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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

DIY Peppermint Granite and Marble Countertop Cleaner Spray


Did you know that vinegar-based and citrus-based cleaning products can do something called "etching" on granite and marble countertops (which can leave white marks and dull them)? Though I am a big proponent of the inexpensive vinegar-based sprays, being a good steward of what we have is also very important. Here is an easy recipe using the mint extract we made a few weeks ago that is safe for granite and marble countertops. This spray can also be used for cleaning any other kind of countertop so don't be shy and let's do a little herbal-kitchen crafting!


To make the cleaner, combine the following ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. homemade mint extract (you will find a tutorial on how to make it here)
• 1 ½ c. water
• 1 tsp. dish soap

Pour mixture into a clean spray bottle. Give it a swirl and it is ready to use!


The alcohol will help to remove the streaks as you clean (as well as disinfect), the mint adds a fresh fragrance and antibacterial properties while the dish soap does some old fashioned cleaning. You will also want to make sure that you always keep your countertops nice and dry to avoid water spots, etc. for routine maintenance.


You will find our printable recipe with the matching label here if you are interested in adding it to your herbal or homemaking binder. Happy herbal-kitchen crafting, ladies!
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them). This recipe was adapted from here.

Friday, June 24, 2016

How to Make Moth-Repellent Sachets {DIY} ~ Simple to Sew


“MARCH, 1846-- I have at last got the little room I have wanted so long, and am very happy about it. It does me good to be alone, and Mother has made it very pretty and neat for me. My work-basket and desk are by the window, and my closet is full of dried herbs that smell very nice.”
~ Louisa May Alcott, Diary Entry

(I had promised more ways to use your abundance of dried peppermint!)


Mix up some of your favorite, dried, moth-reppellent herbs...

bay leaves
chamomile
cinnamon sticks (crushed/broken)
cloves (whole)
eucalyptus
feverfew
lemon verbena
peppermint
rosemary
wormwood



Scoop them into a little sachet (hand-made or store-bought)...


We sewed ours. We didn't hem the sides (we left them raw). I think it looks prettier this way...


You can use some of your old fabric scraps or something like ours which were already pre-cut to size...

Once the herbs are inside the pocket, sew up the opening.


Store them away with your seasonal coats, woolens, clothing and blankets

to keep the moths away during the summer months...

Add some liberally into your closets and drawers to further protect your fabrics and provide a sweet scent.


Herbal homemaking is a quiet, gentle and romantic art that slows one down in this busy world

while giving us time to reflect on what is truly important.



“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
~ Matthew 6:19-21


Note: To remove any form of deception, I normally would not have much time for such sewing pursuits. It would seem like a project like this would be last on a busy homemaking list. However, I save these sorts of gentle doings and desires for our mother-daughter time together. When making these moments of bonding, I am also able to share a slower lifestyle where the loving details do matter, light conversation, some basic sewing procedures, instill a passion and knowledge for herbs and good, pure, old fashioned homemaking. Perhaps you now have permission to enjoy a project like this with your children? Even boys can be involved by foraging for some of these herbs (i.e, climb those eucalyptus and bay leaf trees)!
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Through Wisdom a House is Built ~ A Practical Application


"Through wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."
~ Proverbs 24:3-4

What I love about the Scriptures is that many verses have a practical meaning along with a spiritual lesson. The one appeals to the Martha in me while the other nourishes the Mary in me. Another joy is when a verse suddenly presents itself in a new light and you enjoy the moments of meditating and delighting in its truths as you perform your daily duties. Such has been the case with Proverbs 24:3-4 as of late.


Over a decade ago, I was a different woman. Much of my time was spent strolling through the malls and seeing what I could find "and needed" to buy in the stores. I was not building my house, nor filling my rooms with riches. In fact, the only thing I was building our home with was debt and the only thing I was filling it with was clutter. When extra time was on my hands, I was reading stacks of novels (though they were inspirational and the classics, it was all that I read). I remember the day I soaked in the words from one of my first "encouraging" books that a God-fearing woman in our church shared with me. The author suggested that we women try and insert a nonfiction book in between each fiction book that we read. As I did have a desire to be a Proverbs 31 woman and didn't know where to start, I felt this would be an excellent beginning to my new career.


And so the journey began! Before I treated myself with a favorite fiction book, I forced myself to read something spiritually uplifting and/or practical for running the home (hobby books are a great start!). The Homemaker's Mentor magazines (unfortunately they are out of print) were among the first in the homemaking category and I was at once hooked into the world of a Titus 2 woman! I began to take an interest in all things home. Whether it be the building of a prudent pantry, the chemical-free and frugal way to clean, the thrifty and nourishing way to cook, the healthy and herbal way to heal, the proper way to preserve food, and so forth. I began to devour books on the biblical role of women and prayerfully attempted to apply its truths. 


And do you know what miraculously happened? Those great big malls didn't seem necessary anymore. In fact, the challenge of reusing, recycling, and repurposing became a lot more enjoyable. Those stacks of novels began to lose their luster as well. Though I still enjoy a "good read", I find myself craving more information on how to do "all things home" and that is now where my heart is! This brings me back to the practical aspect of the proverb.


When we apply the biblical wisdom of the Scriptures in our home, we are building it. When we seek to understand what He is writing directly to us women, we can see the created order of things and our direction is established. And when we began to apply the spiritual truths and basic, practical skills of the Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 woman, it is through this knowledge that we begin to fill the rooms of our home with "precious and pleasant riches"!

What do these riches look like? Practically speaking, they can be endless blessings manifested in a multitude of ways! Perhaps they are jars of brightly colored home-canned pickles and preserves (like that of a gourmet store!), a freezer filled with pre-made, home-made food (ready to bless someone in need), beds piled high with hand-sewn blankets and quilts (everyone stays warm and cozy), a cabinet filled with hand-made herbal remedies (a well stocked home apothecary), a garden filled with fresh and healthy produce (a farmer's market), walls and shelves beautifully adorned with the work of your hands (a lovely atmosphere), soups simmering on the stove (a nourishing home), cakes baking in the oven (a whole foods bakery), flowers growing in your yard (endless bouquets), closets organized neat and tidy (order and peace reign), tables set with love, and most importantly-- the intentional grace, patience and care you show your husband and children and everyone else God puts in your path.


Instead of haunting the malls, I have found second hand stores to be such a blessing for providing the needs in our home and at a fraction of the price. In fact, I remember the beginning of this era in my life when my cake beaters gave up the ghost. I was with my mother at Macy's and she pointed out a brand new set for $60. I told her these were way over my budget and I would keep looking. The very next week I made my way to a Goodwill Store in search of a "new" skirt. Lo and behold, a brand new set of Kitchen Aid brand beaters presented themselves for only $4.99! Needless to say, my retail days were 90% over!

Through the knowledge gained in food preservation books, blogs and resourceful women, I have been able to pack my pantry full of food for at least half the retail price and with less preservatives and artificial flavors. There is no need for a daily grocery store run as we have one in our home! In hard times, this is treasure indeed!


When I take those moments to stitch something pretty up or to patch what we have, I am practicing what our foremothers have done before us, creativity and practicality through a common needle and thread.

When I utilize the information found in health and herb books to feed and care for my family, I am  able to produce rows of natural homemade medicine for pennies! What satisfaction to have them lined up along our shelves as a sign of loving provision. When I implement those healthy recipes and cooking strategies, I am building good nutrition around our table. When both are implemented, we find doctor visits have almost disappeared. Health is wealth!

And the list goes on! Whether it be wisdom in first aid and CPR, knitting, crocheting, animal husbandry, crafting, candle-making, beekeeping, soap-making, cookery and so forth...


By acquiring knowledge and skills for our family, we have the opportunity to physically and spiritually fill our rooms "with all precious and pleasant riches".  There is much satisfaction in this kind of home-building and there is still so much to learn! But I am enjoying the challenge of becoming a professional Proverbs 31 woman! It is my chosen vocation and I will continue to take it seriously. I will study, learn and gain knowledge whenever that chance appears. With each time we honor our husband, with each child that we love, each devotional we apply, each homemaking tip we learn, with each penny that we save, with each sickness we help heal, with each healthy recipe we serve, with each item we add to our pantry, we are building up our homes and I can't think of a better investment of time! This is the day to put off that "boring homemaking notion" and treat it as the art that it is! We are treasure-makers when we spiritually and practically apply the knowledge we glean! Let us gather the "tools" and begin to build ladies!

"Through wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."
~ Proverbs 24:3-4

"Every wise woman buildeth her house..."
~ Proverbs 14:1

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Our Favorite Fresh & Easy Summer Salads and Side Dishes


"... the wind changed into a softer quarter;
the clouds were carried off;
the sun appeared; it was summer again."
~ Jane Austen, Emma

Summer is on the way for those in the northern hemisphere and there is nothing I like better than recipes which don't include heating up the kitchen! Here are our favorite salads and side dishes. All fresh and healthy and bursting with flavor!


Avocado Salad Salsa and Side Dish {aka pico del gallo}

We serve this with tortilla chips and as a side salad/salsa to all our Mexican dishes.



Caprese Salad

This makes for a nice light lunch, appetizer and side dish to serve with grilled meats.



Confetti Cabbage Salad

We prepare a large bowl of this coleslaw at the beginning of the week and

serve as a convenient side dish during the week.



Marinated Vegetables

We prepare a large batch of these vegetables for convenient snacking,

as a healthy side salad and for on-the-go picnics and BBQ's.

This will last for at least a week in the fridge.


Though not pictured, we also love the black bean salad recipe shared here, and this is our favorite pasta salad recipe (you can use the blanched broccoli version or the grilled zucchini as the "main" vegetable version). You may also like to make some Quick and Easy Deli Style Refrigerator Pickles to go along with your summer sandwiches. Enjoy your seasonal homemaking! The changes in the weather make for a lovely pattern of life when we embrace each time and appreciate what each season graciously offers.
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

How to Make Peppermint Extract {DIY} ~ Free Printable Labels


Have you begun an herb garden this year or perhaps a dried collection in your home apothecary? Do you have wonderful plans for all the creative ways you can use them? Today I wanted to share how to make an easy peppermint extract. This will come in handy for some homemade ice cream, peppermint patties and other recipes that refresh in the summer! We will also be sharing other homemaking DIY's in the future that could be made with this extract as a base! Visit our guest post {here} at Raising Homemakers for the complete tutorial and printable!

What to Make with Homemade Mint Extract? {And More Ideas Coming Soon!}
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Thomasina's Tip Sheet: Ways to Use Honey ~ Free Printable


"Honey is the only natural food that,
as long as it is kept airtight, does not spoil."
~ The Beekeeper's Bible by Richard Jones

Although it is indeed Saturday, welcome to another edition of "Fun Friday" this spring with Beatrix PotterMrs. Tittlemouse (wise, prudent and health-minded as she was), was exceptionally fond of keeping a stockpile of raw honey in her prized pantry. While most foods have a humble shelf-life, honey (if stored properly) can last forever! Unfortunately, it was quite difficult for her to maintain a constant supply (as I am sure you have read in her homemaking adventures?!) for honey can be used in so many different ways to bless the home (which also makes it an excellent preparedness item)! Would you like a peak into the ways she uses honey? 


"Mrs. tittlemouse went on her way to a distant storeroom, to fetch cherry-stones and thistle-down seed for dinner. All along the passage she sniffed, and looked at the floor. "I smell a smell of honey..."
~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse

Homemaking Hints about Honey:
  • 1 pound of honey equals about 1 and 3/8 cups of honey. 
  • When substituting sugar with honey, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup for each cup of honey used. 
  • "In baked goods, add ½ teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. Reduce oven temperature by 25° F to prevent over-browning." (source)
  • Honey is 1 to 1.5 times sweeter than sugar. If replacing honey with sugar in a recipe, we usually replace ¾ cup of honey for every cup of sugar called for. Sometimes we even reduce by half (meaning 1/2 cup of honey for every cup of sugar).
  • According to the National Honey Board, honey is best stored in a sealed container at room temperature, between 64-75°F (18-24°C). Cooler temperatures, between 35-60°F, hasten honey's natural crystallization process. If honey does crystallize, remove the lid and place in a jar of warm water until crystals dissolve. Honey stored at temperatures above 85°F for extended periods of time will darken in color and be subject to subtle flavor changes. For long-term storage, the use of air-tight, moisture-resistant stainless steel drums is recommended.

  • For easy removal, measure honey in a cup you previously used for measuring oil or butter. 
  • Honey acts as a binder and thickener for sauces, dressings, marinades and dips (it is an emulsifier).
  • Honey provides and retains moisture to a variety of dishes and can even extend the shelf life of baked goods (it is a humectant) (source).
  • According to the Simply Canning blog, when canning with honey, keep in mind that honey is sweeter. For every cup of sugar called for, replace with ¾ cup of honey. You will also need to remember that when you add honey you are adding liquid content. Therefore, reduce the other liquid content by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey added. For more thorough information on canning with honey, visit here.
  • What to do with the remnant honey that is inside the jar that is hard to scrape out? 
    • Add some vinegar, oil and herbs to make a healthy salad dressing (such as 3 tbsp. vinegar, 1 garlic clove chopped/minced, your favorite herbs and 1/2 c. olive oil). 
    • Add a tea bag and hot water and brew a sweetened tea. 
    • Add some herbs and either vodka or apple cider vinegar to make a sweetened medicinal tincture
  • Warning: The National Honey Board, along with other health organizations, recommends that honey not be fed to infants under one year of age (due to the rare but possible, infest botulism).


"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Tittlemouse! Now what I really—really should like—would be a little dish of honey!"
~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse


Healthy Food Recipes Using Honey:
  • Honey Cinnamon Spread (recipe shared on accompanying printable)
  • Honey Dijon Dressing (recipe shared on accompanying printable)


Honey as a Preserver:

"Honey has the capacity to serve as a natural food preservative. Research has demonstrated the potential for honey to reduce enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables and prevent lipid oxidation in meats. Most of the antibacterial activity of the honeys occurs due to hydrogen peroxide generation.

Other researchers have identified the flavonoids in honey, particularly caffeic acid and ferulic acid, as the most likely contributors.

Honey has antimicrobial properties that discourage the growth or persistence of many microorganisms. The microbes that may be found in honey are primarily yeasts and spore-forming bacteria. No vegetative forms of disease-causing bacterial spores have been found in honey."


"Honey is well known as a cough and cold remedy, usually drunk in combination with the likes of lemon, apple cider vinegar, or whiskey. A study in 2007 at Penn State Medical College showed that honey was a more effective treatment than remedies containing dextromethorphan, the drug used in many cough medicines. A spoonful of honey also soothes a sore throat."
The Beekeeper's Bible by Richard Jones


Medicinal Honey (Herbal Projects):

Honey for Your Health:

"Honey contains a variety of oligosaccharides that may function as prebiotics. Research conducted at Michigan State University has shown that adding honey to fermented dairy products such as yogurt can enhance the growth, activity, and viability of Bifidobacteria as well as other commercial oligosaccharides.

Honey is a natural source of readily available carbohydrates, providing 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon and may serve as an inexpensive alternative to commercial sports gels."
"Tiddly, widdly, widdly? no honey? no honey, Mrs. Tittlemouse?"
~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse


Honey and Hygiene (Bath & Body Care):
  • Honey is a humectant (which means it attracts and retains moisture). This makes honey a lovely addition to a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners. Look for honey in store-bought beauty products or simply add a squeeze of honey to your moisturizer, shampoo or soap at home (source).
  • Lavender-Honey Milk Bath  (recipe shared on accompanying printable)
  • Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath (recipe shared on accompanying printable)
  • Honey Hair Conditioner (recipe shared on accompanying printable)


You will find Thomasina's "Ways to Use Honey" Printable HERE. Perhaps you would like to place them in Mrs. Tittlemouse's "Manual of Household Hints and Delights" until you are ready to use them? This is simply a safe place you can store all of her homemaking printables to have them handy. You will find the free download here if you are interested. The cover page is designed to slide into the front of the binder as a title page insert. The tabs are best printed on card stock, affixed with glue to card stock and staggered as you attach them. It is just a bit of extra fluff!


For Further Reading and Fun:

“My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb,
which is sweet to thy taste...” 
~ Proverbs 24:13

We hope you have enjoyed this information and printable by Mrs. Thomasina Tittlemouse. If so, you may also be interested in her matching recipe cardsfree printable pantry labels, weekly to-do listsDIY bug spray, her "un-paper" towel tutorial and the make-your-own "old fashioned" furniture polish. Happy Friday to you dear friends!

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2sdaysTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopFront Porch Friday Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpShabbilicious Friday,  Five Star Frou Frou FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them). Credit for some of the Homemaking Hints: tip #1, tip #2tip #3tip #4, tip #5. Coloring page graphic is courtesy of the National Honey Board.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Just Finished Reading ~ Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot


"If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look "little" or "big". Amy Carmichael wrote:

"There is no great with Thee, there is no small,
For Thou art all, and fillest all in all."'

~ Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman (page 9)


"Marriage turns out to be a mirror... If you are depressed, you may notice that he is depressed. If you make it a point to be cheerful, it may surprise you what a difference it makes in your husband when he has good reason not to be cheerful. You can create a climate for him according to your attitude, and this is part of your job as a wife. The home you make and the atmosphere of that home is the world he comes back to from the world of his work. Let it be a place of beauty and peace."
~ Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman (pages 100, 101)


"I have learned (but slowly, I'm afraid), what it is to be in love with my destiny. Your father learned it much earlier. "Wherever you are," he wrote, "be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."
~ Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman (page 17)


"We know that we fit into God's universe, we know our relation to the rest of mankind, to the family, and, if we have one, to a husband. Meekness, I believe, is the recognition of that place. Moses, the Bible tells us, was a "very meek man." I don't think of him at all as meek in the popular sense-- timid, self-abnigating, colorless. Far from it. But to be meek is to have a sane and proper estimate of one's place in the scheme of things. It is a sense of proportion."
~ Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman (page 55)


"We are called to be women. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God's idea of me and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and all that He wants me to be."


~ Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadFrom the Farm Blog HopAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou FridayShabbilicious FridaySimply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).