Squash, Tomatoes, Pickles and Blackberries...oh my!!!

This week I've been freezing, cooking and giving away more squash! I've never seen anything produce like they are doing this year. Tomorrow or Saturday I will be draining the brine from the pickle, washing it and starting 3 days of alum water to crisp them up. The tomatoes are really starting to ripen now, I have several big bowls of them in my kitchen and a big canning kettle of them sitting on the floor of the pantry. I'm simply waiting for them to ripen to a deep red before I start canning them. I've found that the flavor of the canned tomatoes is so much better if you give them the time to ripen thoroughly before canning. More stringbeans are also coming in, I'll be canning them also. I've never cared for frozen stringbeans, so they get canned.
On top of everything coming in from our garden, a cousin that has tame blackberry vines let's us pick all we want. So I now have 4 gallon-size freezer bags full of blackberries. I spread them on cookie sheets and freeze them first then put them in the bags. Doing it that way you don't get a big frozen blob of berries, you can even take some out and stick the bag back in the freezer. I also have several bags of blueberries from my Aunt's bushes that I do the same way.

So the freezer and the shelves in the pantry are starting to fill up. By September, as Summer winds down and the garden is playing out we'll be well stocked for the colder months ahead.

I have found a bit of time for sewing and hope to finish a Pumpkin Make-Do by this Sunday to list on Ebay. I know I seem to be hung up on Make-Do's but they don't take as much time as a complete doll and people seem to really like them. I still have a witch I want to get done, either for the TDIPT August 1st update or Ebay, we'll see.

So check back Sunday evening, I'll be posting a picture of the new Make-Do here. Enjoy the rest of the week.

~Diane

Debuting on Ebay Tonight

Tonight the auction for my Lumina Pumpkin Make-Do will start. Hope you get a chance to take a look at this piece, I love how it turned out. My Ebay link is to the right, simply click on it and it'll take you right to it.
I had hoped to list a witch next but I've not had time this week to work on her, so be on the lookout soon for a new witch.
I started my first batch of pickle yesterday by cutting up a bunch of cukes into the old 2 gallon crock I use for my pickle making. Now it simply sits in the brine mixture for the next week, I follow that up with 3 days of alum water to crisp up the cukes.
I also grated more squash yesterday to freeze for soups and stews this Fall and Winter. Next I'll cook some squash and put them in my freezer.
Since our weather has been on the slightly cooler side (at least for us), I decided to make a chicken vegetable soup using some of the fresh veggies from the garden. I used our own onions, peas, corn and tomatoes along with potatoes, carrots, celery, butter beans and chicken and had a delicious one pot meal for supper last night along with a peach cobbler I made. That's the kind of meal I love, make it earlier in the day, have it for supper and enough left over for lunches or another evening meal.
The tomatoes are really starting to come in, so in the next few days to a week I'll start canning them. I'm always happiest to see the tomatoes start coming in, to me there's nothing that can beat a freshly picked tomato. One of my favorite summer meals is a tomato and bacon sandwich.
So that's what I've been up to and will be for awhile yet! I hope to eek out a bit of time for some sewing this week so I'll have something new for Ebay next weekend too.
Hope you all have a great week~Diane

Tonight on Ebay

Tonight on Ebay I listed this set of 2 make-do's, Harvest Moon and Jack-O-Lantern. Simply click on my Ebay link and it'll take you to them.
I took the above picture in front of my daylillies, they've been beautiful this year but are winding down now. I have lots of yellows, reds and oranges, single and double varieties.

I'm finishing up a TDIPT swap piece the next couple of days, I then hope to work on another piece for Ebay. I have a witch in mind I want to get done, but we'll see how the week goes.

Last week I took a day and went to the orchard and bought some peaches, white and yellow varieties. My friend Winnie and I also went to a couple of antique shops, I didn't buy anything but did see one thing I wish I had bought, maybe it'll still be there next time. It was a printed list of different sizes of ice blocks and the price for each, someone had framed it in a primitive, deep red frame. It had come from an old country store and I love antique advertising items, so maybe next trip I'll be able to get it.

I hope things are going well for each of you, the summer seems to be flying by. Be sure to take the time to enjoy some simple pleasures, they go by so quickly.

Til next time~Diane

New on Ebay Tonight....

Tonight I listed this Fall doll, Jackie~O~Lantern. I love her colors, they just seem to say Autumn to me. There are olive greens, deep oranges, golds and tans. I hope you can get a chance to go to Ebay and check her out.

I'll be working on squash this week (again!!). With all the rain we've been having the squash are plentiful. Good thing we love them.
I'll also be working on a special order witch this week. I want to get her finished so I can turn my thoughts to August on TDIPT Mercantile. We're having a Fall/Halloween theme on there.

So it'll be another hectic week...but then aren't they all???
~Diane

Christmas in July

I hope you get a chance to visit TDIPT Mercantile and see the wonderful array of Christmas items being offered this month. The Mercantile was updated last night with the Artist's that update the first of the month and be sure to take another look the night of July 14th for the update of the "15th Artists". There are some great holiday pieces being offered.

I didn't get a piece made for the Mercantile this month but will return in August for the Halloween themed update.
I'm working on another pumpkin piece for Ebay, I'll let you know when I list it.

Enjoy the rest of the week...Happy Fourth of July to each of you!
~Diane