Jute flower tutorial...

    So here is something you may not know about me.....I Love Jute! Just teasing! Even if you only know me  a smidge you know I use jute for everything! Last night as the Daytona 500 was in yet another delay (husband glued to the tube!) I sat down to start my Nicole Heartfelt Designs for March and ended up with these darlings! Cute versatile and easy!

    Start out with a round piece of burlap...I used a bright colored piece of felt for this tutorial because once you start gluing down your jute it is difficult to see! Using jute of varying thickness and shade determine the size of your petal by forming a loop. Cut several pieces of jute into this length.

Place a dot of hot glue onto your circle. Loop a piece of jute in half and place on glue dot. Hold in place then when glue is cool enough touch firmly press down....I have many burns on my fingertips! Be careful! Many of my fellow bloggers also use the eraser end of a pencil or scissor tips to handle hot glue!

Repeat this step until you have completed a full circle! Then do the same to form inner circles just begin below the last circle to create your flower look!

Once you have done this three to four times your jute will begin to fill up the center. Either use some bling gems to create your center, or begin cutting smaller loops to create a jute center!

Again... Like most Nicole Heartfelts! The possibilities are endless! A darling hairpiece! A unique wall arrangement! I found this frame at the DI for one dollar! Painted it black and voila!

Random Wall pieces! I used a straight pin to adhere to my favorite spaces! Or a  fun and different hat pin! What will you do with yours?

A daunting task with an abundant reward...

   Twelve hours and fifteen pounds of tomato's later! I was able to put up twenty four glorious pints (And this monster quart) of salsa! Macey's has this wonderful pepper bar where I found habanero's and thai's to add to Kaci's smokin jalapenos! Our food storage is comin along! It is so nice while at the grocery store not worrying about the things you have plenty of!

    Tip: waiting until the season is near ending will have friends and family begging you to take their precious produce! I was able to raid my grandfathers orchard! Saving forty dollars! All I had to get were the lids, spice mix and extra peppers! I think fifteen dollars in supplies was well worth the nearly hundred dollars worth of canned goods don't you!

Feeling brave?

Blanch your tomato's so the skin will virtually fall off! Fifteen pounds sounds like alot...but keep in mind you are going to de seed and peel these babies!

According to your preference either chop or puree your newly peeled and seedless toms and start cookin!

I like to use Mrs. Wages hot salsa mix combined with fresh onions, garlic, cilantro and of course peppers! On a wild notion I incorporated fresh peaches into my puree:)

Simmer your salsa for at least thirty minutes before ladling into your warm sterilized jars.

I use the water bath method and process my jars for twenty minutes beginning at the boiling point!

Remove..listen for that wonderful "pop" that means your jars are safely sealed and enjoy!

Happy canning!

How does your garden grow...

Countdown to salsa  is sooo on!! Garden is looking awesome! My husband is giddy with excitement! He says if not for anything else in our marriage I must bottle my famous jalapeno salsa each fall;) He nearly cried when he removed the seal on the last jar from 2010! I think we are gonna take it a step further and also can jalapeno pickles! YUM! Stay tuned for delicious recipe's!


P.S. I found looking glass spray at Hobby Lobby for $12.00:) I know some of you were having a hard time finding it! I have some fun things I am working on! Will post pics soon!

Jammin on a Sunday! Peach Style...

Last year we were able to put up twenty four delicious quarts of peaches. Still working on rotating last fall's stock...this year Poppa's peaches made for delicious jam!

If not for a tip from my mother in law I would have spent at least an hour peeling thirty peaches. Most of you probably already know to blanche your fruit or veggie first, but to us newbies it's a wonderful tip. The skin literally falls off:)

Coming Saturday....Fresh Jalapeno SALSA!