homemade vegan mozzarella!

So what's a girl to do when she wants some cheesy goodness without dairy and also avoiding the plastic waste from packaged vegan cheese? Make her own, of course! Added bonus of course is there's no extra additives either. =)

I tried a vegan cream cheese once. It didn't go well. This time, I decided to try a mozzarella-like cheese and used the recipe here: vegan mozzarella!

It got even stretchier when it cooled a bit. I poured the leftovers into a glass dish and popped it into the fridge. While it did firm up more once cooled, it wasn't firm enough to slice or shred, but it did make a yummy grilled cheese!

Next time, I'll probably remelt the cheese before putting it on the bread to get more even coverage and be sure it is completely melted. Still, yummy. =) I'll have to try this recipe out on a pizza soon!

I can't vouch for how it would do in a microwave since I don't own one.

It is Only Money and It Grows on Trees!

It is Only Money and It Grows on Trees! is an interesting look at how money is viewed by different cultures/religions and how we might change the way we view money and develop a healthier relationship with money. The book follows a daily discussion had by a group of students and their instructor. Various students lead discussions in how their own culture (Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, etc) views money.

"Money doesn't grow on trees. This comes from the attitude that money is scarce. Many people believe that money is difficult to make and difficult to keep. There is an insufficient amount or a shortness of supply. The thing is, it is an attitude, not a reality." (chapter 1)

I'm sure we've all met people who no matter how much money they have, they feel broke. Or those who spend every penny (and often then some) no matter what their income, putting themselves in a constant state of financial stress. But we all know people who have very little money yet feel very wealthy and always seem to have enough. Once basic needs are met, it isn't about our income. It really is all about attitude and the actions we take with our money.

"Your beliefs become your thoughts. 

Your thoughts become your words. 

Your words become your actions. 

Your actions become your habits. 

Your habits become your values. 

Your values become your destiny." 

-- Mahatma Ghandi

Do you handle your money according to your values? This year, I've sworn off buying new items aside from just a few areas. While this does saves me money, my main goal is to align my spending with my values. I love finding things secondhand because I know these items are getting a second lease on life instead of ending up in a landfill and I'm requiring fewer resources. I also keep to a budget, saving for retirement and for expected (and unexpected) expenses in order to stay out of debt and be able to care for myself in my golden years rather than being a burden to anyone.

"You don't need to be limited by your current financial situation. You have talents that you can use to become wealthy. You have character and work ethic. You need to believe in yourself and keep moving forward." (chapter 10)

We all make choices each day that can either increase our wealth or set us back. Advertisers may tell us what we "need", financial institutions may offer us credit allowing us to buy things we can't truly afford, our family or culture may have led us in a direction that doesn't reflect our own personal values, but in the end? We must take responsibility for our choices and take an active role in our futures. 

Probably the most useful part of this book is the workbook at the end. Questions and exercises relate to each chapter and really get you thinking about what you're doing now with your money and what you might change in the future. This was certainly a thought-provoking book!

I was sent a free digital copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced by this gift.

green your holidays with alternative gift wrap

So, I haven't had gift wrap in at least 4 years. I kind of hate it. I just can't bring myself to buy paper that gets used once, ever so briefly, and tossed. Depending on the paper you buy, it may be recyclable, but most comes wrapped in plastic so I skip it entirely and find other, usually more crafty, ways to wrap gifts.

Remember the handspun shawl I knit my mother for her birthday?

I used this great paper box I found at Goodwill awhile back. I think she loved the box almost as much as the shawl. lol She said she planned to use it in her sewing area. Of course, if she didn't plan to use it, it would be great for gifting something else to someone. I'm just happy to hear it's not headed to either recycling or the landfill. =)

Thrift stores are a great place to find inexpensive containers for gifts. I limit myself to $1 max to keep the cost down and have found some great boxes to reuse. Think outside the box though! I've found a few lidded baskets like these:

I spotted these little baskets a month or two ago and snapped them up, knowing I'd be in need of containers this Spring. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the round one started its life as a toilet paper roll holder. lol It's perfect for a caked up skein of handspun though! =)

A skein of handspun sent to my mother for Mother's Day this year. =)

I've sewn simple drawstring bags like this:

They work not only as a reusable gift bag, but if the recipient is a knitter or crocheter, they're great project bags too! These were made from purchased fabric, but these days I'd just find a clothing item at the thrift store to remake into a bag if I didn't have anything in my stash. =)

Don't care if the container completely hides the contents? Check out open baskets, pails or even vases or maybe a mug for something small? Is the recipient a cook? Use a baking dish as sort of a gift basket. There are so many items in the thrift stores that are in new condition that make great gifts or containers for gifts, don't cost a lot and help keep trash out of the landfill. =)

April craftiness

It's May already? This year is just flying by! Temps are warming up (I think we hit 85 the other day) and everything is greening up (before it turns brown again over the summer). I've been working on greening up my own space too. But that's for another post. On to the craftiness!

I've worked just a bit on my poncho, but not enough to show any real progress. I did have a couple knitting FOs though! First up, Brickless from the skein of handspun I finished in March.

Brickless, paid pattern by Martina Behm

It's already in it's new home. My mother loves lilacs so I sent this shawl to her for her birthday in April since the yarn is shades of lilac and green. =) I've had this pattern for ages, but hadn't gotten the urge to knit it until now. Not sure what took me so long. It was a lot of fun to knit and a super simple pattern to memorize. I just had to glance at the pattern to see how many to bind off for the different sections. I may make another of these some day for myself.

Next, I grabbed a skein of yarn I dyed myself back in the Fall of 2013. I kept holding onto the skein for the perfect project and thought I'd found the perfect match with the Shard shawl I snagged when the designed had a coupon code for a free pattern recently. Here's the skein:

It's color blocked with sections dyed in blue/green, blue/purple and grey. I've seen a few finished Shard shawls online and really wanted to make one. I'm not entirely happy with my result:

Shard shawl, paid pattern by Romi Hill

I in no way think this is the fault of the pattern, though I really think this needs to be a 2 skein shawl with more repeats than the pattern calls for. I only had the one skein and no way to recreate it so I took my chances. What I ended up with was an awesomely textured, tiny shawl. The depth is fine, but the length isn't something I'd ever use. I still need to block it and I'm guessing it'll grow some, but I don't think it'll grow enough. I'll decide after blocking what its fate will be. I may frog it or I may just move on and donate this one. Some people do like small shawlettes... Either way, I may very well knit this again with more yardage. The pattern is very easy to follow and memorize.

At the same time I started the Shard, I caked up another skein to try out a Pinch shawl. Two projects involving tons of short rows probably wasn't the best idea. lol

Pincha shawl, free pattern by Pinpilan Wangsai

What you see above? Yep, it still looks like that. I haven't frogged it yet, but I think I will. Nothing against the pattern. I've seen some awesome finished objects! But it's all short rows that you really have to pay attention to and I think I got my fill of short rows for awhile. ;-)

Not much sewing happened last month, but I did sew up a few very useful bags for my little backyard garden space!

I picked up a roll of landscape fabric and pulled out my serger that was already set up with some polyester thread and whipped out several planters in no time. I've been debating between doing containers or a raised bed or possibly just digging up a larger space in my yard than I used last summer to avoid the cost of materials and soil. I've been planting perennials (lots of berries!) around the edges though so space was dwindling if I didn't want to cut too far into doggie space. My yard is tiny and frankly, I wasn't excited about weeding and didn't really have the budget for a lot of materials so... containers won! ;-) And these were super easy! And cheap!! Win-win. I just cut off a section of fabric, folded in half and seamed up both sides. Then I boxed the bottom corners. I folded the tops down to give a smidge more stability. I played around with the sizing and finally settled on a good size then planted away until I ran out of dirt. Once I get more soil, I'll whip up a few more of these for the seeds I have started in little peat pots. The dirt in my yard is about half rocks (yep, lots of fun planting my trees) so containers mean mobility and good dirt. I'm sure the plants would thank me if they could. =)

So, not a ton of crafting last month, but it all made me happy. Okay, the one didn't so much but frogging it won't bum me out either. lol I'm hoping to actually finish the poncho in May and I already have a pair of socks on the needles... it's been ages since I knit socks! For me it's all about crafting what's making me happy though so it's all good.

Until next time, I hope you all craft what makes you happy! =)

every day should be Earth Day!

What a good day to reexamine how we're living and the impact we have on the Earth! 

The changes I've made this year have become more routine and take less effort to stick with these days. I won't say I've been perfect at not buying anything with packaging that can't be either composted, reused or recycled, but the amount of trash I produce is still down considerably! (And it was pretty minimal to begin with.) Most grocery shopping trips result in no trash at all, but there are a few items I haven't been able to get in either bulk or with completely earth-friendly packaging. Mostly, I just skip buying those items, but once in awhile I do pick up something in plastic. It's about progress, not perfection. :-) The great thing is that zero waste seems to be getting more and more popular with a wider range of people. I'm hoping this is a trend that continues. More people demanding less packaging can only result in more options for all of us.

My efforts to only shop secondhand have been going well too! My first urge now is to look for a secondhand item whenever I need something or if that fails, to figure out a workaround with something I already have on hand until I can find it secondhand (if I still think I need it). It's funny, if you wait long enough, you'll see just about everything go through the thrift store! Garage sale season is upon us as well so there are deals to be had! Maybe I'll finally find a good used toaster oven... I did finally find my wished-for cherry pitter! :-) I'm now well prepared for the summer harvests. 

I'm watching my own plants come to life and even have a few green strawberries already in my new little patch and the gooseberry bush I planted last year has quite a few teeny berries forming! I'll have to fence off the black raspberry canes before they start producing so Gus and Reilly don't eat them all this year. ;-) I have two tiny mulberry trees being delivered later today. How's that for timing?! They'll be tiny so I think I'll pot them this year then maybe plant them out front next summer. We'll see. They're supposed to be a great way to keep birds and squirrels away from other garden plants and trees, though I'll admit I bought them more for me. lol With the temps rising here, I've been bringing along a doggie water bottle for Gus. Reilly loves the heat, but Gus is more like me and overheats more easily. I've been making sure we end our walks in the park near the blueberry bush Gus discovered last summer so I can empty whatever water is left in the bottle near the bush. Summers are hot and dry here so any extra moisture will be happily soaked up and hopefully result in a little better blueberry crop this year. I might need a bigger water bottle...

So, I'll be planting a couple trees (and watering a wild blueberry bush) on Earth Day. Do you have any earth-friendly plans?

how to be alive

This was a really good read! I first became aware of Colin Beavan after watching No Impact Man a few years ago. I definitely wanted to read How to Be Alive when it came out. I keep meaning to borrow the book about his experiences trying to live a year with as little environmental impact as possible, but the documentary was really interesting and I highly recommend it! Sure, there were moments I questioned his sanity (as did his wife) and I'll admit I thought he was cheating a bit when he started getting ice from his neighbor to avoid using his refrigerator/freezer after his failed attempt at a DIY, non-powered solution for food preservation, but I really do admire his efforts to have less of a negative impact.

After that experience, he realized how much his daily decisions impacted not only his own life, but the world. Rather than challenging people to have no impact, a huge undertaking for anyone, this book puts more emphasis on each of us making smaller changes we can sustain. Colin discusses how being more true to ourselves and our own beliefs and passions can also have positive impact on others and our environment, but also urges us to focus on what we can do ourselves and not as much on the bigger picture in order to keep ourselves from feeling paralyzed by the size of the problems and doing nothing. Not being able to change everything shouldn't stop us from making changes we know are right.

The thing is, if you worry about the gigantic machine instead of fixing the small cog, nothing at all gets done. When your concern ranges beyond the things you can control, your influence shrinks to zero. (How to Be Alive, p76)

I've made a lot of changes to how I do things. Yes, there's more I could be doing. That doesn't mean what I am doing has no positive impact. I pretty routinely reexamine the choices I've made to determine if I'm ready to make more changes. One thing I'm beginning to feel a lot more pull toward is going car-free. I'm not quite ready for that change, but I'm getting closer.

from How to Be Alive

Yes, intellectually and in my heart, I know not owning a vehicle is better in many ways. First, of course, would be the health benefits of more walking and riding my bike. Not having a car would also mean less financial cost to me. A bus pass would run me $540/year max, though I'm pretty sure I could shave another $100 off that cost by using daily passes a couple times a week instead of a monthly pass since I work from home. But even the max out of pocket? Still less than my vehicle insurance alone. Not to mention gas, regular maintenance, any repairs needed and heaven forbid I get in an accident and have a deductible to pay on top of that. Then there's the environmental impact of driving personal vehicles. Sure, my Jeep doesn't spend nearly as much time on the road as most cars, but it still pollutes more than if I rode the bus or my bike. It's size does come in handy at times... like when I bought fruit trees for my yard. But how often does that need arise? It's not like I'll be putting in any more trees in my teeny yard. The home improvement store even rents trucks at reasonable daily rates to haul anything I'd need for my home. And in these days of Uber and Lyft, getting a quick ride door to door isn't hard to come by even if a willing friend isn't available. So many options!

So what's stopping me? Convenience. The ability to hop in my Jeep and run across town on my own schedule without waiting for a bus. Planting more food-producing plants in my own yard will help cut back on my weekly trips to the local farms to pick produce in Summer and Fall. Expanding my own garden and shopping more from the co-op (same produce, less commute) could replace those trips. I'm honestly really thinking about the possibilities. This has been a very expensive vehicle year which is certainly helping push me in that direction. Multiple repairs and then a fender bender thanks to another driver chatting away on her cell phone rather than paying attention to driving and nearly running down a pedestrian have added up quickly this year. And I still need to replace my tires too. I put away money every month and can cover the expenses, but life would sure be nice without those added bills! For now, the Jeep stays... Next year, we'll see.

What changes have you made? What have you been thinking of changing? What's stopping you?

March craftiness

We're halfway through April now, but it's not too late for a crafty update for March, right?

I slacked a bit on the knit poncho, not keeping up with knitting a full repeat a day as I'd started out doing in February. I've made some progress, but it's not nearly as close to being completed as I'd expected.

Lace Cotton Ponchette, pattern by windloop

Remember the fiber I found at the thrift store? It's now yarn!

638 yds, 249 grams

I love how this turned out! I used about 4 ounces of undyed BFL from my stash as the second ply to stretch the yardage. I love spinning big skeins so I have more options when I decide to make the handspun into something. I've actually finished a project with this skein already, but more on that later.

I also did a bit of sewing last month. Since I've cracked the code to finding the best secondhand deals, I've been picking up some items to disassemble and make into new items. Such fun! I've found some nice cotton men's shirts and had a few ideas floating around in my head I wanted to try out:

A thrifted cotton shirt & wool skirt and a yard of organic cotton from my fabric stash became a nice tote bag and drawstring project bag. =)

A wool suit jacket, cotton shirt, polyester tie & snaps were all thrift store finds and became a nice little project bag! Plenty of extras leftover for more projects too. 

The boys all hung out with me in the craft room while I sewed. I think they're enjoying their new bed. Notice, Phoebe is absent. lol She chose to sleep in the small bed on the antique sewing machine alone rather than pile in with everyone else.

It's not just eco-friendly to shop secondhand, it's a whole lot of fun too! =)