Project 2 :: Yard Harvesting :: Lemon Balm

I love using plants from our yard. We have this fantastic yard, with so many useful and edible plants growing in it. In fact I probably know about 20% of what is actually growing in our yard. It really is amazing. Last year I canned and made a few things from the yard (some of which will probably pop up here as projects again this year), but project 2 was new. Lemon balm looks like mint and grows rapid like mint, but as the name might suggest it smells lemony. It is a very fragrant plant, it keeps mosquitos away (if we had any around here!) and is really easy to maintain (as in you do nothing to it at all and it looks great). I have been picking the leaves and steeping them in hot water for a nice tea in the evening. I decided to dry a few batches to use all year long for tea or in other herbal remedies yet to be determined.

 

It was really simple, the most time consuming part really is just laying all the leaves out. I put the oven on the "warm" setting and once it is preheated let it set on warm for 20 mins. Then turned the oven off and placed the baking sheet with the lemon balm in it and closed it until morning.



The next day the lemon balm was perfectly dried and ready to be stored.

I have left some in the whole leaf form in a ziplock container for now and some batches I have "mulched" up and put in lovely repurposed containers to distribute to friends. The dried leaves can be used like tea, as a spice in cooking or used in balms.

Project 1 :: Fabric Alphabet

Last week I finished my first project, a fabric alphabet. This project isn't quite as simple as it looks, curvy letters are hard! :) I already had all of the components on hand, using felt, fabric scraps and batting I already had. 

Here is a close up of one of the letters. They are all backed in a grey felt and there is some quilting batting in the middle to give them a little poof.

I have started on a second project already. It is another sewing project. I have been at a little of a standstill though as my sewing machine has been giving me some troubles. It has given me a chance to troubleshoot some sewing issues and take apart my machine and put it back together a few times. I had a breakthrough tonight though after one more and hopefully last removal of all the parts and cleaning and got to get started on project 2 again. 

2015 Creativity Kick Off

A good friend of mine has another good friend, who from what I hear is awesome. This awesome friend of a friend completed 52 projects in 2014. 52 projects! And they weren't small tasks, she knitted cowls & sweaters, built shelves, did some amazing things. I should mention she also has a toddler and spent part of 2014 prego! I was in awe when I happened upon her blog. This blog, this amazing woman and her talent keeps popping into my head. It's been at least a month since I learned of this and I haven't been able to shake it. I have been feeling less than creative lately and also wanting a project. I can't commit myself to 52 projects, it just sounds crazy right now. Summer is getting closer and I have countless camping adventures, various weekend trips and one half marathon in the months ahead. I want to do something though. I am thinking 12 projects, one each month. I don't know if I want to end in December and catch up on January and February or go until February 2016. I think I will let how the projects I choose go and see if I catch up. I selected my first project tonight. It actually is one I have done before, but I really enjoyed it. Its a fabric alphabet. I made Harper a set months ago and she loves them. It is such a joy to see her playing with something I made especially for her. It feels right that my first project would be something I would love to make Louis, since one of his BFFs mom inspired my creativity kickoff. I got the good old sewing machine out tonight and ready to go and got one letter done. 25 more to go!

Month 2

Harparoo!

Month 2 has just flow by and my how you have grown! You have mastered some new skills...spit bubbles, hitting your toys, tracking your dad, your brothers and I as we move across rooms, turning to noises, to name a few. You still love snuggling. You sleep through the night, both newborn sleep through the night (which is 5 hours, but you often do 6 or 7) and adult sleep through the night. Twice now your dad and I have been up before you when you slept for 10 hours! You amaze us every day.

During your second month of life.....

Your Aunt Kim and Aunt Jessica came to visit and meet you!

While they were here we took you to the beach for the first time. Like most things we did, you slept right through our trip to Golden Gardens. :)

You took a walk around Ballard and mom wore you in the Ergo for the first time.

You really liked your play mat some more.

You and your dad hang out on it while mom makes dinner some nights.

You lay on it while you facetime with Grandma James and Papa.

You started to hit your elephant "purposely". You love the noise it makes and you swing your arms over and over until you get it to make the sound. 

 You also like to grab the giraffe. And you talk and talk to both animals when you lay next to them.

You and I walked to the Phinney Farmer's market, where we met dad after work. Like the beach, you slept right through your first farmer's market trip.

Aunt Ellen fed you a bottle :)

You went to your first brewery, Ruben's, with Shannon and Lyle. You didn't sleep through the whole trip either!

You took your first bath. You thought it was alright....

Until it was over then you did not like being naked anymore!

You had your first girls day with your Aunt Ellen and I. We went to West Seattle, had breakfast and did some shopping. We also hit up Target and Aunt Ellen wore you in the ergo!

You turned your SwaddleMe into a cape while you were sleeping! You were very happy with yourself when I found you this way in the morning.

You slept through our Labor Day picnic at Carkeek Park

The day after the picnic we took you to the zoo for the first time! You mostly slept through this too.

But I did wake you up to see the baby giraffe!

And dad took you out to check out the gorillas.

My favorite picture of you and your dad so far!

Just snoozing...

You loved your raccoon pjs. This is also your dad and I's favorite picture of you so far. SO CUTE!

You went to dad's work to have lunch with Hannah and Tania.

We went on our first family vacation! Your dad took a whole week off of work to spend more time with you. We drove to the Washington coast and camped in a yurt for one night.