. Even if you're not a lazy sipper like me, they just look absolutely beautiful in a glass! 

The Simple Elegance straws come in a variety of lengths and widths. As the most cost effective straw, they are fantastic to have on hand for use by the entire family. Their simplicity makes them ridiculously easy to clean- and I truly think that my drinks just taste better when I drink them through a glass straw- these are perfect for the minimalist! I have taken to keeping mine in the fridge- talk about refreshing! While I usually don't drink hot drinks, thus keeping my straws in the fridge, they are perfectly suited for cold OR hot drinks, so use them in everything without worry of damaging them. They were made to be used!

The Decorative Dots straws are so neat! Doing this review was the first time I'd seen one of them, even though I've been lusting after them since I bought my first  set of straws. I love how fun they look and what's impressive to me is that there is no paint to make me concerned and no fading to take away from the beauty of your straw. The dots are colored glass (that come in blue, red, green, or amber), the same glass as the straws, which means that they are made of borosilicate glass, the strongest commercially available glass! The tall Decorative Dots straws are stunning and the shorter straws are now my first choice for my kids. They're strong, beautiful, and the colored dots make them perfect for color coding- no more mixing up the kid's cups!

I have been carrying my straw in my purse wrapped haphazardly in a cloth napkin for dining out, so I was really excited to try the hemp carrying sleeve! I was instantly hooked on the look and texture of the sleeve- it just looks environmentally responsible! I was sent the natural hemp sleeve (that retails for $12.00) to try out and that is definitely the one I would have ordered for myself. The fabric swatch, pictured below, gives you an idea of the color options you have if you're interested in a sleeve that isn't the natural hemp color- purple dawn, ocean blue, deep moss, and black pearl (that retail for $15.00 each). Regardless of the color, you can choose from 3 sizes to get the best fit for your straw!

Since I've had plenty of experience with the Simple Elegance straws and there were two of the Decorative Dots straws, we tried out the amber Decorative Dots straw and the Beautiful Bends straw to let you know how they work and what we thought of them! Do you know what that means for you guys?! I have two straws and two cleaning brushes to give to you!

Up for grabs, we have two gift sets, courtesy of Glass Dharma.

Set one:
A green Decorative Dots straw that is 9.5mm wide and 9" long. This straw does not normally come with a cleaning brush, but for our giveaway, it will! The cleaning brushes normally retail for $5.00 each. The green dots are absolutely beautiful and as an added bonus, keeps that pesky straw from rolling off of the table! Retails for $9.00 each on their website. (A total value of $14.00)

Set two:
A Simple Elegance straw that is 12mm wide and 9" long, making it perfect for drinking smoothies, even ones with fantastic fruit pieces that normally get stuck in the straw or never make it in! This is the mac daddy of glass straws and we have really enjoyed ours over the years! This straw has a cleaning brush in it's box! Retails for $8.50 each on their website, plus the cleaning brush! (A total value of $13.50)

This is mine, yours is new in the box!

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to communicate with the incredible people at Glass Dharma while we were planning this blog posting and the giveaway! What an incredible company selling handmade products, all made in the U.S- even the sleeves and brushes!

To win one of the two gift sets, here is what you do:

Mandatory entry, include your name and email address in this comment:
- follow "Where am I?"

Extra entries, please leave 1 comment per entry:
- like "Glass Dharma on Facebook" and let them know how much we appreciate this giveaway!
- suggest something you'd like to see more of here at "Where am I?"
- suggest "Where am I?" to a friend (and/or create a blog or Facebook posting about this giveaway), having them follow and let me know YOU sent them!

All in all, you can have 4 entries each.
I will use random.org to choose a winner on Friday, May 20th!

"Sip the world, taste the difference."
(and Happy Winning!)

Just a quick coop update!

Just a quick update on the chicken coop-

Otherwise known as the soap opera,

"As the Coop Turns"

;)

The bottom of the chicken wire wasn't quite as safe as I wanted it, since the ground is uneven and there were a few places that a determined snake or something could get under.

Tim remedied the issue by cutting trees that fell in the storm and putting them around the entire length of the chicken fence. He stuck a chair our there for me and we now jokingly refer to it as "the Observation Deck."

The other new thing is the left side of the fence. It all used to be super low to the ground, but Tim wanted me to be able to get in there easily even when my belly gets ginormous, so he built a frame and lifted it up! He's pretty awesome! I was just going to squat down and hope for the best, but thanks to my hubby, I don't have to worry about it anymore!

It did require the purchase of some chicken wire, but all of the wood was leftover from other projects, found in the woods/yard, or recycled!

Everyone, meet Hugh Heffner. He's our new Silver-Laced Wyandotte rooster! Isn't he handsome? Tim named him, saying it was only appropriate for the only rooster in the hen house! And so far, he seems to be quite the ladies man! He's been pretty polite with the crowing and he's got lovely manners, so hopefully it stays that way!

In other news, only a few more things need to happen to the yard before we are ready to let the chickens roam free some during the day! I am looking forward to seeing them go nuts in the yard after Tim mows and the bugs are out! They're going to be in hen heaven!

Almost 21 weeks & my new Colour Bazaar headband!

20 weeks and 6 days!

Jackson flicking the lights on and off.

Someone remind me to hide his stool ;) haha

For some reason, I'm REALLY poking out today.

I don't think I'm really THAT big, but I sure do look it!

And check out my new, GORGEOUS head wrap from

colourbazaar!

It came today and I couldn't wait to put it on!

I love anything rainbow and colorful, but this?

It was so much more beautiful in person!

Thanks to Bekah at my little loves. for wearing her beautiful headwrap and recommending Sarah's work!

If you don't follow Bekah already, check out her delightful blog, my little loves.

If you love my headwrap, order one!

Even with shipping from Australia, it's STILL a fantastic bargain and an incredible accessory!

Let Sarah at colourbazaar know how much we all appreciate her craft.

Chicken Coop Update

As promised, we have a chicken coop update!

We still had one of our brooders (a box with a heat lamp set up for itty bitty chicks) in the sunroom, which was driving Tim nuts. He asked me what we could do to get the chicks out into the coop and I told him that since they were still not completely feathered they needed to have access to a heat source and since they were so small compared to our other chickens they needed to be separated somehow until proper introductions had been made :)

My smart hubby's solution to the problem?

This!

From materials that we already had (including the wood from the free pallets we picked up!), he arranged for the chicks to join the big chickens!

The sloped top makes it hard for chickens to roost on it, the chicken wire keeps the chicks safe from the pecking order while they grow, and the hinged lid makes it easy for me to clean, love on the chicks, feed and water them, etc.

Keelin was at school (this was done last week, by the way) and Jackson wanted to help us take the last 3 small chicks out to the coop. He wanted to carry one of our Buff Orpington pullets and that is my arm trying to encourage him to be gentle with her wings.

I think it's precious how gentle they try to be, even Jackson in his 2yr old way.

While Daddy arranges the new chick box, Jackson hangs out with the "beebee kickin'" and enjoys the sun!

A little hug for the chick *sigh* and in the background there, you can see one of our rain barrels sitting by the dog run. And yes, that is a big, blue plastic kiddie pool- for the dogs :)

The new setup. I was a bit concerned about putting the box right under the roost, but so far, the hens have stayed away from it! The water has been put up on a wooden pallet to keep the shavings out and been very successful at keeping the 26 free roaming chickens from mucking up their water.

The 2 wooden boxes under the roost are what I transported the  now-4 grown chickens home in a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to the people I got the chickens from, the pullets can now reach the roosts, which they enjoy!

The heat lamp has since been moved to a corner of the chicken box and thanks to the beautiful weather, is only on at night now.

One of our Black Australorp pullets checking out the chicks new digs!

An update on the homestead and a hello! to new followers :)

Some of my now *34* followers (Giveaway coming soon soon soon to celebrate!!) are homesteaders or homesteader wanna-be's like me so maybe some of you can understand where I'm coming from when I say:

Why does this mess take so darn long?

You get so caught up in the research for a project!
You take the plunge and buy/collect the materials for the project!
You jump in head first...and...

wait.
and wait.
and wait some more!

My chickens aren't old enough to lay eggs, but they're growing steadily.
My chicks aren't big enough to be killed and processed, but it will only be a few more weeks.
My garden is half planted, even though we are seeing some progress on that front!
The fruit trees are just babies, even though Tim and I found a couple of teeny "practice" peaches today!
I haven't found time to put spouts on the rain barrels, even though we're using them to water the garden.
The compost is going to take it's sweet time.

I guess it just feels like I'm working myself (and my ever patient husband) for nothing, sometimes.
I know the time is coming when our property is going to show how incredible it is and we'll harvest the fruits of our labor (literally!)- but in the mean time, it's tough to feel like we're getting anywhere.

Just hang in there, my friends. Some days my posts will be mind numbingly boring, but other times I hope to have some really cool things to share.

If there is something you think I might be ready to dive into or you'd like to hear about, please share with me! I am by no means an expert on the subject matter at hand- I am a constant student and eager to learn!

Coming up this week and next week:
- A chicken coop update with pictures!
-Two kinds of homemade jelly with pictures and recipes!
-Homemade bread, in the oven and in the new (thrifted) bread maker!
- A garden update with pictures!
- Some handmade goodies that we've gotten for Baby Finn with links to the crafters!
-A review!
- TWO amazing giveaways that I can barely contain my excitement about!
- A make it yourself post with some new household products!

Thank you again, friends, for following! Please don't hesitate to comment, ask questions, and suggest topics!

Copy-crafting!

This morning, I was catching up on my blog reading. I read one of Kory's recent entries on Live Completely and was inspired!

Jackson and I ran to the craft store and picked up some essentials and I got started making Waldorf-inspired toys for him and Keelin. I have always purchased these kinds of learning toys, but have never even considered that I might be able to successfully make them myself! You know, let's be real. I LOVE handmade toys and LOVE unique educational materials to use with my little ones, but we're on a budget! I don't have an endless supply of funds to spend on Etsy, so anything that I can do myself is a great benefit!

Bitty Man armed and ready!

He helped me put together and paint a wooden tractor model!

No pictures, though. It was "his." Nooo pictures!

$1.00 for a wooden basket!

Perfect for holding peg people!

Like these!

That fit into bean pot candle cups like these!

Kinda line this!

I made a set of 6, a rainbow!

Blue, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, and Orange!

A Power family easter basket! :)

I also picked up a bag of recycled cardboard eggs!

The bottom left egg is unpainted for this photo.

Just thought I'd share what I spent my afternoon doing!

I did some sorting balls in the colors to match the cups,

pastels for the eggs!

All finished!

Haven't decided whether or not to give the other peg people faces...

Anyway, visit Kory and show her some love! She writes a delightful blog!

I'm planning to make these and more for favors to give guests at Keelin's 5th birthday party this summer- no plastic ickiness here!

If you're one of Keelin's friends mommies, I ruined the surprise, but I just had to share :)

Make it Yourself Monday!!!

Since I came out of the No-Pooing closet, quite a few people have messaged me interested in getting recipes for some of my homemade products, mostly beauty related or bath related. I decided that every so often (i.e. when I run out and need to make more), I would do a post with recipes that I use to make every day products!
Introducing my favorite product of all time: Castile Soap!! This can be used for everything from scrubbing floors to washing babies. It's super concentrated, so keep that in mind when you see how little of it is used in recipes!
Yes, my kitchen is a mess...
I like Dr. Bronner's and Dr. Wood's castile soap, but I've found that the Dr. Wood's is a lot less price-wise than Dr. Bronner's, although Dr. Bronner's is more widely available. You can find it at Target now!
This is castile soap with peppermint essential oils and organic shea butter, so this is what I use to make bath products. Keep in mind, this has no numbing agent like most shampoos, so watch out for eyes.
Since this has the peppermint essential oils, keep that in mind when using it on kids. There are mild versions, especially good if you have a little one with sensitive skin or a diaper rash. Some kids are more sensitive than others. But for us, personally, the little ones really enjoy the minty smell (and Keelin likes the cool tingle, Jackson has yet to comment- LOL)!


This is a jar that once held my favorite oil cured kalamata olives! I'm craving them just looking at the glass jar!

For the kids, I fill the jar halfway with hot water and dissolve about a 1/4 of a cup of castile soap. I called a mommy friend of mine who uses the same thing on her kids and she says that she uses 1 part soap to 5 parts water- gives loads of suds and isn't tough to wash off.
There is no magic measurement, just make sure that you use a lot more water than soap- it's really concentrated!

My no poo recipe is still being adjusted. I make a thick paste out of baking soda and water, scrub it really well into my scalp, and then work it down to the ends of my hair, rinse with cool water, and then rinse with some diluted apple cider vinegar (organic and unrefined ACV is best, but you can use white vinegar in a pinch). Definitely works for me!
I've been reading online and a lot of people seem to use a thinner mixture instead of a paste. The common ratio seems to be 1 TBSP of baking soda to 1c of water. I'm going to try it later!

And here is something I am really excited to share!!!
Homemade dishwashing detergent!
Isn't it pretty?
Recipe:
2 cups of Borax (I bought "20 Mule Team" brand borax at Harris Teeter for $2.50)
2 cups of Baking Soda (or washing soda) (I bought Arm & Hammer, huge box, for $2.50)
4 small packets of sugar free lemonade Kool-Aid (you can also use 4 tablespoons of citric acid--if you can find it) (I accidently grabbed Orange- LOL, hence the color! - $1 for 12 packets)
White Vinegar until it's really wet and soft ($1 for a HUGE bottle)

You use about 2 tablespoons per load and I have had really good results with it so far today!
For $7, I got enough to make enough dishwashing detergent to last for a YEAR!!! That is half of what I used to pay for one small bag of my all-natural dishwashing tabs that lasted not even a month and a half... We cook at home a LOT, hence a ridiculous amount of dishes.

EDIT: My mixture dried solid within a couple of days, which I am sure is caused by my jar not being air tight. Since then, I have mixed my powder together in the jar, using the vinegar in the rinse aid compartment in the dishwasher instead of mixing it with the dry ingredients! Hope that helps!



Next time:
homemade deodorant,
facial cleanser,
moisturizers,
styling spray for no-poo'ed hair,
and homemade laundry detergent!!

18 weeks and 1 day

So, I popped my due date into this little thing-a-ma-jigger and it told me that I am more than 18 weeks pregnant. Uh. No. Could I possibly be almost halfway through this pregnancy?! No way!!

*sigh*

Denial won't change it. This pregnancy is getting away from me. I swore I'd enjoy every minute of it- and I am, so why is it going by so quickly?!

I have his newborn cloth diapers ready, I have some little newborn wool sleep cocoons (will post pictures next week when the custom I ordered gets here), some little teeny clothes that I'm planning to dye when I dye his prefolds all sorts of beautiful colors.

Basically? This baby boy could make his grand entrance tomorrow and have everything he needs, except for a carseat! But of course, he needs to stay in for another 22 weeks- which gives me that much longer to obsess about it. And the nesting hasn't even kicked in yet. I am in such trouble... even though I'm totally going the handmade, minimalistic route with this little boy's items!

18 weeks and 1 day with baby #3

I think I popped a bit since my last picture! :)

An incredible Etsy find!!

Happy Wednesday!! :) The kids and I have been focusing a lot on weather and seasons here lately with our un-schooling/homeschooling, since it's been what has interested them. I'm hoping to move on to rainbows in the next couple of weeks, since I've put together a really great set of plans for activities in many areas that involve rainbows- including making some decorations for our house! (That doesn't qualify as child labor does it?!) Since I'm planning more than a week of total rainbow goodness, I thought I'd shop for a nifty, handmade learning toy for the kids and came across Mama Mama May I on Etsy.

Mama Mama May I Explore?

her etsy shop

This is a picture of her "Nesting a Rainbow" playset.

I don't know about you, but I think it is devastatingly beautiful.

Putting it on my list of things to buy for my curious, feisty, little ones!

Just had to share!

The Wildflower Patch!!

I was lucky enough to stumble across a blog written by a fellow crafty mom and blogger named Mandy! Her blog AND store are named The Wildflower Patch. The name just makes me wish for sumer! She sells felt playfood, family cloth, diapering supplies, items for mom and baby! All handmade and at very reasonable prices!!

http://www.wildflowerpatch.blogspot.com/

^ link to her blog

http://hyenacart.com/wildflowerpatch/

^ link to her store

This week, she is holding a giveaway on her blog! You can enter a number of ways before the 31st of March and can choose from a number of prizes should you be the lucky winner! Show this mama some love, guys! :)