MY LATEST DIY PROJECT

[CrealCritter]

Was washing up the shipping crate yesterday, took a pic..doesn't it have a lovely glow?

All it needs now is rope handle on each side. I like it a lot rustic

I was at the farm store last week and took this picture. Thought about it and figured I could make the unfinished boxes for about $1.00 maximum but more like ¢.60 each really and I know I could bang out 100 a day with out breaking a sweat. Figured I could become rich :lol I'm actually amazed someone would buy one of those boxes for $10.00, well $9.99.

 

[Beekissed]

Good point... So how do you get one of those full sized chickens in a canning jar? I've wanted to try and pressure can a few but couldn't figure out how to get it in a jar. Can you share your secret? I've seen whole canned chicken at the store.

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One doesn't can them whole. Most will part them out and can the meatiest parts, sometimes with bone in, but mostly without the bones. I debone and chunk up my chicken now and raw pack it as per usual. The bones and less meaty parts are then cooked down for stock, picked and the picked meats canned as well, then the stock, with the fat being removed off the top of the stock and frozen for cooking in recipes later.

Rendered chicken fat, or schmaltz...

Stock and canned chicken....

Chicken on the left is from old hens, chicken on the right from young cockerels...

Gelled stock being placed in the jar prior to canning...

 

[CLSranch]

You do stay busy beekissed. I put a new metal roof on during thanksgiving break. I took a few extra days off work. Will have to fix all the penatrations during Christmas or whenever I get laid off. Haven't been home since early July and didn't have the money then. I put the tin over the shingles with another layer of felt paper (probably unnecessary) and left for work again. Being gone sucks, but after the last few years of being home AND broke I have to stay busy for awhile to play catch up.

 

[Beekissed]

Still working on my room makeover....it's taken way longer than I ever thought it would. Isn't that always the way?

Been doing this whole thing on the cheap, as per usual, with some materials picked up at The Rehab Store and also at GW. The most expensive item bought for this has been paints.

Picked up a $5 bookcase headboard, $1 pieces of shelf board, $.25 for some decorative items, and I repurposed a $1 headboard into a coat rack. Picked up old baskets, even old picnic baskets and such, for under $3 each...using these for storage that looks pretty on the shelves.

Even found pillows and pretty scarves for using to cover them, for my windowseat.

God has helped me all along on this project, working things out so perfectly that I have to chuckle each time He takes a hand in it. I love it that He cares about every little thing I do.

Can't wait to get it done and will post before and after pics when done.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Still waiting for those pics, Bee!

 

[Beekissed]

My before pics disappeared, which kind of defeats the purpose of after pics, as the viewer has no way of knowing how drastic a transformation has taken place.

This is a tiny bedroom in the end of a trailer, with a narrow window seat in a bay window, a closet that spanned the whole depth of the room on one end...the sliding doors were long gone and it was just a big open gap in the wall. The closet was typical of trailers, with a long wire shelf that doubled as a clothing rack. The walls were an early 90s print(blue and mauve)print wall board.

The closet had no shelves but the one and had no efficient use of space, was full of odds and ends being stored there~three or four large totes of pictures and albums, a dresser for my grandkid's clothing, bags of seasonal clothing, etc. In other words, a hot mess and ugly.

My twin size bed was up against the left hand wall, my dresser against the opposite wall in the corner(still is), a long valance over the window and stick on tiles on the window seat.

Now it looks like this....a lot of what was used is from GW, the Restore Store, and things I made. I bumped out the windowseat to make it wider for better seating. Made curtains and cushion covers out of scarves from GW, made the clothing rack out of a headboard, got the bookcase headboard at GW for $5. So, this was done on the cheap in a big way.

The strings of beads and pendants make a display of shimmering rainbows on my walls when the afternoon sun hits that window. It's enchanting!

I never would have thought of moving the bed into the closet space, but my son suggested it and it really opened up the room and created space....immediately made the room appear bigger.

I can't believe I get to sleep and wake up in this room each night and day...I still can't get over the change and how good it all works, with efficient use of space, everything having a place and everything in its place.

 

[Beekissed]

I also girlified the access into the plumbing in that closet. Used to be rough cut holes covered in plywood. I got picture frames from Rehab for $1 and $.50, used them to construct doors into those spaces, upholstered the doors with scrap fabric I had on hand and also insulated the inner portion of the doors with left over foam board insulation I had from making a dog house. Finished them off with antique glass door knobs I had on hand.

They do give the plumbing access a certain flair, if I do say so myself, not to mention cutting down on drafts from those spaces.

The larger door below....

And the smaller door that accesses the shower portion of the adjacent bathroom....

 

[Beekissed]

Finally getting around to staining the porch we replaced the floor on, replaced the railings and steps, as well. The stain is darker than I had wanted but was unable to get the one I wanted...as usual. Also replaced railings and steps on a little side porch that will also be needing a coat of stain. Also built gates for these porches, as the animals love to get up there and poop every chance they get.

Lately we've been busting down those large skids we got last year for free and using the 3x3 oak framing to build a pole shed addition onto our small wood shed. It will function as additional wood storage, equipment storage and barn, if need be.

3x3 framing from the skids....

The oak of these 3x3s is extremely hard and most holes having to be pre-drilled. They are only 10-12 ft long, so we had to scab them to manufacture support beams for the rafters. We doubled up on them to create the upright posts also.

22-28 ft beams made of this stuff are extremely heavy...makes an old woman feel older lifting such things!

Notched to fit the corner...fits like a glove!

Having to work on it every other weekend, as that's the only time my son has off long enough to do anything to it. Can't wait til it's finished!

 

[Beekissed]

Pole shed is coming along, getting more rafters up and a little pallet scrap fence around it to hold firewood stacks later on. Will be making a small gate tomorrow for the back entrance into the paddock behind it.

Little Dooley, our new HTC/BC mix sheep dog, has been supervising the build. That means he runs off with any tool, glove or hat he finds on the ground...even a box of screws!

 

[henless]

You sure have a pretty place there Bee. Your Mom is something else!