Let's start the bidding...

Or buying. Please?

So I seem to be unable to get a job. I am wondering if it's the job market or God telling me I am not supposed to report for duty. Hmm. So I have been thinking of things and ways to earn money. It's rough I tell ya.

Idea one: teach piano lessons. That worked last year, however my one returning student isn't starting for another couple of months. I'm working on getting more.

Idea two: post quilt binding by hand on KSL. Nothing. Notta. Not even a call. Spread the word - I like doing this and my prices are pretty reasonable.

Idea three: Ask you all if you would be willing to buy stuff from me. Haha. No seriously. If I can get my little business started then I think it will really work. So here it goes:

Onesies and T-shirts. What? Yes. But I do something special to them - I put pictures on them! I'm offering the ones you see here except the letter ones. Those you can custom order. As I gain capital more sizes and options will be available. After October 15 you can order Tye-died options with general color families.

Let's call it my "Adopt a Onesie" program. Because to be honest - I need to start saving more money for our adoption. It's going to be a lot of money upfront.

Here we go!

#1 Shirt size 2/3 from Carter's. With an appliqued truck. $12.


#2 Shirt size 2/3 from Carter's. Orange airplane. $12.


#3 Long sleeve 9 mos onesie from Carter's. Blue Airplane. $12.

#4 Tye-died onesie from Gerber size 3-6 mos. Blue car. $13.

#5 Tye-died onesie from Gerber size 3-6 mos. Pink heart. $13

#6 Tye-died onesie from Gerber size 3-6 mos. Yellow heart. $13

#7 Tye-died onesie from Gerber size 3-6 mos. Purple/pink heart. $13.

#8 Long sleeve onesie from Carter's size 9 mos. Blue and pink. $13.

#9 Shirt size 2/3 from Carter's. Two cars. $13.

#10 - SOLD - can custom order size, letter and color. 15$
Different fonts available for letters. Colors will be general according to color ordered. No gaurantees on specific fabric.

#11 Letter shirt with sleeve embellishment $16.
I use high quality adhesive and sew tightly around each edge so there is no fear of your picture falling off. If something does happen and it does come off completely (not likely, I tell ya) send it back and I will send you a new one.

Shipping is $3.00 for one, $4.00 for two and $5.00 for 3-5. Bargain? Yes.

Now let's be honest. I don't have paypal yet. I will set one up after I get going. You're just going to have to trust me and me you. Will a check work? After I get some inventory I will open on Etsy. Support and suggestions are greatly appreciated!m Only nice things please.

Thank you all. If you don't feel comfortable using the comment section you can contact me via e-mail - ashleyallen15 @ gmail . com

Ideas

I was talking to a friend about creative ideas and she shared with me some of her inspiration. Wonderful site! and from there I have found two more.

Home decor inspiration:

All Things Thrifty - I am so excited about this. I love that she painted her piano. I am so going to do that! Guess what color! RED!! How fun is that?I probably won't be able to do that until spring but I'm excited for it!

infarrantly creative - She has so many ideas AND the tutorials! I am excited to see what sorts of inspiration I can receive from this website!

And the third is food. You all know I love food. Because, honestly, who doesn't?

Envy My Cooking - I saw a sandwich pocket and I can't wait to try that! I am looking forward to projects to come.

Side note: while writing my last post I was complaining about my inability to get a job (I have applied to like 20 places) and then when I hit publish, I went back to my inbox and low and behold I had an email for an interview! My interview was Friday and went well. I should know tomorrow or Wednesday whether or not I got the job. I will certainly let you all know.

In the mean time... Limbo

No, not the limbo, but Limbo -the middle time Catholics believe you spend your time in before judgment. Now you just learned something. We are in a big "in the mean time..." right now. At least I am.

Do you ever feel like your hands are tied? I do.

Conundrum: If I get a job, then we'll get a baby and I will need to stay home. If I try to further my education - we'll get a baby and I won't get anywhere. But we don't have a baby. But I am afraid to start anything for fear of being interrupted. So in the mean time I am trying to come up with inexpensive entertaining things and projects.

I have been cross-stitching a panel for a baby boy's room.

I went to the Zoo with my friend and her kids. Like my surrogate children. Love them.

Power-washed the house.

Reading.

Planning painting projects.

Anyone have other ideas that don't cost much, or any, money? Or that doesn't involve making treats I can't consume on my own. I am not allowed to gain weight. No really. Things are bad.

To follow: pictures of some of the things I've done this summer.

Bountiful Backyard

This evening's harvest. I've had tons of beans so far. I had a lot of peas but I ate them before I thought about pictures. The carrots are kinda small, but that's because I'm thinning them. I think I'll do carrots every year now. Yummy! I love fresh produce in the summer! It's the only reason I put up with the heat!

Cherry Jam

It tastes reallllllly good. I am excited to eat it with toast and waffles tonight.

From the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

4 cups finely chopped pitted sweet or tart cherries
2 tbsp lemon juice (only if using sweet cherries - needed for the acidity and preservation)
6 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin

Prepare lids and jars as in this post.

In a large sauce pan combine cherries, lemon juice and sugar. Add the sugar in slowly of medium heat, stirring it in as you go. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Then add the pectin. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off the foam (If you don't you get jam foam that tastes funny.)

Ladle the hot jam into hat jars and add hot lids. Screw the rings on finger-tight. Water bath in a rolling boil for 10 minutes.

Oh, So, Good.

Blueberry Sauce

This tastes so good. I can only imagine it on vanilla ice cream, cheesecake or with yogurt.

It's pretty runny but very potent. So yummy.

7 cups blueberries
2 3/4 cups unsweetened apple juice. (Western Family makes some - can't be from concentrate)
1 TB grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 corn syrup
1/4 lemon juice

Prepare you jars and lids like with this recipe.

In a large pot combine berries, apple juice and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat crushing the berries with a potato masher. Then slowly add the sugar until it's dissolved. Then slowly add the corn syrup and lemon juice. Then bring to a rolling boil for 15 minutes. (At this point it will bubble up pretty seriously.)

After 15 minutes, turn off heat and ladle into jars leaving 1/4 in. headspace. Screw the rings on finger tight. Water bath with rolling boil for 10 minutes.

Makes 6-7 8 ounce jars. Use on anything.

I got this recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

I made a batch of this this afternoon. It smells so yummy. I can't wait to mix it up.

Here you go:

6 cups hulled strawberries
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (I just used a 32 oz. bottle of Western Family lemon juice - no additives or concentrates)
6 cups granulated sugar

Prepare your jars and lids before hand. Clean your jars in a hot wash in the dishwasher. Then place them in the over at 170* or however low your oven will go. Put your lids in water and boil them so they are hot when you place them on the jar.

Puree the strawberries in a food processor till they are smooth. Transfer them to a large stainless-steel pot. Add the lemon and sugar as you heat it up on medium until 190*. When you reach temperature turn it off, ladle the concentrate into the jars. Water bath the jars at a rolling boil for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Then pull them out to cool and then store.

To use add water, soda, ginger-ale, etc. at a 1:1 ratio.

It makes 5-6 16 ounce jars.
I got this recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.