Playing the waiting game… February 22, 2010

Which I totally suck at. 

I have the patience of a six year old round Christmas time.  You’d THINK being an adult, I’d learn to temper the “NOWS” better… and I have to a degree.  But if it’s something I REALLY WANT TO HAPPEN NOW, I have probs. 

Case in point, when to start my seeds? 

PACKETS OF FUN!  Most of those are what Dawn from Gardenweb sent me this year.  The biggest packet is stuff I had left over from last year that I’m just gonna give a whirl.  I also got some great, fun sounding beans and pumpkins from MacMex over on GW too! 

I just love these seeds… LOL!

But the problem is the DANG WEATHER!  This past week has been lovely, warm… sunny… above average temps for this time of the year!  Today it rained like crazy and got COLD again.  I thought that the ground was drying up, but it didn’t take much rain to make standing water puddles in my yard.

 Might be awhile before I can truly get out there!  I need mud boots. 

Last year I started most of my stuff on Valentine’s Day… and had a large amount of plants not make it to the ground.  My light system isn’t the best in the world, to say the least.  One girl on GW (Rookiegardener, I think) started HER plants in flats outside!  She said she’d take the flats with her to work and put them out on the warm concrete to soak up the sun while she worked.  I’m THINKING that might be my best route to go…

So that means waiting till sometime next month… LMAO!  UGH! 

Patience… I got to learn some patience…  and get better lights next year. 

Macheens and BAT-REES! February 21, 2010

First of all, today I’m celebrating the aquisition of a wonderful thing… RECHARGABLE BATTERIES FOR MY CAMERA!  WHOOOOO!  After months of me bugging da hubby to buy batteries for my camera, he finally gave in and bought me these!  GO BRYAN!  He seriously does rock. 

My postings will be much better now.  hee. 

Now I can post some pics of my sewing machines! 

You might see a couple pieces of junk, I see possibilities!  Well… the Necchi is rusted like a big dog tho.  See what I mean?

BUT, I’ve found some instructions on how to fix up a sewing machine after it’s rusted out like this… will definitely try to salvage this one! 

The other one has it’s case and EVERYTHING.  It’s a Nelco and I think all it needs is a lightbulb! 

I’ve turned it on and pushed the pedal and everything moved like it was supposed to!  Today’s rainy day project is getting the durn thing threaded up proper.  I’ve got a guide from About.com to go by.  Truly, the thought of threading the bobbin kinda makes me skittish, but I’ll get ‘er done!

Besides that, I”ve been taking pieces of Little B’s clothing apart for pattern purposes (a t-shirt and sweatpants).  Plus I’ve been looking at the various different tutorials that can be found online (THANK YOU DIANE!).  Just wrapping my mind further around the concepts, it takes me a LOT of study to finally get into a project!  LOL! 

More to come on the sewing front! 

A lil’ bit about us! February 19, 2010

Aren't we cute?

Hiya!  lol…

Yes, I know.  I don’t update blogs well.  You GOTTA understand, life is nuts!  First of all, I’m trying to get my sewing and gardening projects together.  AND I’m sharing the internet connection with the boyz.  AND, I’m co owner of a social networking/parenting site called Coolerparents… that takes up most of my online time!  But I really want to do this blog too, to share projects (and problems) with people… 

I really need batteries for my camera too, LOL! 

To begin with I’ll do a little talk about us.  We’re just your normal, wacky family in northeastern Arkansas.  About an hour and a half north of Memphis.  I’m nearing forty, hubby is allready past it.  We’ve got two kids, oldest is sixteen (from first marriage) and youngest is four.  I’m SURROUNDED by BOYZ, LOL!  Well, except my cat Misty… .  I also have an elderly schnauzer named Smokey. 

I’m wanting to do this blog to document my gardening, cooking and sewing projects.  Don’t worry if you don’t see updates often!!!  LOL! 

I’m a sahm by choice, it’s really the most logical thing for our situation.  Any job I could get would basically cover daycare expenses.. NO THANK YOU!  So, I take my sahm duties very seriously.  Saving money, making something out of nothing… that kind of stuff.  I’m SO THANKFUL for the internet on this!  I’ve found the best information and the best forums around to help me on my quest!  I like being here for my sons too. 

When my husband and I got together we basically started out with just a house over our head.  He works as a landlord for his family’s rental properties, and the house (electric) is included in the deal.  We did have to go on Food Stamps for a while, and slowly but surely worked our way off of them.  It can be done!  I looked to my Grandmother’s way of life for inspiration.  Farmer’s wife, raised five kids in a teeeeeeeeny little house

Great Memories....

I loved going out to this house!!!  That long drive down the gravel road meant great things to me.  So, I started out with cooking things from scratch.  I’m not REALLY good yet, it’s a constant learning experience!  Of course, the next logical step was GARDENING!  I was so stoked my first year! 

The first year...

Just six tomato plants, eight pepper plants, one very HEALTHY squash plant… and a watermelon vine that didn’t produce… LOL!  Each year I’m making it bigger and trying new things.  If it doesn’t work, no biggie!  It’s all a learning experience to me. 

I’m also trying my hand at canning and sewing, and do a LITTLE crochet on the side.  Have I looked over any other “home art” type thing?  LEMME KNOW! 

More than anything, going about the sahm mom thing this way has made me feel more in control of our food and clothing situations.  In Arkansas, you can buy vegetable plants with your Food Stamps.  I have NO idea why this isn’t encouraged!  Blows my mind!  Think of the savings!!!  Also, it might give people a better view of their lives. 

Well, Littlest wants to play games on PBS.org… LOL!  My turn is over.  This week the plan is to buy batteries for the camera (FINALLY), so I can share pics of the sewing machines and other projects. 

Thanks for listening! 

Minor technical difficulties! February 15, 2010

I’m not ignoring my new blog! LOL! No… my Frankenputer isn’t feeling well. I’ve gotten the blue screen of death four times today. So it’s off on a trip to my dad’s to wipe the memory and put Windows on it again! Yes… my dad is my IT guy… LOL!

More coming, in about three days!

Hola! February 6, 2010

And WELCOME to the new blog!  I’ve had others in the past, that I haven’t kept up with… so I decided to start all over fresh.  Some of you might know me as Padme, others know my real name Beth.  Really, I answer to both names anymore! 

I decided to try WordPress because I know a couple people on here, too.  So, I started to set up an account… only to find I allready had one!  When did THAT happen???  LOL! 

SOOO… time to set it up.  I had thoughts on cool names, ones that reflected ME and MY LIFE.  Ends up I wasn’t that original!  All of them were taken!  What the HECK?  Frustration mounting, brain cramping… so I said out loud, “HEP IT!”.  Hep it is our phrase to say when we wanna cuss but the kids are present… LOL!  AHHHHH!  We have a name, and it fits perfectly. 

So WELCOME to Hep It.  This blog will be about raising kids, making things from scratch, gardening, life as a family under the poverty line, and just about anything that comes to mind!  And cussing is allowed, just make sure your kids don’t hear ya.