Simple Inspirations

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

My Original Rag Doll!

{For Rag Dolls and Sewing Patterns click HERE}

Recently, I visited my Mom. Shortly after I arrived I turned around, and what did I see? My very first rag doll that I had ever sewed sitting on a shelf looking at me!

My Mom reads my blog and knew about my rag doll post from a few months ago. When she came across my doll while cleaning up some stuff she put it on that shelf for me to take home with me next time I came over.

I recognize the doll right away. My memory of her was a little more, uhm,.... Rosey, shall we say. I did not remember her uneven legs, or how poorly her arms were stitched, or the stains.

She is 20 years old. She is made by a 7 year old little girl. The doll looks like an antique piece of folk art,... if I am being kind. :) It is hard to believe that she still survives!

Do you want to see her? Here you go. Here is my very first doll:

Here she is with her modern sisters. These are the rag dolls that I make now. When I designed them I was modeling them after my idyllic memories of the doll that my Mom had helped me cut out so many years ago.

I make these new dolls for gifts and to sell on QuietStandards, my Etsy Shop. Please feel free to check out my listings, if you are interested in purchasing a rag doll of this style! :)

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Full Length Apron With Ruffle!

I was in need of an apron earlier this year. What I really like is more of a pinafore. I need my aprons to give me a lot of coverage.

I had a really pretty piece of material to work with. The material was just shy of being enough for a dress. My next best option was to make a full length apron to, sort of, give me the feeling of having a dress made with this fabric.

Springtime Flowers are the theme
on this fabric.

Lilacs, Peonies, Roses, and Poppies.

So pretty!

I searched for a pattern online. I couldn't find one that quite suited my fancy. I set out drafting my own pattern.

I wanted my new apron to have

•a ruffle at the hem,

•good size pockets,

•a jumper style top,

•a single button at the neckline in the back,

• and tie straps at the waist.

Button at the neck and tie at the waist.

I utilized as much of the fabric as I possibly could. I only had a few tiny scraps left over. Just enough to make one stuffed baby whale.

I am very pleased with the resulting apron! It is feminine and pretty! But, also, very practical and utilitarian.

There is a baby in there! ;)

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

"Sour Grass," Or, Wood Sorrel

This was my first wild edible!

When I was a little girl my Daddy showed me this plant and called it, "Sour Grass."

And he showed me the seed pods and called them, "Pickles."

He ate some and he told me I could, too. Yum! Boy, was it sour! But, I have always liked sour flavors.

The common name for what my Dad and I call, "Sour Grass," is Wood Sorrel. The scientific name for this variant of Wood Sorrel is Oxalis stricta.

Oxalis stricta contains Oxalic acid and is a good thirst quencher, and, also, just a yummy sour snack.

The leaves are comprised of three, heart shaped, leaflets.

The flowers have five, yellow, petals.

The seed pods stand upright and are pointed at the tip. They look like tiny okra pods.

All parts of Sour Grass are edible, leaves, stems, flowers, and seed pods. I recommend eating the seed pods before the seeds have matured and become hard.

Sour Grass and Sour Grass Pickles are a delectable and special edible weed to me.

I am glad to have memories of my Father teaching me my first wild edible plant. He cultivated a love for learning about life in the natural world around me. He would take me out in the back yard and ask me, "What kind of tree is that?" Then he would tell me what kind of tree it was. Whenever we'd take walks he'd quiz my knowledge. It was like a fun game we'd play.

Now I am privileged to be able to do the same thing with my children. Their little minds pick up information so quickly. They really love being outside and learning about the plants and animals! And, I really love getting to teach them what I know!

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Homemade Pancake Syrup Recipe!

This is a recipe from the Tightwad Gazette. Is it cheaper than store bought syrup? I will crunch the numbers at the end. First, here is the recipe:

Pancake Syrup Recipe

3 cups Granulated Sugar

1 1/2 cups water

3 TBS. Molasses

1 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring

2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

1 tsp. Maple Extract

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot. Place over medium high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Use a wet pastry brush to brush all the sugar crystals down the side of the pan.

Make sure there are no sugar crystals left. Any remaining sugar crystals may cause your syrup to crystalize

Without stirring, bring the syrup to a good rolling boil. It will bubble up a few inches. Boil for 30 seconds. Turn off heat. Leave syrup on burner until cooled. Bottle and store as you would "normal" syrup.

Is this syrup cheaper than the cheap-o store brand syrup?

You can cut costs if you source your ingredients at cheaper prices. This is what I paid for each ingredient at my sources.

4lb. bag of Zulka brand Cane Sugar from Walmart = $1.98

1qt. Golden Barrel brand Black Strap Molasses = $2.90

8oz. Imitation Vanilla Flavoring from Walmart = $0.98

2oz. McCormick brand Maple Extract from Walmart = $3.48

2oz. McCormick brand Butter Flavoring from Walmart = $3.48

This is the cost brake down for a batch of syrup:

3 cups Zulka brand Sugar = $0.73

3 TBS. Molasses = $0.14

1 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring (not extract) = $0.02

2 tsp. Butter Flavoring = $0.58

1 tsp. Maple Extract = $0.29

= $1.75 per batch

A batch totals 35 oz. of syrup. The cost per ounce of syrup = $0.05

The store brand syrup from Aldi cost $1.29 for 24oz. bottle, which comes to $0.05 per ounce.

It's a tie!

Like I said, you can source your ingredients cheaper and save (a tiny amount of) money by making your own pancake syrup. Or, you can save yourself the effort and buy cheap store bought syrup.

This syrup recipe tastes really good. If you are ever in a situation where you run out of syrup or can't buy any, now you know you can make your own with this recipe. :)

An Iris from a bouquet that
I cut a couple weeks ago. :)

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Good Bye......

It Is not Death to Die

It is not death to die,

To leave this weary road,

And, 'midst the brotherhood on high,

To be at home with God.

It is not death to close

The eye long dimm'd by tears,

And wake in glorious repose

To spend eternal years.

It is not death to fling

Aside this sinful dust,

And rise, on strong exulting wing,

To live among the just.

Jesus, Thou Prince of life!

Thy chosen cannot die;

Like Thee, they conquer in the strife,

To reign with Thee on high.

Translated from the French;

George W. Bethune,1847

A friend went to be with the Lord last week.

I will miss her! I would say she died too young, but, I trust God knows best. He called her home. She is in the presence of Jesus now. I didn't want my time with her to be over. At least, I have the comfort of knowing that I will see her again.

1 Thessalonians 4:13+14
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Save Us From Fear!

Psalms 64:1

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

This verse doesn't says, "preserve my life from the enemy." No, it says, "preserve my life from fear of the enemy."

Isn't that interesting?

Fear is often worse than the threat.

>Fear will keep us from obeying Christ.<

Acts 5:29

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Had Peter and the other apostles feared what man could do unto them they would have obeyed men rather than God.

Luke 12:4

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

The apostles were not governed by fear, therefore, they were able to make the right choice: to obey God rather than men.

Psalms 118:6

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

When you live in obedience to God you know the LORD is on your side. And, when the LORD is on your side, you can say, "what can man do unto me?"

Fear has no place.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

In fact, fear is a lack of faith.

What are you afraid of?

Are you afraid of your financial situation?