DIY Projects Based on Books ~ Gentle Summer Schooling and Bonding

"Furthermore, most children will find greater satisfaction and demonstrate greater learning from things they make and do with their parents or other people than from elaborate toys or learning materials."

~ Raymond S. Moore, School Can Wait

Here is another ode to a no television summer. With so many books to read and memories to be had cuddled and huddled around the couch, I wanted to encourage a lifestyle of reading and doing. Here are some books to be enjoyed and some fun and useful projects and ideas to accompany them. I would like to think that there is a little of something for everyone here!

Sense and Sensibility 

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Project Based on Book:

Make Your Own Lavender Water

Winnie-the-Pooh

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Project Based on Books:

Make Your Own ~ Pooh's Medicinal Honey

Raggedy Ann and Andy Books

Raggedy Ann & Andy ~ A Read Aloud Treasury by Johnny Gruelle 

Projects Based on Books: 

Playtime Ideas with Raggedy Ann and Andy 

Raggedy Ann and Andy's "I Love You" Bookmarks ~ Free Printable Set 

Raggedy Ann's Room Spray ~ For the Nursery

The Little House on the Prairie Series

The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Projects Based on Books:

Laura's Cornbread Mix-in-a-Jar ~ Printable Recipe Kit

Our Favorite "Farmer Boy" {No Cook, Raw} Vanilla Ice Cream ~ 4 Variations

Pretending to Be Pioneers ~ Precious Playtime Ideas

The Tales of Peter Rabbit

                

Beatrix Potter Book {The Complete Tales} by Beatrix Potter

Projects Based on Books:

Peter Rabbit's Gift Tags {Free Printable}

Peter Rabbit's "Bedtime Blend" Chamomile Bath Powders {DIY}

Peter Rabbit's Bookmarks {Free Printable}

Peter Rabbit's Room Spray "Bedtime Blend for the Nursery" {DIY}

Mr. McGregor's (Peter Rabbit's) Seed Packets {Free Printable}

Peter Rabbit's Tummy Tincture "A Dose of Chamomile" {DIY}

Gardening with Peter Rabbit {Precious Playtime Inspiration}

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

                

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter

Projects Based on Books:

How to Make "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" Decorative Clothespins {DIY}

How to Make Your Own Spray Starch {DIY}

How to Make Your Own Stain Remover Spray {DIY}

How to Make Your Own Handkerchiefs {DIY}

How to Make Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's "Homemaker's Helper" Nourishing Tea Blend

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse

                

Beatrix Potter Book {The Complete Tales} by Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse by Beatrix Potter

Projects Based on Books:

Absorbable Un-Paper Towels ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial 

"Bug-Be-Gone Spray" ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial

"Cottage Rose" Pantry Labels ~ Free Printable

"Old Fashioned" Furniture Polish ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial

Thomasina's "Cottage Rose" Recipe Cards ~ Free Printable

Thomasina's Tip Sheet ~ Ways to Use Honey ~ Crafting, Recipes, Coloring

Thomasina's Weekly To-Do Lists ~ Free Printable

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children

is not a good children's story in the slightest.”

~ C.S. Lewis

Note: I have always found useful projects made together for the home to be wonderful employment. As time is often a factor, I noticed I found more of "it" to craft together when I knew the things we created would actually be used. For example, children will enjoy making labels or cutting them out for a "Raggedy Ann Room Spray". They would enjoy counting out the drops into the spray bottle and smelling each scent. They would enjoy exclaiming how delicious or strong each fragrance is. They would appreciate spraying the aroma and knowing they made something productive! And as they do prepare it, explain the "little things" to them along the way (that the peppermint oil is made from the peppermint plant, that it has many medicinal properties to kill germs, that they must never ingest the potent oils and so forth). They will associate that little spray with those moments of reading together. Your books will come alive! This is the type of home education and bonding that blesses everyone involved.

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, and Shabbilicious Friday. 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).

Savory Herb Butter Dinner "Roll" Muffin Mix-in-a-Jar ~ Free Printable Recipe Kit {with GF Option}

Bread, butter, herbs and a splash of cheese. I think that says it all. It does for our family! As our daughter has needed to remove gluten from her diet, my bread making had lost its luster (I find it easier to just cook the same for everyone). And then one fine day, "these" were born (which can be made successfully with regular flour or gluten-free flour)! Our herbed butter muffins can be used in lieu of a dinner roll and would also be a wonderful breakfast/brunch addition when you want that savory taste. They are perfect with soups to round out the menu or consider setting out a basket of these hot "rolls" at your next BBQ!



And, as you all know, I love make-ahead mixes for their convenience! Therefore, I prepared these for the pantry (because they are very much worth it-- especially for an impromptu meal!). They are also quickly made while you have out all the ingredients. It is especially simple with our printable recipe kit which includes the directions, a set of jar labels and instruction labels. I like to prepare 6 jars at a time but larger families may want to make a dozen of them. 

Note to GF households: The gf flour that I use for our baking is this Better Than Cup for Cup Blend. I make 30 cups at one time (there is an Excel spreadsheet at the website and you can customize the amount you want to make) and keep it in a large pantry jar. This makes for quite a convenient and thriftier mix when you make your own. To purchase small bags is just too expensive.

To Make the Mix ~

Place inside a quart-sized jar the following ingredients:

• 3 c. all purpose flour (or GF flour blend which includes xanthum gum)

• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. herb seasoning (i.e. Braggs, Mrs. Dash, or my favorite -- Tinderbox Herbal Sprinkle*)

• 1 tsp. dried chives

• 1/3 c. sugar

* Note: Tinderbox Herbal Sprinkle is an Australian product that a friend of mine gave me and I am addicted! I have no idea if these are sold in the United States but do give it a try should you find it! Freshly chopped herbs from the garden would also work wonderfully, up the amount to 1 tbsp., if you do so!

Once the first five ingredients are measured into the jar, carefully stir contents inside with a butter knife to distribute the baking powder, salt and spices (this will also allow more room for the sugar as it will compact the mixture down). Place lid firmly back on jar and give it a good shake for a final blend. The mix is now complete. Simply label and attach the directions to the muffin mix (found on our printable below).

To Prepare the Herb Dinner "Roll" Muffins  ~

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (you may want to try 375 if using GF flour blend).

Mix together in a medium mixing bowl:

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 c. milk

• 1/2 c. butter, melted

• Add prepared muffin mix and stir until just combined (batter will be thick).

• Add 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese or your favorite cheese blend and stir until just combined. Do not over stir as it will result in tougher muffins.

• Divide batter evenly into 12 lined/greased muffin cups and bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown (and/or toothpick inserted inside comes out clean).

The gluten-free flour blend I use gives them a nice rustic appearance. The regular flour will resemble more of a smooth muffin.

Like I have mentioned before, the nice thing about making your own mixes is that you can control the quality of ingredients. Instead of iodized table salt, we can use sea salt or the Himalayan pink salt. Instead of baking powder laden with cancer causing aluminum, we can choose the "clean" version. The best part is that our mixes don't include artificial anything!

This is a wonderful way to stock your pantry! In fact, you may also be interested in our Cornbread Mix-in-a-Jar and our favorite Oatmeal Muffins Mix-in-a-Jar recipe kits. 

When making up pantry mixes, here are a few ways to avoid mess and waste:

• Being that the ingredients you are using are dry, simply wipe off spoons and measuring cups immediately and put them away. No need to add them to that pile of dirty dishes! This makes clean up a breeze!

• When printing out our recipe kits, in order to save on ink, just wipe out the jar when it is empty and place it right back in the original spot on the pantry shelf. When you use up your last mix, refill all your jars with the ingredients. This way you save on ink and pasting each time.

• When making up the mixes, I timed myself on each jar (without rushing, I promise) and it came out to only 3-minutes per jar! That is quicker than driving to the store, waiting in line and purchasing a boxed mix (plus you are getting a superior product). Don't underestimate the savings and convenience of the make-your-own-mixes.

HERE is our printable recipe kit that you may want to add to your recipe book. Happy pantry building, ladies! P.S. Please do let me know if any of you download this kit, I am curious how many enjoy these types of pantry projects! 

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy...

for God now accepteth thy works."

~ Ecclesiastes 9:7

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

Ironing Inspiration ~ The Classic Homemaking Collection

"My second favorite household chore is ironing.

My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint."

  ~Erma Bombeck

Before we begin, I have a small confession to make. Ironing, sadly and truthfully, is the least of my favorite homemaking loves. In fact, every time I read the words (shared above) by the late Ms. Bombeck, I am in tears (the humorous kind)! Here is a compilation of ideas, old fashioned homemaking tips, diy's and encouragement that may help to inspire you (and I) to love those linens and iron! I think in a very few minutes, your mind may be transformed to see the beauty in this little task!

"Ironing gratifies the senses. The transformation of wrinkled, shapeless cloth into the smooth and gleaming folds of a familiar garment pleases the eye. The good scent of ironing is the most comfortable smell in the world. And the fingertips enjoy the changes in the fabrics from cold to warm, wet to dry, and rough to silky. There is nothing like keeping the hands busy with some familiar work to free the mind. You can learn Italian while you iron, as a friend of mine did, or you can simply think."

~ Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House

To begin, it helps to have a peaceful and clean environment to iron in. That is often difficult to do because the ironing board is usually the household item that gets stowed away and hidden. If you have a large laundry room, that would be ideal.

Decorating with old fashioned signs can also make it more enjoyable (you will find our printable set here). Our ironing board is kept in our back room and before ironing, I make sure the area is clear and clutter-free to make it a pleasant homemaking experience (such as the one described below).

Gentle Homemaking Inspiration

The Linens {An Old Fashioned Day} ~ Whatsoever Thy Hands

It is interesting to note that the artist Degas (who was famous for his impressionistic ballerina paintings), also took the time to capture women doing the daily duties of washing and ironing. 

Perhaps he saw the beauty in the ordinary homemaking arts! His work is depicted in all the paintings featured above this paragraph (except for the painting showcasing the "Gentle Homemaking Inspiration").

How to Clean Your Iron {Gleaned from Cleaning Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin}

The Sole Plate

• Wipe the soleplate with a sudsy cloth or nylon-mesh pad (make sure your iron is unplugged and cool). If starchy buildup or corrosion is present, remove either with a cloth saturated in white vinegar or make a solution by heating equal parts of vinegar and salt (until it is dissolved). Do not use abrasive cleaners or metal scouring pads.

The Reservoir

• If mineral deposits are coming through the holes of the soleplate, the reservoir needs a routine cleaning. To do so, fill the reservoir approximately one-quarter of the way up with white vinegar. Turn on the iron and steam-iron a clean rag or towel until the reservoir is empty. The fumes may be strong so keep a window open and a fan going if necessary. If problem persists, refill the reservoir with water and continue to steam iron the rag until empty once again. Do a final rinse on the reservoir by filling it with (distilled or purified) water and then emptying it out. To prevent future buildup in your iron, use only distilled water.

Routine Maintenance

• Each time you use your iron, empty water from the reservoir while it is still hot so that it will dry out. This can be achieved by slowly and carefully tilting the pointed end of the iron down over a sink. For best results, always store your iron in an upright position.

A few do-it yourself ironing recipes can be made to create a sense of purpose in your ironing area. One of my personal favorites is this DIY Lavender Water. It makes for a lovely and aromatic ironing spray.

There is also an old fashioned spray starch recipe that can be made in minutes! Store these handcrafted goods in recycled glass bottles with attractive labels in order to foster a sense of delight in this homemaking task.

"You may also like to utilize the essential oils when ironing. You can either put 1 drop of essential oil in a plant mister and spray the clothes before ironing, or put a drop on a damp linen cloth and place that between the iron and the material. You could also put the essential oils directly into the water compartment of your steam iron, but essential oils are not water soluble and could leave a residue in the iron."

~ Valerie Ann Worwood, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

Is Ironing Still Relevant Today?

Perhaps you are thinking that the modern-day denim and knit clothing you own does not require such ironing and care. However, the clothes we wear to our Sabbath gathering should be considered. Are we dressing appropriately for the "House of God"? Do you remember the term "Sunday best"? Dressing up and ironing your clothing for worship shows its importance and seriousness. It shows something that our modern-day culture often neglects, it is called "reverence". Dear Moses met with the Creator in the dessert via a burning bush and learned this lesson. Our formal meetings in the church with the Almighty should be just as important. 

"Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet,

for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

~ Exodus 3:5

"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,

whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire."

~ Hebrews 12:28-29

"I find it soothing to take something wrinkled and make it smooth.

It feels anticipatory. It's what I do before a celebration."

~ Alexandra Stoddard

And life, my dear homemaker, is a celebration!

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in:
Gentle Homemaking Inspiration
The Housecleaning Inspiration Collection
Wash Day Collection of Inspiration

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Shabbilicious Friday, Simply 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).

Simplest Ever Sewing Projects Which Can Be Done in a Day!

"Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied."

~ Hawthorne

If your sewing skills are limited to a basic straight line, then you are in the right place! While I lack much experience in the sewing department, I still like to tinker with some instant gratification projects (the kind that can be completed in a day!). They make one feel like an accomplished and creative, old-fashioned homemaker. For there is a peaceful rhythm to the sound of a sewing machine.  There is a tranquil feeling one gets with a needle and thread. With that being said, here is my humble little list of the simplest-ever sewing projects. These would also make perfect lessons for your dear daughter too!

How to Make Your Old and Ugly Potholders New Again ~ Sew a Slipcover!



Make Your Own Oilcloth Coasters



Make Your Own Absorbable Un-Paper Towels



Make Your Own Shabby Cottage Tea Napkins



Make Your Own Handkerchiefs ~ A Tiggy-Winkle Tutorial



Make Your Own Moth-Repellant Sachets



Make Your Own Soft Baby Burp Cloths

Make Your Own Clothespin Apron (or Mother and Child Kitchen Apron)

"Useful and ornamental needlework, knitting, and netting are capable of being made, not only sources of personal gratification, but of high moral benefit, and the means of developing in surpassing loveliness and grace, some of the highest and noblest feelings of the soul."

~ The Ladies' Work Table Book, 1845

All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Good Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop,  Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up and Create, Bake, Grow & Gather. 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).