Making your own/Doing it yourself [Archive]

View Full Version : Making your own/Doing it yourself

CatsNK

1-10-12, 9:30am

I've started off the new year right - made my own granola, muesli and soy yogurt already. The first time for all of them. Is anyone else starting the new year by doing things for the first time at home/making their own/doing it yourself?

I'd love to read other's stories of a homespun life for 2012.

Just an aside - it doesn't have to be about saving $ - sometimes it costs more to MYO or DIY but it's worth it to have control over ingredients, and the accomplishment.

Stella

1-10-12, 1:13pm

My new project is making some preschool materials for my younger set of kids. My older kids are going to help.

Some things I am thinking of making are I-spy jars, which are jars filled with small objects and sand or rice or beans that you roll around and "spy" the various objects and colour matching pegs which is a little board with painted pegs and painted rings. The kid takes the rings and sorts them onto the right pegs.

Another handmade thing we are working on is decking out the dollhouse. My older kids are learning to sew, so we are going to make some quilts, rugs and other accessories for their dollhouse. We can use scrap fabric. I think the kids will have fun with it.

Quilting is on my list of things to learn this year. Hopefully that actually happens. I've said that before.

I make a lot of food from scratch already.

Bastelmutti

1-10-12, 1:50pm

I am trying to use up everything completely this year. Right now, there is a jar of leftover champagne from brunch sitting on the counter turning into vinegar. Last week I made vegetable broth from scraps and plan to do the same this week. A small bag of cereal crumbs is going into muffins today. That sort of stuff!

I also got away from making handmade presents this Xmas and plan to get back to that.

Mrs-M

2-22-12, 5:24pm

Bump.

puglogic

2-22-12, 6:37pm

I am currently making a big batch of granola (husband loves granola and buys those expensive boxes). Also, I made & froze about two dozen black bean burgers for future meals, and am waiting on a batch of home-made echinacea extract which has two more weeks to go before I can strain and bottle it off. It really helped us with colds, flu etc last year.

Jemima

2-22-12, 7:20pm

I've got a lot of redecorating and remodeling ideas in mind now that I'm retired and actually have time to think. I'm not a patient person, and I've been really tempted to just call my handyman and have him assemble the new furniture that's sitting around in boxes, but I've decided to do as much as I possibly can myself and save my handyman money for some things I know I can't do, like building a deck where I can grow greens above bunny level. (How I wish girls had been allowed to take Industrial Arts in my day instead of Home Ec! Back in the late fifties to early sixties nobody ever thought a girl would want to know how to saw a board. DUH.)

Finally got the new sewing machine set up and will learn how to use it as soon as I get all these ready-to-assemble furniture pieces put together and in place. I have so many odds and ends that can be altered or repurposed with a little work.

I'm mixing my own liqueurs using herbs, spices, and a store-bought base. (Doubt that I'll ever graduate to any wine-making or home distilling.)

I cook just about everything from scratch. The more I learn about how unhealthy most supermarket food is the more motivated I get. Also plan to expand the garden this year or next.

The one thing I will farm out just as soon as I can afford it is housecleaning and possibly the laundry, if I can find a place that picks up and delivers. I didn't scrimp and save for retirement so I could keep house.

Tammy

2-22-12, 10:53pm

Congrats on your retirement! May you enjoy every minute.

jennipurrr

2-23-12, 9:37am

I am *planning* on staining and poly'ing my new front door this weekend. I did have someone else install it as it was beyond DH and my handiness, but I figured I could do those things myself. So far the weather (too wet, or too cold) has not lined up with my free time but I think it will be a go this weekend.

Sissy

2-23-12, 11:15am

www.pinterest.com (http://www.pinterest.com) has a lot of good ideas. You have to weed thru them a bit. I will say that the powdered dishwasher detergent put a really bad film on my dishes that we have had to do some heavy duty scrubbing to get it all off.

Mrs-M

2-23-12, 2:46pm

Oh, I love everyone's entries!!! Nothing to mention (as of yet) for 2012. Will work on this though.

Fawn

2-26-12, 1:59pm

Well, I fixed the 25 year old vacumn cleaner this weekend. This makes me very happy.

frugal-one

2-26-12, 3:55pm

I have been studying natural medicine and made 7 tinctures this week. It will be interesting to see how well they work. The elderberry tincture made previously has done an unbelievable job! Also, have been experimenting with using natural sugars and less refined sugars in baking. Currently, trying different types of granola bars. What fun!!!

Tiam

3-14-12, 12:52am

CatsNK

3-14-12, 8:46am

I am making all of our veggie burgers now, no more Bocas for us. They taste a lot better, have less sodium and cost less. What's not to love?

cattledog

3-14-12, 8:57am

I am making all of our veggie burgers now, no more Bocas for us. They taste a lot better, have less sodium and cost less. What's not to love?

I used to make bean burgers all the time. I kind of forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder. I'll have to start again and keep a batch in the freezer.

I'm an avid knitter and quilter. I have a spinning wheel and need to start making my own yarn again. I never had time before working full time with a young child.