Of Tea & Labels

Okay dear friends.

Time for something pleasant.

I know coffee gets all the glory,

but tea really is a lovely drink.

It seems I'm always trying new teas.

My favorite tea was "lemon blossom" 

which was discontinued several years ago now.

Since then, I've stuck with mint tea but have searched

for a new favorite tea that I actually really enjoy and look forward to.

There are some pretty spendy teas out there!

Many of them don't taste like they should be spendy at all.

Well, I finally found not just a tea, but several

that I really savor.

Each one I've tried, I've loved!

Where?  

Hummingbird Tea

I think I've tried six or seven of their teas and

have purchased six of them so far. . . 

and there's another I want to try - citrus chill.

I am not connected with them and I don't get any payment from them

for saying these things.

I just really like their teas and appreciate finding them.

Of all their teas I've tried, I would describe them

as "whole flavors."

So often it seems like there is something missing (like flavor).

These taste complete.

So like I said, I've ended up with half dozen different teas.

I've had these bailor jars for ages.

I purchased them at a dollar store long ago,

and they've come in handy.

I decided they would be good for the teas.

I think they are as pleasing to look at as to drink - 

well, almost.

Many of you might have figured out by now 

that I'm more about function than about fashion.

I like things to look nice,

but when it comes down to it, it has to function

and be as usable as ever.

Weeeeellll. . . . story time 

Some time back, I purchased some attractive

reusable labels to give as a gift.

They were actually for my mom who loves lavender.

The labels are good quality and very pretty.

My mom loved them.

Where did I get these great labels?

I knew you'd ask.

Mistress of the House

(Again not affiliated)

But wait, that's not the end of the story.

So Jes has a way of making things beautiful.

She takes those extra steps and it shows.

When I received the labels for my mom,

there were also a few extras in the form of samples.

Those teas above in the bailor jars needed labels

and they were handy so I wrote 

the name of the tea and put them on the jars.

I used a fine point permanent marker.

If I ever want to change them,

a quick spritz with hairspray wipes it clean.

Hairspray also works for getting permanent marker out of jeans.

Don't ask me how I know that.

Anyways, those little samples worked!

I like that they are a nice quality unlike the little paper stickers.

End story: I ordered some for me and some more for Christmas gifts.

My family is to the point in life that we really don't need "things."

So we try to give smaller things that can be used or consumed.

These are perfect!

I am having so much fun using them.

They are both functional and beautiful.

Pantry stocking this time of year can be wearing.

I am still working on the tail end of tomatoes

and will be dehydrating greens and cidering some apples

within the next week.

It's pretty easy, for me at least, to just get the stuff canned

or jarred and not label it (for shame!)

I know - that's bad.

These are certainly handy and if I'm sipping tea

while I'm canning or prepping foods,

it makes for a much nicer time.

I've been on the go quite a bit lately,

but I wanted to post something nice.

These are the items that came to mind first.

They are things I am grateful for~

I hope you enjoy them.

 

Pantry Stocking on a Budget

Right out the gate, I will ask your forgiveness 

as I might get a little overzealous about the pantry.

I think a well stocked pantry is a thing of beauty.

(My Pantry)

We've all seen or at very least heard about

the recent "shortages" in stores due to panic shopping.

We had no such panic at our house,

but there might have been a little grumpiness 

when I couldn't find a bag of spuds,

not realizing that folks were going nuts.

I told hubby, it was actually a sad state.

Most people eat out and are away from home most of the day.

Home has become little more than a parking spot

and place to shower and sleep.

Upon hearing the news that they might have to stay home

for two straight weeks,

with no knowledge of what would be required,

they went shopping.

I've heard of some folks buying things based on expiration date,

some buying what was left on the shelf,

some filling a cart, and so forth.

None of these are sensible ways to stock a pantry.

There are a number of ways to sensibly go about it,

and I will offer some of those methods here.

Take as much or as little of the information as you like.

The very first thing to know is what you need.

Make a list of the things you use.

I find it helpful to categorize the items:

food, hygiene, pet supplies, auto, etc.
This is much like the departments in a store,
but it will be within your own home.

(Source) 
(I wouldn't be able to handle the disarray of this one;-))

Next, is to know about how much of each given item you need.

Yes, here is where the mountains of TP in the garage

makes the perfect example.

I understand not wanting to run out so in some ways

I don't blame the folks who "stocked up."

But the other side of that coin is "C'mon. Really?"

If you don't know how much of a product you use,

simply date it when you open or purchase it.

When you use the last of it, you will know that you use that amount

of that product in the time that has lapsed since opening it.
For things like canned goods, just date and number.
6/1/20 1/6 on the first can of the 6 cans of green beans purchased,
date and 2/6 on the second can, 3/6 on the third...
At the end of the week or month, you will know how many cans
were used in that time period.
Simply multiply that times 52 if weeks or 12 if months.
I know we go through about 40 jars of green beans per year
so I can plan accordingly.  

I try to have an idea of how much I use by year.

Some things are seasonal so really only get used a few months

out of the year, but I've found that "per year" works for me.

This also enables me to look for those items towards the end of the season

when they are more apt to be on sale.

(Source)

The next piece of information necessary is a price.

This is something that can change of course,

but having a general idea of what is reasonable

will aid in budgeting.

And the final 2 pieces are:

 how much of each is already in the pantry?

and

what is my budget amount per month?

That last question is one that many might not know.

Much like how much TP is used in a week or month,

some folks don't track their spending.

Now is always a great time to start.

If you don't know how much you spend each month,

choose an amount you think is reasonable for your household.

Don't get too stuck on it at the moment.

There won't be a test, and you won't be graded.

It's almost as though folks don't want to try,

because they don't want to fail.

Learning is not failing~

it's a series of trials and errors and figuring out what works best

in any given situation.

What's best for me probably isn't best for you

and vice-versa.

Go easy on yourself and be okay with it being

a work in progress.

It's fun to see how it develops.

(Source)  Wow!

With the above knowledge,

we can begin to really put it together.

As you begin to look at what you have and what you need,
you will begin to see patterns.
You will make realizations.
And you will know what you need.
But for starters, if you've never stocked a pantry
and have a minimal supply,
the first thing to do is make a shopping list
for one week.
Try to think of what you will need for each day.
Consider what you have on hand
and what additional items will be needed.
Just as an example, let's use a budget of $500/mo.
That makes it $125 per week for groceries.
When you go shopping, if you only spend $100,
you have $25 left.
With that $25, you can begin "stocking up."
If there is a sale on something you use often,
you can purchase extra of those things.
If there is no great sale,
you might choose to buy an extra of a couple of the items
you are already buying,
or you might choose to keep it for the next week
and watch for sales.
One other thing to keep in mind is that 
most items are cheaper when purchased in bulk.
If you don't spend all of your weekly funds,
you might look into purchasing a larger quantity
of often used items.
By doing so, over time and without a shock to the budget,
you will create a store of items you use.
A bulk example:
We actually purchase a whole grass fed beef each year.
We pay roughly $3/lb. (varies slightly by year.)
That's a reasonable price for hamburger, but we get steaks
and roasts and all for that same price.
That is a considerable savings over store prices.

(My Pantry - pints two high)
Once your store is created, you will want to make sure 
you rotate things to keep the oldest up front.
In my pantry, I have foods stored 3 deep which makes it 
pretty easy to pull the oldest to the front and put fresh behind.
My shelves are 11.5" deep and 10" space between them.
This also works nicely to stack cans (or pint jars) two high.
I don't like to stack things more than 2 high 
with the exception of tomato sauce.
I am just clumsy enough to cause an avalanche.
This is another area that requires pantries to be personal.
We each have a different space to use for storage within our homes.
The space I have now, I actually love
due to the fact that it's better than what I've had in the past.
But it is also behind the refrigerator, so it can be warm in there.
That's not ideal since I can't keep things like spuds or squash
or other fresh veggies in there, but I am still appreciative of the space.

You will find the same method for such items as
oil, filters, and fluids for the car, or
laundry supplies, deodorant, and toothpaste for hygiene.
Just start with your "auto" budget per month
or your hygiene budget per month.

It doesn't happen all at once.
It's something that takes a little time to do wisely,
but you will have the peace of mind knowing you'll be okay
if something unforeseen presents itself.
If there is something I've completely missed,
or if you have a question,
give me a jingle - down in the comments.
If you have a tip that you find helpful,
go ahead and let us know in the comments.
I actually like when y'all offer input -
makes it all so much friendlier:-)

Also, I am working on a post in response to the questions posed
in this post.
 I've not forgotten, just need to have things in order
so that they can actually be of some help - hopefully:-)

Canning Chips

Yes, that says "Canning Chips."

Here, let me explain~

We don't eat very many chips, but

when we do, they are part of a meal rather than a snack item.

They are nice with taco soup or to have nachos on occasion.

There is a small local company that makes good corn chips that we like,

but there are only a few places to get them.

So when I'm able to make it to one of the stores that carries them,

I get a couple bags and can them.

Simply use wide mouth jars and put as many chips in as possible.

Then I use the vacuum attachment to the seal-a-meal to lid them.

You could also Hot-oven Can them which is what I did 

until I got the vacuum attachment.

One bag makes 4-5 quart jars depending upon how many you eat 

during the canning process. :-)

Then they can go in the pantry and are ready when you need them.

For the two of us, we use 1 quart jar at a time.

If you have a family, it would be more of course.

The longest I've ever stored them is about a year, and 

they were still fresh and tasty.

As is the case when canning any dry-good,

it's important that your jars and lids are clean and completely dry.

Just a note, many of the items in my pantry have rims on them.

When we moved, I put rims on most of the jars just as an extra precaution.

I didn't want lids to pop if the jar was jostled just right.

I have plenty of rims so am just removing them as I use the food.

Cost = Free ~ Part I

There is a tip I'd like to share with you folks.

It's called Craigslist.

It's kinda funny how things work out sometimes.

Several months ago, I found an old "baker's cabinet" listed for free.

It had been in the garage, and he was clearing it out.

It was filthy but I liked the size and shape so inquired.

It was 2 hours away near my hometown 
which I thought might make a good reason to go visit.

(This is the ad photo I responded to.)

Upon inquiring, I couldn't go get it on a weekend.

It had to be Tuesday mornings or Thursday evenings 
or some silly thing like that.

(Linoleum covered work surface which probably saved it in many respects.)

(No paper? No problem! Just write it on the cabinet - really!?!)

(Need more hooks? Just use nails.)

*Sorry for the odd lack of quality on the last couple photos.  My camera settings somehow got switched, and I couldn't undo my work to get more 'before' pictures.

I told him I worked during the week but would see if I could get ahold of a friend to pick it up for me.

By the time I was able to get ahold of my friend and explain what I needed,

the post was gone so I figured I missed it.

Nearly 2 months later, it reappeared.

Evidently, the first time "it fell through," and he lost the phone numbers.

Needless to say, I was able to just text my friend and ask if it was still okay.

He made arrangements and went and picked it up, 

then I got to go down on the weekend and pick it up from them.

It worked out wonderfully.

I made thank you chocolates to take with me.

The cabinet is from the 40s/50s as the original paint was still on the doors.

(The original colors - inside of cabinet doors.)
It's a homemade job as the pencil lines for the shelves 
showed on the back as I was sanding.
The other neat part is it was probably made from "local lumber" as it was a lumber community.  I sure miss the smell of lumber mills running.

After day one~

 I had two different sanders I was using.
This little one got back into the corners better
but wasn't as powerful as the belt sander.

I'm not sure why, but I like leaving a little of the paint in the grain of the wood.
Maybe it's because it reflects its past a bit.  Who knows?

After day two~

Finished sanding and stained/sealed.
I wanted it "just wood colored" and tested a couple different choices 
on the bottom.  I didn't like any of them as was.
Clear was too bright, cherry too orange/yellow, others too dark, etc.
I ended up mixing 'cherry' and 'old American' to get the right tone. 

I don't have the doors done yet but was able to get it in the house 
and out of the shop.

The doors are smaller and much easier to set aside.
I will have to make bottom doors, 
but the hinges were still on the cabinet so I have them.
I love that I have a place to keep my huge bowls.
I will be putting my beeswax/candle making items on the bottom 
but want to wait until I get the doors made so it doesn't get dirty.
I will try to scrub the inside of the upper doors.
If they clean up okay, I think I will leave the inside original
just for a bit of whimsey and surprise.

The only cost was a visit to some friends and a bit of elbow grease.
It's pretty primitive for our home, but I love the functionality of it.

As the saying goes, "One man's trash..."

"New" Pantry Shelves ~ DIY

"We need to just throw that stack of boards on the on the burn pile."

Those were the words of Mr. LB in reference to my stack of miscellaneous boards that I've had for - err, uh-hem, well, not sure how long.

They are stacked behind the shop, under the lean-to taking up valuable covered  (dry in the winter) space. 

My response: Internally = Gassssp! Cough! Sputter!

Out loud= I'll get on that ASAP.

So as part of the "Make the Stack of Scrap Disappear" effort,

I made a set of small shelves for the pantry.

I've been having to rearrange with every season 

keeping empty jars and longer-term canned goods out in the shop.

The first step was to pull out boards to see what I had enough of

then think about how I could put them together to make them work.

For the shelf parts, I used 2X10s that had a coat of grey enamel on them.

I got the paint stripper out and started on those.

Once I got the thick part of the enamel off, I took a sander to them.

Then for the sides and back, I used old 1X4s that are old enough that they are actually 4 inches wide.

They had been dark green at one time then white at another time

though it was difficult to tell for sure since most the paint had chipped away.

I did measure my existing pantry shelves 

since I wanted the space between the shelves to be about 1/2" more 

so I could stack two small-mouth pint jars if need be.

I decided it was going to have a rustic or primitive look to it 

no matter what I did so just ran with it.

Once I got it assembled, I took the sander to it one more time 

just to knock off any extra loose chipping paint.

Then I wiped it all down and put a coat of polyurethane on it.

I know I was going for rustic, 

but A: it will be in the house and B: it will be holding food type items

so I wanted it to be sealed and washable.

Surprisingly, it went together pretty easily.

I was concerned about getting it square since that can be a challenge at times,

but I must have done something right this time.

It's now in the house and I am working on rearranging the pantry yet again.

With any luck, we will be doing tomatoes soon so will be adding those

as well as spaghetti sauce and chili during the same time.

Never mind that this is where the unsightly internet router is and that there is still no trim on the window.

Evidently, utility room window trim is pretty low on the priority list.

I was going to do it before taking these pictures, 

but we are out of the correct stain so will have to get more 

in order to finish that project.

In the mean time,

my stack of scrap lumber is dwindling which I'm sure Mr. LB appreciates.

By the way,

he likes the shelves and how they turned out.

That kinda surprised me since he doesn't usually care for such a look.

In the end (or for now at least,) I decided to put my herbs and such

on this shelf and have the food items on the big shelves.

As the season progresses, we'll see if it remains functional.

One thing is sure nice, I like having more room

 in the house and up off the floor.