home is where my story begins...

Bee’s Wrap Sustainable Food Storage

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It’s been forever since I’ve shared a kitchen product I love, but it’s also been forever since I’ve found something new that I’m in love with.  Today, I’m sharing Bee’s Wrap Sustainable Food Storage.  I’m an Amazon affiliate, so I do get a little kickback if you decided to purchase Bee’s Wrap using my links. If you want to skip my background story and get to my info about the Bee’s Wrap, you’ll want to scroll down a bit.  I have a story to tell about how I found the Bee’s Wrap first.

As most of you know, I had a stroke 2 months ago.  The stroke was centered in the Cerebellar region, which controls balance and motor function.  I look fine, when I’m walking (most of the time), but I have a dizzy feeling in my head and sometimes sway, find myself off balance, or take a little tumble.  Grocery stores are the WORST!  Turning my head as I walk causes all sorts of problems like extreme dizziness and nausea, and you’re constantly turning your head to look for the items you need when you are in the aisles.

(Side story… words are really hard since my stroke and aisles took forever to figure out.  Isles? Ailes? I finally asked my husband.  Aisles isn’t normally a word that would have challenged my brain.)

Back to the story. My physical therapist gave me some homework.  She said to walk down the mall on a day when it’s not too busy.  Walk, looking straight ahead, and once in a while go ahead and glance into a store.  She thought that would be a good step toward being able to do the grocery store more than 5 minutes.  It started out ok.  I started with the outdoor portion of the mall because outdoors are always better for me.  Unfortunately, there was stamped concrete and the business was too much for my brain.  I sat down in a little chair because I was starting to feel like I was going to fall over and… HEY, there’s Williams Sonoma.  It sucked me in, Friends.  I started to look for some gifts I needed and spotted the Bees Wrap on the sale rack. I have to tell you, I have been looking for Bee’s Wrap for about 2 years. I saw it in a magazine.  I have put it on my Christmas list many times, but no one can ever find it.  So, when I saw the Bee’s Wrap sitting there, I had to buy it.

I bake a lot of bread, so the Bee’s Wrap bread wrap was the way to go.

Bee's Wrap Sustainable Food Storage

Saving the environment, one Bee’s Wrap at a time!

(Another side story: Going to the mall as my physical therapy assignment didn’t work out so well for me.  I wound up with the headache to end all headaches, which put me back at the walk-in-clinic to get help with the pain.  There are very few things I can take for pain, so they tried a shot.  No luck.  They finally found some meds that worked, but sheesh!!! One little trip to the mall and they were just about ready to send me back to the ER for another MRI and and IV to administer pain meds.  I’m thinking it’s because I didn’t follow the rules.  I went into two stores and looked around.  On the plus side, I found Bee’s Wrap and got a cute new shirt. I know, I know, next time I’ll follow the rules.  “Strokes are nothing to mess with.  Your brain takes time to heal.  Rest is important.  Always stop the activity when you begin feeling too dizzy or nauseated to continue.”  Those are the doctor’s words.)

My son, who doesn’t really care much about kitchen related purchases, commented on how fresh the two day old banana bread tasted.  I was just happy that the bread wasn’t wrapped in plastic wrap. To wash and reuse the Bee’s Wrap, the directions say to wash with cold water and a little dish soap, hang to dry, fold to store, and reuse for about 1 year.  Friends, I’m saving the planet one Bee’s Wrap at a time.  I know you want to do the same!

Happy Bee’s Wrapping!

Confessions of a Blogger

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I recently moved from Blogger to WordPress and I’ve been reorganizing old posts.  I ran across this post and couldn’t help but laugh at myself.  I remember, when I first posted this, that several of my friends commented on how snooty I sounded at the beginning and then read on to see that I was just trying to show you the reality of blog life. My photos may look good, but I’m just pushing clutter out of the way to take pretty pictures.
Here you go:
I strive every day to have a clean and organized home.  Do you know that feeling when someone stops by unexpectedly and your house is a complete mess?  Not me!  I keep my kitchen counters clear, my kids know how to clean up after themselves, and I find it brings a sense of calm to our day.
Each night, before I go to bed, I make sure everything is completely put away and if I feel to tired to do it, I just tell myself that clutter is the enemy of a relaxed and happy family.

 

Ummm. Then, I wake up!
It’s only in my dreams that there is a place for everything and everything is in its place.  Sadly, there is always a pile of mail, kids’ papers, and lunch boxes all over my kitchen.  Rarely do I actually see the surface of our little desk area. Yes, I do have a place for everything, but I’m not so sure about that part where everything is in its place.

 

The kids are constantly leaving things on the counter and, it never fails, we usually run out of room for all of our glasses in the dishwasher.  When I write a blog post about a meal I’ve created, you can rest assured that there is a pile of dishes that has been pushed out of the way before snapping the picture.

 

I can’t even believe that I’m showing you the horrid laundry room.  It is a constant battle to get the kids to hang up their backpacks and put their shoes in the cubbies.  As a matter of fact, my son’s backpack is sitting in the middle of the family room right now.  So much for those hooks I bought for them to hang their things on!

 

Those of you who are jealous of our walk-in-pantry will feel better know that most of the time we can barely walk in it.  I swear, the kids actually drop food as they are getting out a snack and don’t bother to pick it up!

 

Most of the time, I’m not horribly embarrassed by our mess. We actually do live  here.  I do strive for cleanliness and organization, but I’m not perfect by any means.  I’m pretty sure I’m not the only blogger out there who is guilty of pushing aside some of the clutter so that it doesn’t distract from the photo.  We clean up pretty well, when we have to.
I do believe that organization is important, but I can’t say that my house is perfect (or even close).
I’m frequently asked by people how I get it all done.  People wonder how I keep my house clean, cook wonderful meals, spend time sewing and crafting, AND manage to take photos and blog about it.  Well, the reality is, I don’t.  If you stop by my house, there will probably be warm cookies for you, but I guarantee my house will not be in perfect shape.
I’ll just take a picture.  It will last longer.
Happy cleaning!

My Love of Copper Bowls

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My obsession with copper bowls began several years ago, when I was watching a food video where the chef used a copper bowl to beat egg whites.  I’ve always love the look of copper, but never really thought about using copper mixing bowls, until that time.  Well, I couldn’t get them out of my head, so when I had a few Williams Sonoma gift cards saved up, I thought I’d put them toward the purchase of a nice copper bowl.
Doesn’t it look pretty?
Well, as much as I loved that pretty bowl, I couldn’t begin to dream about plunking down $140 for a mixing bowl.  That was only the small bowl!  The larger bowls were more expensive.  I thought and thought about that pretty bowl.  I actually think I may have even lost sleep over it.  (I know, I’m pretty pathetic when it comes to my love of all things kitchen related.)  I started shopping around on Ebay and found a few large copper bowls that I was interested in.  The best part was that the big bowl I wanted was only $20.  I bought one that looked like it was in pretty good condition, with only a few small dents.  It is big and heavy and I absolutely love how it looks hanging on my pot rack.  I’ve had it for a few years now and I’ve used it a handful of times, and I really really love it.  I chilled it in the fridge, just this week, and then whipped up some cream in it for strawberry shortcakes.
The second little bowl you see there was a garage sale find.  It was only $2!  Talk about a steal.  It was pretty tarnished, but polished up very well.  

They’re pretty, sparkly, and chill ever-so nicely.  Plus, they weren’t $140!  Who knew happiness could come in the form of a copper bowl?
Happy shopping, friends… and may you find a great deal on a copper bowl for yourself!

Kitchen Barstools – My Deal of the Day

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I’ve been thinking about getting new barstools lately.
I’ve been contemplating it for 9 years to be exact.
When we moved into our house, over 9 years ago, we had 2 barstools for our long kitchen counter.  The counter begged for 3 stools, and I knew that “one of these days” I’d get around to purchasing a new set.  Well, have you ever seen the price of barstools?  They are SO expensive!  So, I contemplated getting new stools… for NINE YEARS!
When my friends at LeapFrog sent a video crew to my house, I was embarrassed by chipped paint, barstools that I purchased in 1998.  There aren’t too many things in my house that “bother” me, but for some reason I cringe when I look at my old stools. To make things worse, they wanted to use them in the videos.  Ugh!
This weekend, I’d finally had enough.  I knew what I wanted, I had a gift card, and I was ready to take the plunge.  I knew I was going to have to spend at least $100 per stool, but it was time.  We’ve been in our house for almost 10 years and this was supposed to be one of my first purchases!  These were the stools I was going to buy.
I tried putting them into my shopping cart, and they were no longer available!  I could have cried.  I couldn’t afford the stools at Ballard Designs.  The stools at Cost Plus were just not quite right, and now these were no longer in stock.  So sad.
Well, there is a happy ending to this story, Friends!  You see, as I was browsing around, I happened to run across these pretty stools at Lowes. They aren’t the rustic, industrial, look I was going for, but I thought they were very pretty.  They were a great color, very solid, and swiveled (which I knew my kids would love).

Ok, are you ready for the price?  If you’ve looked around at barstools, you know that stools like these sell for around $135 each.  When I entered my zipcode into the Lowes site to access prices, this stool popped up for $35.  Ummm… hold on.  Did you hear me?  $35 DOLLARS!!!  I quickly put three of these into my shopping cart, paid for them online, and they were ready for pick up at my local Lowes.  Holy cow!  That is an incredible deal!

We did have to assemble them, but it was pretty easy.  I’m so happy to have these in my house!  I’ll be painting and selling the old stools.  I’m sure someone can use a nice, 1998, set of barstools.  Aside from the price, my other piece of good news was that we had some family members over for dinner, gave them a good test, and only one screw fell out!  Not bad!
I have no idea if these are available at all Lowes locations, but they were available at the Mill Creek location and they were a screaming deal!!
Happy shopping!

Fiestaware

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My sister and I have always thought we were so smart to have the same dishes.  We host pretty big family gatherings, where a sit-down dinner is the norm.  So, we think we’re pretty smart when we call each other to say, “Can I stop by and get the Friendly Village dishes?” or “Can you bring your cream, everyday dishes when you come?”

The everyday dishes are a very simple pattern.  Our local Fred Meyer carries them.  It’s always been terrific because when a plate breaks, you can just pick up a new one while you’re getting your groceries.  Fred Meyer has carried them for at least 8 years.  Well, around Christmastime I was giving suggestions for Christmas gifts and I told my mother in law that I could use some new plates.  A few days later, she said, “Did you know Fred Meyer doesn’t carry our plates anymore?”

Hold everything!  This was going to be a huge problem!

I looked everywhere.  I called around to see if anyone had any on clearance.  No luck.  Of course, when you know you can’t purchase any more, that’s when things really seem to get bad.  I dropped one plate in the dishwasher and broke it, chipped two more, and now I’m down to about 5 large dinner plates.

I’ve made a decision friends.  I’m moving to Fiestaware.  My sister needs to take note here!  Since I’m moving to Fiestaware, I think she’s going to need to make the switch too.  Just sayin’.  Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t pack up all of my old dishes and take them to Goodwill.  I simply bought 4 sets of Fiestaware to add to my current collection of Fred Meyer plates.  As something breaks and needs to be replaced, I will replace it with Fiestaware.

So, why Fiestaware?  They’ve been around since the 30’s and I can’t imagine they’d discontinue my basic white.  They are extremely durable, made in the USA, and have a ton of other pieces to go along with the dishes.  They come in about 20 colors too, and encourage collecting a variety.  Wouldn’t it be fun to have a few plates in brown or red too?

My mother in law had a coupon at Macy’s and I had a few gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, and I’m pretty happy with my purchase!  My hubby took one look at these and said, “They’re kind of plain.”  After the first time we ate on them, he said he was impressed.  They’re heavy, sturdy, and look really clean and simple.  It didn’t take him long to see the light!

So, do any of you collect Fiestaware?  What color or colors do you have in your kitchen?  Are there great pieces I need to keep an eye out for?  I’d love to hear!

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Hot Cocoa Station

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My BFF, Laura at Finding Home, (I may just be stalking her) posted her hot chocolate station last week.  While we have a hot cocoa station set up in the kitchen, mine did not look as cute as Laura’s.  So, I cutesy-fied it!

Hot chocolate, marshmallows, sprinkles, and candy canes make a perfect set up.  I didn’t have a cute antique tray, like my BFF, but I did have a pretty silver platter that my Mother-In-Law gave me.  The Christmas tree mugs were from my Sister-In-Law.

I don’t know about your family, but my kids make hot cocoa just about every day in the winter.  I think a pretty set up, rather than the the plastic containers that these items are sold in, is much more inviting and makes hot cocoa seem like a special tradition.  (Pssst…. the mugs only hold about 6 ounces, rather than the 12 ounce cups they normally use.  Don’t tell the kids!)

Do you have a hot cocoa station in your kitchen?  Send me a picture.  I’d love to see it.

homeiswheremystorybegins@gmail.com

Happy cocoa making!

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Organizing Art Supplies for The Kids

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I’ve been on an organizing kick since school let out for the summer.  The weather is terrible anyway, so I figured that I might as well get as much indoor work done as I can before the sun comes out.  So far, I’ve gone through my closet, my kids’ closets, my son’s entire room, the pantry, old games and electronics, and the bookshelves in the family room.  Whew.  I’m tired, just thinking about it. 

One of my first organizing projects was the kids’ art cubby.  We have one of those awkward cabinets on the back side of the kitchen cabinets.  A few years ago, we converted this to the kids’ art cubby.  It’s right by the kitchen table, so it’s the perfect place to store art supplies.  Well, it was absolutely overflowing with art supplies.  I couldn’t even close the cupboard doors, but with all of the craziness of the end of the school year, there was no way I could get my act together and reorganize this area.


My kids use this cupboard all the time.  My son only uses it when he has an assignment to complete, but my daughter pulls out art supplies almost daily.  An organized space makes it so much easier.  We have bins for watercolor paints, washable paint, stickers, light table and tracing supplies, markers, gel pens, drawing pencils, and card making supplies.

 

I also restocked the writing center with notepads, envelopes, paper, cards, and premade blank books. My daughter and her cousin started writing a book, within about 5 minutes of noticing the newly organized writing center.

I love having the time to get my home organized again.

Happy organizing!

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Planting Basil

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It’s still way too cold and soggy outside to plant basil.  Last year I painted this pot with chalkboard paint and it makes the perfect container for my basil.  I usually move my basil outside in late June.  Until then, I’ll get to smell it when we sit down at the dinner table.


Happy planting!

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Kitchen Before and After

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Sarah, our Thrifty Decor Chick Friend, is hosting a kitchen party this week.  I’m reposting my kitchen before and after so I can link up at TDC!  Enjoy!


I can almost say that my kitchen is done.  Almost.  I still have a few sewing projects to do, but most of the big jobs are done.  We have painted twice, first to yellow then to taupe.  The cupboards have been refinished to a less orange tone. We added knobs and pulls to the cabinets, painted the bar stools, and refinished the kitchen table.  The floors were refinished over spring break.  The granite tile and backsplash was one of our first projects.  I just couldn’t live with the blue. 

I can finally say, “I LOVE MY KITCHEN!”

Here are some “before” shots.

What a difference!

Here’s a picture with the new paint and valances too!
Here are a few linky parties I like to visit!
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The New Kitchen Valances

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I was so sad to miss my own party on Friday! Blogger wasn’t working on Thursday night or Friday morning, so I wasn’t able to post the linky party. Here’s the project I was planning to share on Friday.


I finally got around to sewing my new valances in the kitchen! I LOVE the way they turned out. I bought the fabric from Calico corners a few months ago. The valances are lined with the cheapest muslin I could find. The tie-ups are made from a few burlap scraps.


There.  The kitchen is done.
Here is another post about the kitchen with before and after photos.
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Here are a few linky parties I like to participate in.