INEXPENSIVE SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Whether you have personally been impacted by the bad economy or not, we are all wanting to save money. I think that "just in case" mentality can serve us well. But how to get there can be difficult to figure out. So here's my 2 cents. I hope this list provides at least one or two new ideas of fun activities for you and your family, friends... This list should provide options no matter where you live!


My Favorite Summer Activities:


1. Minor League Baseball Game - Much less expensive than Major League games and just as much fun. You can usually find one of these teams closer to home and the kids can easily get autographs too. (About $10.00/person)






2. State Parks - Find a great state park for a day trip. Just pack up a picnic and bring some walking shoes, frisbee, ball and glove, or any other items for outdoor activities you enjoy. (Minimal fee for parking.)





3. Library - It's a great place to cool off on really hot days and curl up with a book. There are also movies, magazines, and music. Most also have free activities for kids. (FREE)



4. County and State Fairs - A lot to do at the fair, so the trick is to find the deals. They always have discounts you can usually learn about on their websites. Enjoy ice cream as you walk around, listen to music, see the animals and visit the petting zoo. Just bring food or eat before you go and stay away from the rides. (Price varies.)



5. Camp Out - My favorite is a backyard camp-out as it takes little preparation and you have everything you need inside. Set up a tent with sleeping bags. You can even do Smores on the BBQ! (FREE)


6. Playground Hunt - Get a map of your town (or a nearby town) and set out for a day of playing at as many playgrounds as you can find. Be sure to take a picnic lunch with you so you don't stop to buy food. My kids love this and will spend 5 min. at some parks and over an hour at others. (FREE)




7. Plan a Day Trip - Get out a map of your state and find a place within 3 hours of your home and make a day trip. You can often get to the mountains, beach, a lake, or a great attraction. We have gone to a wild animal safari, the beach, and our favorite - the mountains. Nothing better than a snowball fight in July! (About $40 for gas, but can vary.)





8. Go Swimming - You can either find a lake or river or go to your local pool. *Be safe. (FREE-$6.00/person.)


9. Visit a Museum - If you research museums, you may be surprised how many there are in your area. Just be sure to research admission as they can vary greatly. (FREE-$28.00/person)


10. Go on a History Hunt - This is a scavenger hunt for historic markers in your town. You can either visit a few historic locations or create hints for older children to find (you drive them). Fun and educational for everyone! You can have a picnic lunch at the final destination. ($5.00-15.00 for gas).


*I hope this list inspires you with new ideas to enjoy the rest of your summer.

Westmoreland Milk Glass - What's it worth??

I love vintage and antique and that includes milk glass. I have a great piece that was passed on to me from my grandmother from the Hobnail design. I love it and am not parting with it, but I have found a several other beautiful pieces over the years.

So I have a few pieces of milk glass that I am selling in my Etsy shop, but am having trouble pricing a couple of pieces. If you know about these specific pieces, I would love to hear from you!

The first is of the quilt design. It is a very large pedestal bowl. It is 7 inches tall and 8-9.25 inches in diameter at the top. It has the "WC" at the bottom. Of course I have found information on a lot of pieces in the quilt design, but I have never seen another one of these.

The other is also Westmoreland with "WC" printed on the bottom. It is a vase that is slanted at the top and is very tall and slender. It is 8.75 inches tall and about 2 inches in diameter at the top. The design is difficult to see - perhaps wheat or leaves.

I have two others listed in my shop that I was able to find information on and I will add these if I can find an accurate price. Thanks!

Baking Time!

This past weekend I spent one morning baking. With the summer heat and all of the great, fresh, local fruit; we are unable to eat it all before it goes bad. Of course you can make smoothies, but the baking bug bit so I found a couple of recipes online.

First I made "Easy Banana Bread", and it was (easy)! I found the recipe on Cooks.com. I had everything I needed and in no time we had delicious banana bread. I make mine in small (2x5 inches) loaf pans. The hardest part was waiting for the bread to cool to eat it! *I did add some cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg to the recipe. Yum!

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

3 bananas, well mashed
1 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 c. flour (1 c. can be whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas in mixing bowl. Add sugar, eggs, and oil, mixing well each time. Sift dry ingredients together and add to banana mixture. Pour in greased 5x9 inch loaf pan and bake 55-60 minutes.

I also tried a new muffin recipe for the abundance of blueberries I had (from a friend). I made Berry Oatmeal Muffins (recipe from allrecipes.com). The added oatmeal, cinnamon, and brown sugar to the tops of these puts them over the top! *I left out the wheat germ and added more blueberries than it called for. To make them lower in fat, I also replaced half of the oil called for with apple sauce.

Link to recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Berry-Oatmeal-Muffins/Detail.aspx

Sneak Peak

I have been busy and not had much time to make new pieces for my shop over the past week. That has changed and I have quite a few pieces in the works. HINT: If you like white, you will like a lot of what's coming! Check in to my shop to see the finished products starting today and over the next few days.

Tutorial - Antique Doors

So online I came across someone selling a bunch of old doors from an older home being remodeled. I snagged 4 (all we could fit in the truck) and brought them home. I was excited about the possibilities, but not sure what I was actually going to do with them.

Our downstairs hallway is very wide - about 5 feet and on one side we have the water heater and the home's heating system. It is all exposed and not at all cute. So my use for the doors was born!

Making a trifold screen using antique doors:

1. Start with 3 doors and pick the sides you want exposed. I love the old hardware, so I chose the sides with hardware showing. Set them up (with help as they are heavy wood) and make sure they are in the order you will want them.

2. Leave the old hinges on, but attach new hinges so that you can connect the doors to make the screen. Make sure the hinges are strong and facing the right way for the fold of the screen. *So that they blend well, you can "age" your new hinges before you put them on. Use stain or paint - lots of ideas online.

3. Once the hinges and doors are connected, stand them up (with help again) and put into place.

4. Optional* You can hang pictures or shelves for an even more decorative touch.