and ♥ MAKING OUR HOME A HAVEN PODCAST ♥ where we're weaving a bit of joy into every day.
Basketmaster's Weavings is about my passions, much of which revolves around basket weaving. I weave with reed and I love teaching others to weave. Many of the patterns and styles that I show in the blog are geared to the beginning weaver, or even the brand new weaver. If you have been thinking about wanting to learn to weave, then this blog is for you. Throughout the blog and videos I take you step by step through each and every process of weaving. I want you to be successful in weaving the very first time you try. For the intermediate and advanced weaver, my wish is that you take ideas that I show, mix them up a bit, and incorporate them into your own beautiful creations.
Happy Weaving and Baskets of Blessings to all my visitors,
NancyYou may find my YouTube Videos Here.
Listen to Basketmaster's Making our Home a Haven Podcast.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Making Our Home a haven - Episode #5 - Using a Menu Board
I wanted to let you know that episode #5 of Making Our Home a Haven is up and ready to listen to. I discuss in more detail the ways we use our menu board that I mentioned in my blog post HERE. I also give an update as to what I'm doing with regards to creating and maintaining my good habits.
You can download it through iTunes or just listen to it here on my blog by clicking the play button on the player in my right sidebar. This episode is just over 9 minutes long.
You can also listen to past episodes here as well.
I hope you enjoy the podcast and I hope everyone here is Making their home a Haven.
Blessings,
Nancy
This Post Links To:
I am Only 1 Woman
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Menu Board using Vinyl and the Cricut
Good Morning Friends,
Today I would like to show you something I made. It is my menu board that hangs in my kitchen. It's a dry erase board that is magnetic. I can write the menu for a specific meal on it or sometimes I write the meals for the week. What is handy is the magnets that can hold recipe cards so they are in easy reach when I'm ready for them.
Sometimes the kids will write what they WANT to have for dinner even if it is not in my plans!
The butterflies and letters were cut with the Cricut out of vinyl and I used the Storybook cartridge.
I hope you enjoy it!
Blessings,
Nancy
This post links to:
Women Who Do It All
Someday Crafts
Trendy Treehouse
Roots and Wings Co.
Creations by Kara
Make It From Scratch
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Tidy Mom
Just a Girl
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tip Technique Tuesday - How to Handle Weak Stakes
Have you ever woven a basket and the stakes want to fold to the inside or the outside of the basket causing it not to pack tightly or look pretty? I have and it can be very frustrating.
- If you are like me and you cut an entire handful of stakes at one time to the desired length, take just a moment before hand and feel each piece of reed paying attention for flimsy pieces. Remove the flimsy pieces from your bunch and save those weak pieces for weavers.
- The opposite is true as well. If you have a weaver that seems especially heavy, don't use it to weave. Toss it aside and save it for a stake.
- If you have started to weave a basket and realize you have a weak stake, make sure that your weavers are well soaked and pliable. Then, as you weave around the weak stake, go slowly keeping the weak stake straight and make sure that your weaver is the one that bends to do the over under weaving.
- Change the pattern a bit. If you are finding that you are struggling with weak stakes, switch to smaller weavers. Take a look at the little tote bag in the photo above. The stakes are 3/8" flat reed. They are very thin. By using 11/64" flat for my weavers as well as seagrass, which is very pliable, for some of the weavers, I was able to keep my stakes straight.
- You can always insert another stake directly behind the weak stake making it a double thickness. Be sure to hide the ends of the inserted stake. This technique works well if the weak reed is caught early in the weaving process. Consider adding a second stake just slightly thinner and of a different color and place this second stake on the outside for a double thickness. This can give you a great plaid or decorative effect. My basket above is not the best example but it does show two layers of stakes. Look at the stem of the flowers. The stem is the second layer or thickness.
- 99.999% of the time I make sure that my stakes are larger than my weavers. A larger size stake means a thicker and therefore stronger stake.
Happy Weaving,
Nancy
Monday, April 26, 2010
Creating A Good Habit - Week 2
I wanted to check in. Last week's habit for me was to exercise for 30 minutes each day. My plan was to walk 10 minutes three times a day. I did get in my 30 minutes each day! I didn't do it in 10 minute increments though. I would do all 30 minutes at one time.
This was really hard for me and it still is hard. I have so many other things I would rather do than exercise. Most days I walked in the morning. Today, I still have not exercised so just as soon as I hit the publish post button I'm off for my walk. I'll also tell you the first four days I was SORE! I'm not sure my distance because I go through different neighborhoods that the sidewalk cuts through so I can't drive it to check the distance but I am getting in about 4000 steps in 30 minutes so I think that is good.
This week I am adding another good healthy habit. I am going to limit my eating of high fat items to only two servings a week. For me, I define high fat being something that is fried. If I can manage only two servings a week I may cut it back to once a week. I don't think this habit will be too hard which is good because the exercise habit is one I am still really forcing myself to do.
I am so glad to be writing this down to all of you because when I think I don't want to exercise, I don't want to tell you that I've fallen short. You are all making me accountable.
If you have a good habit you are working on, be sure to leave a comment so I can cheer you on.
Blessings,
Nancy
ps. I lost two pounds this week. 13 more to go!
Off I go for my walk now.........
This post links to:
5 Minutes for Mom
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Shout Out to Fireflies and Jellybeans
I want to give a shout out to Fireflies and Jellybeans who featured me and my Blessings Journal on their Sunday Spotlight.
If you haven't been to Fireflies and Jellybeans, it is a MUST SEE blog full of great creative ideas.
Thank you Fawnda for putting my blog in your spotlight!
Blessings,
Nancy
Share A Basket Sunday - Button Trimmed Basket
Last night was ladies night where I got together with Anne and some of the girls to weave, relax and have a great time. I wove this fun little basket that I'm going to use in my craft room.
I used the reed that I had dyed with the Tulip Tie Dye Kit.
This was a strip of button lace that I got from Hobby Lobby.
One more thing, I know if you go back and look at my post on the Tulip Tie Dye kit that I linked to, the photos are too large. It is because I did those photos when my blog had a different template. After all the issues I've had with my blog this past week, those super large photos are just going to have to stay there. I'm too tired (lazy) to go back and fix old posts.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Emily's Fibromyalgia and her Diet
I had received a question from a reader asking about what foods I was giving and eliminating from Emily's diet to help her fibromyalgia.
I read a book titled "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia" by R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. and Claudia Craig Marek. It claims to be a revolutionary treatment that can reverse the disease.
For those of you truly interested in all it says, you need to read it in detail. In a nutshell though, it claims that the active ingredient in Mucinex which is Guaifenesin is the treatment for fibromyalgia. The thing is that you have to eliminate salicyates from your diet and cosmetics or anything topical you put on your skin in order for the guaifenesin to be absorbed. Salicyates are found in a number of things so anyone serious about trying this needs to do their own specific research.
The FDA has not approved the use of guaifenesin for fibromyalgia due to the lack of testing at this time. Tests that have been done did not regulate the salicyates and elimination of them seems to be key. Current testing is underway.
I did give Emily Mucinex and we did try to eliminate all salicyates from her diet. She complained of her chest hurting from the Mucinex (possibly a side effect). Anyway, after doing this for several weeks we stopped and did not see any improvement. We've since been to the pediatric rheumatologist who specializes in fibromyalgia and he did not encourage us to continue with the Mucinex. (we may try Mucinex again at another time but she is on a different medication at the present) Perhaps we didn't give her enough Mucinex or perhaps we didn't get all the salicyates eliminated or perhaps we didn't give it a long enough try.
The book did state story after story of wonderful success stories. We are in the process of identifying things that contribute to making it worse or giving her a bad day. The one thing I have found is that keeping her mind off of it is probably the best therapy for her. She loves ice skating and they say exercise is good for fibromyalgia so I'm glad it doesn't stop her from doing what she enjoys.
The book in interesting and I believe there may be some truth to it's claims and I will be following actual medical controlled testing results closely. The Dr. who wrote this book has a fibromyalgia clinic outside of the LosAngeles area. Perhaps someday we may make a trip there but do not have any current plans to do so.
Fibromyalgia seems to be a real mystery disease. I've spoken to others who suffer from it and everyone has a different story to tell regarding their aches and pains. One thing I find is that when doctors cannot figure out a diagnosis that involves pain, then they lump it into the category of fibromyalgia.
So I hope this helps. For those of you who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, give the book a read and see what you think. It would certainly be worth a try for you and in your case it might just help.
Little Emily and I appreciate all your continued prayers and good thoughts.
Blessings,
Nancy
I Feel Like That Phone Commercial
Can you hear me now? How about now? Now can you hear me? I want to say, Can you see my blog now? How about now? Now can you see it?
I've had so many helpful comments, and I've been trying so hard here. I first want to say Thank You to all of you who have helped me out or have told me what you are seeing on your computer screens.
If any of you are so inclined to tell me if you can see my blog now I again would appreciate it. If you're tired of me asking, I understand that too. I wish I wasn't having to ask. I've completely changed blog templates with the hopes this will work and all will look fine.
I wish I could give each of you a huge hug for helping me.
Blessings,
Nancy
Friday, April 23, 2010
Second Quick Question - How Does My Blog Look Now?
I have been messing around with my header and margins on my blog. I never dreamed that others would see it differently on their computer screens that what I see on mine.
Anyway, Can you see the entire header now?
Is the header centered?
Can you see everything or are you seeing something that doesn't seem quite right?
I must say, I have learned so much about computers by doing this blog. (At least I've learned 100x more than I knew when I started blogging. I still have a long way to go.)
Thanks so much for your responses.
Blessings,
Nancy
Quick Blog Question HELP Please
HELP! Since I've changed the picture a couple days ago I've had a long time blogger friend say she cannot see my header above completely on her computer screen and that it is showing up super huge for her when she looks at my blog.
I have looked at my blog on 6 different computers and what I'm seeing is my header with frame going completely across the screen with a slight margin on each side and it fills a little more than the top half. I can see it in its entirety. I know computers are different, but could you just let me know with a comment what you see? Can you see my header in full or are you only seeing part of it?
Please leave me a quick comment with your answer. I appreciate it. I want to make sure things are visually right with my blog.
Blessings,
Nancy
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Happy 40th Annual Earth Day and a Free e-book
What are you doing to reduce, reuse, and recycle? Let me know!
Blessings,
Nancy
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Keeping a Blessings Journal
A very nice thing to keep is a Blessings Journal. I bought a small monthly calendar at Big Lots a couple of years ago and altered the cover of it. It came with a plastic sleve. Each year I'm able to remove the calendar and replace it with one for the new year. I do my best to write down at least one thing daily that I am thankful for and that has in some way brightened my day. We have so many things to be thankful for both big and small. It is so easy to overlook the many small blessings that come our way and it is easy to forget to be grateful for them. (With raising two teenagers, almost three teenagers now, sometimes, many times the tension and stress level can be quite high at our house and I forget how blessed I really am.) The blessings journal is just one way to remind us to give thanks as we are all truly blessed.
BTW...This calendar shows one week on the two open pages. Each day has lines for notes so it is easy to write in.
You, my readers and friends, are a huge blessing to me. Thank you.
Nancy
This post links to
Someday Crafts
Blue Cricket Design
Women Who Do It All
Trendy Treehouse
Creations by Kara
Just a Girl
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Roots and Wings Co.
A Vision To Remember
Mom's The Word
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Cupcake Baskets
My sweet blogging friend Cindy from Skip To My Lou made these adorable cupcakes during her Spring Blog Hop. She has so kindly given me permission to repost these from her blog. Skip To My Lou is full, Full, FULL of creative ideas. These would have been perfect for Easter but how about making them for Mother's Day. Please stop by her blog and say Hello. The specific post to these little beauties is HERE.
Thank you Cindy for letting me share these with my readers.
Nancy
Allow basket handles to harden completely and then stick them into the frosting on your favorite cupcake. I used sugar flowers (from a cake and candy supply) for my basket, but you could easily pipe flowers or fill the basket with jelly beans or colorful chocolate eggs.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Making Our Home a Haven - Episode #4 Creating a Good Habit
I am happy to announce that episode #4 of Making Our Home a Haven is ready for you to listen to.
Today's episode is on Creating a Good Habit. In this episode I give the steps needed to create a habit and give tips on ways to help you KEEP that good habit. I talk about how I'm planning to make exercise my new habit.
For those of you who have been reading my blog for some time you know I used to do Jazzercise for exercise. Last September I injured my knee and an x-ray shows that I have bonespurs on the inside of my kneecap. That canceled Jazzercise for me because of all the changes in direction we would go; front, back, left, right as we would exercise. All those fast changes in movement along with squats just hurt too much to do. When I quit Jazzercise last September I quit exercising and I MUST get started with it again. I am starting exercise again. I'm starting TODAY. Won't you join me in creating a new habit.
You can download Making Our Home a Haven through iTunes or you can listen to it right here on your computer. There is a player on my right sidebar. You can just click on the "play" button to hear the latest episode. If you would like to listen to past episodes, click just below where it says "past episodes" and select the episode you would like to listen to.
I hope you enjoy listening. This podcast runs just over 11 minutes. I'd love to hear/read about any new habits you are working on. Just leave a comment and I'll cheer you on.
Blessings,
Nancy
ps. Mike helped me record some bird sounds for my intro and outro. They make me smile. Thanks honey for helping me with this.
This post links to:
Mom's The Word
Blogger Chix
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Have I jinxed myself?
One more thing, as far as putting my home on a diet, when I painted the guest room I removed and took to goodwill a large trash bag full of stuff. I already had the paint and the only thing I did buy to decorate the room was a $16 bed skirt. Yes, I hide things under the bed and there never had been a bed skirt on it before. So for $16 I updated my little room.
BTW...The cabinet to the left of the bed is a computer armoir which is where I do my blogging and check my e-mails. This was also the room where I was growing my little seedling plants by the window when no one was visiting us. So this is kind of like MY room and therefore it is the girliest room in the house. (It's even more girly than my girl's rooms) My mother made the quilts, I did some of the needlework on the pillow (I'll have to take a close up of it) and I did the flower arranging. There is a couple of my baskets in the room as well that I made but the photos don't show them.
So this was my project for the week. I can't believe it took me three years to get to and paint this room. Did any of you do a project this past week? I'd love to hear and read about it.
Have a blessed Sunday,
Nancy
This post links to:
Saturday, April 17, 2010
My Home is on a DIET
Nancy
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Bible in Five Words
I've had a phrase floating around in my head for the last few days that summarizes the Bible in just 5 words. We Are Called To Love.
Just think about it. We are asked to love the Lord our God and to love one another. Love is one of our keys to the kingdom of God.
Of course I know we need other things. We need faith and we need to invite Christ into our hearts as our Lord and Savior. We need to forgive. We need to repent. With Christ in our hearts, we are called to Love....always. The Bible speaks a lot about love and the power of love.
What a wonderful world this would be if we all believed that our calling was to love one another.4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not
proud, 5 doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not
provoked, takes no account of evil; 6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but
rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. (1Corinthians 13:4-8)
The one thing I do know is that sometimes loving others is not easy yet it is something we must do. It's a door opening key. Not only is it a key into heaven, but it is a key that will open many doors for us here on earth. Think about it.
With this in mind, you have to read this lovely post HERE about simple ways you can show love and random acts of kindness. I wish I could be like this fellow blogger.
I hope all of you have a wonderful day and know that I love you.
Blessings,
Nancy
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Primo Blog Award!
Lynn at Queen of the Castle Recipes - Lynn finds some truly delicious recipes around the web that she shares with her readers. Thanks Lynn for the yummy food you've helped me get on the table!
Passport to Savings and Food - Here is a great blog to get some menu planning inspiration.
Rachel at Frugal and Simple Living - Rachel is full of ideas and tips for just like her blog says, frugal and simple living. Most importantly, she has been a real inspiration in me starting my Making Our Home a Haven Podcast.
Thanks again Karin for the great award,
Blessings,
Nancy
Monday, April 12, 2010
2010 Ultimate Blog Party
Dear Friends,
I just wanted to let you know about the Ultimate Blog Party going on over at 5 Minutes For Mom. It's running now through April 16th. I always think it is nice to find like minded women and great ideas.
5 Minutes for Mom is an interesting place to visit. When you visit their home page you will find links to things such as 5 Minutes for Parenting, 5 Minutes for Faith, and so much more.
Come join the fun. You might win some cool prizes, but more importantly you might meet a great friend on a new blog.
Blessings,
Nancy
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Beautiful and Busy Springtime
Spring is my favorite season. It could stay spring year round as far as I'm concerned. Here are a few pics from my backyard.
The high school play has been in full production with Seussical the Musical which is a compilation of Dr. Seuss books. Ok, I'm going to gush here, but this has been the best high school musical I've ever seen. The vocals and choreography were amazing. Mike and I were smiling the entire performance. Perhaps we're just proud parents. Here is Katie as one of the Whos from Whoville. Her picture was on the front page of the paper today. (I bought 2 copies)
I have made this bunny cake every year since the kiddos were babies. It is a tradition to have this with our Easter meal.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Feature a Friend Friday - Bety from Deep End of the Loom and Think Pink
Today I would like to introduce you to Bety from Deep End of the Loom.
I'm a wife, mom and child of Christ living in South Florida. I enjoy
weaving, knitting, some crochet and really love to help others learn a fiber
hobby. I've been a weaver for 3 years and am still learning and growing. My
newest adventure and challenge for this year is spinning yarn and I'm having fun
with my disastrous results.
As a reminder, all information about "Think Pink" can be found HERE. I am encouraging all of my readers and fellow basket weavers, crafters, and scrapbookers to donate an item to my “Think Pink” efforts. Whatever you can offer would be much appreciated! It does not have to be handmade. It can be any item that promotes “Think Pink” for breast cancer awareness. if you have a prize you would like to donate, please e-mail me at basketmaster_nancy@yahoo.com .
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter Blessings
He did it for me and He did it for each and everyone of you. He loves you... always.
May you all have a very blessed day today.
Love,
Nancy
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Finding the Time to Cook
Today is a very busy day so just a short note here. I wanted to let you know that I have a new Making Our Home a Haven podcast ready to listen to. You can click on the play button over on the left sidebar and it will play the most recent episode or there is a pull down menu to listen to past episodes. You can also download it through iTunes by searching Making Our Home a Haven.
I hope this podcast gives you some ideas you may not have thought of regarding finding the time to cook and have meals on the table.
I'm sure everyone is getting ready for Easter just as I am.
Blessings
Nancy
This post links to:
Mom's The Word
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Feature a Friend Friday - Alexey from the Ukraine
Free Basket Weaving Pattern
Here is a quick reminder for a free pattern from Baskets of Joy. This sweet basket is called a Tulip May Basket. It has a square base and goes to a round top. If you need some of the materials, they have kits available for $20. Be sure to print off your pattern soon!
Enjoy and Happy Weaving,
Nancy