I know it is hard to believe, but most of us have extra money. It is just a matter of figuring out where it is lurking. If you pay attention every day to what you are spending money on, you will quickly realize how much more you really spend. For example, I purchase a cup of coffee every single day on my way to work. At $1.25 this really adds up over time. Working 5 days a week, for 42 weeks means I spend $262.50 per year just on my daily coffee! My husband does the same thing, but he works about 48 weeks a year for a total of $300.00. Right there is more than $500 per year we could easily be saving if we just started making the coffee at home.  So lets take a look at where you might be able to 'find' a little extra money in your life!

Decrease or Eliminate Unnecessary Expenses
Here are a few ideas...

• Cancel Magazine, Newspaper, and other subscriptions - do you really need them?
• Cancel Club and Organization Memberships - for example, you might be able to exercise at home instead of the gym.
• Eat or Order Out Less - make a point of only ordering out once a week, or none!
• Decrease Your Cable TV to the Basics - no special channels or dvd's. Even better, get rid of it all together and just watch what you can on your computer, Netflix, Amazon, or another service.
• Decrease Your Cell Phone Service - do you really need to have unlimited data? Just using it smart (ha ha) can save a lot of money! We tracked our data use for several months and realized we were paying for way more than we really needed. Cutting back on the data saved us quite a bit of money every month!
• Take Care of Your Own Pool - use YouTube to learn how to do this. It's not hard!
• Mow Your Own Lawn - why pay someone weekly to do this? Especially during the summer when it barely grows anyway. Even better, get rid of the lawn and practice edible landscaping (The food you grow will save you money too!).
• Bike ride or walk instead of driving - if it's close, why not? And you will be healthier for it too!
• Utilize the Library instead of Buying Books or DVD's - there are even online libraries where you can borrow free books to read on your electronic devices! Check out openlibrary.com.
• Trade Babysitting With a Friend or Relative instead of paying for one!
• ​Do you have something to trade? Be it garden vegetables, or a service, try trading or bartering for what you need instead of paying for it. This is like money in your pocket!
• Make Gifts Instead of Buying Them - seeDo-It-Yourself at Home Crafts
• Stop Buying Stuff You Really DON'T Need - before you put it in your cart, consider if it is something you absolutely need, or just want. If it is a want, then choose to stop right there!
• See the Section on Shopping. You can learn how to stack store coupons, find sales, and more! But remember, only do this for things you really need.
• Cut your hair and your families hair instead of going to the salon. Check out how simple it is to cut and color your own hair.
• ​Stop getting your nails done. You can easily do them your self, or get together with a friend and do each others. This will save a lot of money!
• Learn how to change your own oil in your car - some cars are easier than others, but you tube has a video for just about everything!

Earn Extra Money
A few ways you might be able to do this...

• Work Overtime if Possible - if there is extra work offered at your job, then say yes!
• Get a Second Job at Night or on the Weekends
• Sell your stuff - it's so easy to post and sell on Facebook now. We just snap a picture, upload it to a page we are a member of, add a description and a price, and wait for someone who is interested! You won't believe the items that are sold and purchased every day! Take a look and then think about what you have around the house. Check out Selling to learn more (It's part of 'Minimizing our Home Life.')
• Sell yourself - I mean a skill you have! For example, I can tutor students in science. This is a great way to make some extra money on my skill. My husband can do basic home repairs and maintenance, and my daughter is a yoga instructor. Think of the things you can do....​

​

Hopefully this helps you find a little extra money in your life!
Please share any ideas you have for coming up with extra money!
Sincerely,

Great! You are starting to use essential oils and are on your way to holistic health and wellness.  But did you know that the therapeutic benefits of most essential oils will deteriorate if exposed to sunlight, heat, and/or air?  The oils need to be stored properly to prevent them from deterioration and preserve their aromatic qualities. But don't fret...properly storing the oils is simple!
​

• Use amber glass bottles - The oils will break down fairly quickly if they are exposed to sunlight and this is why they are generally in amber colored bottles when they are purchased. Glass is important because the oils can be corrosive and glass is the one substance they cannot break down over time. You want to always make sure the bottles are not damaged and that the tops have an air-tight seal. If they don't, then you will need to transfer the oil to a new bottle. Note: you can purchase other colors but in my opinion amber is the most effective.
• A dark location - even if the oils are in an amber bottle, they should still be kept in a dark location such as a storage case or a closet.  Any longterm exposure to light will break down the oils faster and even though the bottles are amber, they are still translucent  (meaning light can still get through).
• Find a relatively cool location - You definitely don't want the bottles to get heated up so a cool location that is far from any heat source is, including heating pipes in walls, is best. 
• Keep them dry - A dry location is important just because moist locations tend to promote moldy growth and this is certainly something that is unwanted! 

If you blend your own oils the same rules apply for storage! Be sure to buy quality amber glass containers that will seal appropriately.

You can see the wooden case I use to store many of my oils in the pictures. This was actually a wooden cast that was being thrown out that I repurposed. With a few shelves added in, some paint, and elastic stapled across the inside shelves, I now have a cool, dry, and dark enclosed box for all my oils! I added a handy little handle to the top to make it easy to carry wherever I need it.

Thanks for visiting.
Check out our other essential oil tips, blends, and ideas on our Health & Wellness page!
​Sincerely,

It was recently that time again. You know, that time to turn the clocks ahead. I absolutely abhor doing this. Yeah, yeah, you lose an hour of sleep when you 'spring ahead' but for me, it's more than that. As I get older and older it just takes me longer and longer to adjust. I really started thinking about this last week as I was suffering daily and realized that changing the time is a really bad idea. Why should my body have to adjust twice a year to a time change? Who's idea was this and why? I knew it couldn't be good for my body, or anyones else's for that matter, so why on Earth are we still doing this? That's when I decided to some research and want to share why we should end daylight savings time.

How does daylight savings affect our health?
First, daylight savings time basically gives you jet-lag! Web MD says that springing forward interrupts your circadian rhythm, otherwise known as your sleep-wake cycle, and well, this leads to all sorts of other problems. Here are a few of the problems this creates:

• Drowsy drivers which leads to more accidents
• Less focused workers which leads to decreased productivity, and possibly work accidents and/or mistakes
• Heart attack levels that spike the day after the time change
• Strokes levels that increase the day after as well
• High school students who are much less focused and distracted (more than normal)
• Cluster headaches are more common for a short time

Sounds great, huh? Note that these "problems" can take from 1 day to 3 weeks to level off!!! That means there are a lot of people out there suffering for several weeks (and causing the suffering of others around them). Why should we do this to our bodies and our health? It just doesn't make any sense...

What states observe daylight savings time?
Guess what? Not everyone is!  Here in the US there are many states that no longer observe daylight savings because states are free to make their own choices regarding time! The states that choose not to are Arizona (most of it), and Hawaii.  We have some overseas US territories that also choose not to observe and they are Puerto Rico, American Samoa territories, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands. It is my understanding that most countries in the southern hemisphere do not change their time either. 

Who started daylight savings time?
Believe it or not, the Germans started it during World War I in an effort to conserve fuel. Many other countries apparently soon followed, albeit inconsistently, including the US.  In the US it was put into consistent use during World War II, again as part of the war effort to conserve fuel.  After the war there were periods of trial and error, but it wasn't until the 1970's that it became consistently used again and later became federal statute.

Why did we start using daylight savings time?
It appears it was all about fuel conservation. Apparently countries would be able to reduce the lighting demand thereby saving fuel for the war effort instead. In the US we had a major fuel shortage in the 1970's (this was probably true everywhere else too) so I can see the connections and understand why we made the changes. However, as a science person I was shocked to read that these changes were not originally based on any evidence! They had no proof that daylight savings time actually saved fuel!  Not too long ago, I think it was 2008, someone finally did a study (read about that here) and basically they discovered that changing the time decreased energy use in the evenings, but at the same time it increased the need for more lighting in the mornings. It was basically a wash!

Why are we still using daylight savings time?
There are several reasons. Though they say most people don't want it (they have done surveys apparently), they also say that people think they are owed an extra hour of daylight. Ha! This is absolutely preposterous. They could get that extra hour simply by getting up an hour earlier in the morning! Changing the clocks doesn't change the amount of daylight, it simply changes when we get to enjoy it. That brings me to the farmers. Many people claim that they are doing it for the farmers but that is BS (yes, bull shit). The farmers don't need to change the time! They are going to do what farmers do: work from sunup to sundown to grow their crops. Period. Time has nothing to do with it. The last potentially reasonable explanation is that crime rates go supposedly go down. Apparently criminals love doing their dirty work in the darkness, so by changing the time, they don't get out and 'rob' as much. What!!!! Again, I am just going to state this simply...the amount of daylight and darkness does not change. It's just a matter of what time the sun rises and sets every day. I just don't get how this decreases crime. There is still the same amount of darkness for criminals to do their 'thing.' Unless of course they have set work hours, say like from 6 PM to midnight so that when we change the time those hours are decreased from a 6 hour work day to a 3 or 4 hour work day???? What am I missing here?

What did we learn from this?

1. Our bodies take from 1 day to 3 weeks to recuperate from the 'jet lag' and are prone to heart attacks, accidents, and more during this time. And we don't even get a good vacation out of it...
2. Every state has an individual choice. So I guess that means it is up to the governor?
3. It was all started by the Germans to save fuel to fight World War I. So it was started to fight a better war? I'm just saying...
4. Evidence shows that the fuel savings swaps from more night use to more morning use and is basically a wash. So...it really isn't conserving any fuel as was originally intended?
5. There is no good reason for still continuing to use it. It helps some, it hurts some, and farmers, well they don't really care either way.​​ So why the heck are we still doing this?​

What do you think?
Should daylight savings stay, or should it go?
I would love to hear from you!
​
​Sincerely,

Sources:

• ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States
• ​http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/03/150306-daylight-savings-time-spring-forward-united-states-science-nation/
• http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/03/13/7-ways-daylight-saving-time-can-affect-your-health.htmlhttp://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/how-daylight-saving-time-affects-your-health

My niece is expecting! I couldn't be happier to become a great aunt! Little Bobby should be arriving this April and everyone in our family is so excited.  As with most young mothers to be, my niece is already planning on having his newborn pictures taken by a professional.  This is such a special event that it is planned out well in advance. In fact, the photographer has everything except the hat! And that brings us to this extra special FREE crochet pattern.

My niece texted me a picture of what she wanted the other day, asking if I could possibly make one for her. Of course I said yes and after several attempts at crocheting a cute little camo infant hat I finally settled on the pattern you see above (my other attempts are in the photo at the bottom of the page).

I liked this one the most because you can't easily see the crochet rows making it look more like camouflage. This however does make the pattern a little more difficult. You really have to pay attention and count the number of rows as you crochet because going back and figuring out where you are is too difficult. The good news though is that you can finish the whole hat pretty fast! Definitely under an hour and it looks great with or without the ears :-)

I look forward to adding a picture of my new great nephew wearing the hat after he is born!

Supplies:

• 6.00 mm Hook
• Red Heart Camouflage Yarn (affiliate link)
• Yarn Needle
• Scissors

Directions for Hat:

• Row 1: Make a magic circle and do 8 sc. Connect with slip stitch.
• Row 2: Do 1 sc and 1 dc in each stitch around for a total of 20 stitches. Connect with slip stitch.
• Rows 3 - 4 are in the round: *put a marker in* - and keep count of your rows. With this pattern you WILL NOT be able to go back and count your rows! Chain 1 and sc 1 in stitch immediately next to the chain. Do 1 dc in next stitch, 1 sc in next, and 1 dc in the next. In each of the next two stitches: do 1 sc and 1 dc (so two increases). Then 1 sc, 1dc, 1 sc, 1 dc for then next four stitches. Then repeat the increase with a 1 sc and 1 dc in each of the next two stitches. Repeat this pattern twice around.
• Rows 5 - 11: Continue in the round alternating with 1 sc, then 1 dc all the way around. There will not be any more increases. Be sure to end the 11th row with a single crochet and slip stitch to connect and end the row.
• Row 12: chain 1 and sc in each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch to connect.
• Row 13: chain 3, and dc in the front loop only of each stitch all the way around. Slip stitch to connect.
• Finishing: Turn hat inside out and working from the opposite side do a slip stitch all the way around. Be sure to do the slip stitch very loose so that the hat will be able to stretch. If you do it too tight it will not fit on a babies head.

Ears (optional):

• Row 1: Chain 9, and sc into 8th stitch and all the way down to end, continue around the opposite side with 8 more sc, and slip stitch to connect.
• Row 2: 1 sc, then do a decrease sc (go into stitch and pull yarn through, then go through next stitch and pull yarn through both loops on hook). Do 2 more times for a total of three decreases. Single crochet around the end, and do three sc decreases on the opposite side. Knot off and leave at least 12 inches of 'tail' when cutting for finishing.
• Finishing: Turn ear inside out and thread the tail on the yarn needle. Bend the end of the ear toward the other side and sew together up the middle. Then use the remaining tail to sew the ears onto the hat. To position them correctly, lay the hat flat and lay the ears in the right spot. Then use the yarn to anchor them in place until they are sewn on.
• Weave and snip all loose ends :-)

Enjoy and thanks for visiting!
Check out all our other FREE Crochet Patterns and follow us on social media :-)
Sincerely,

It doesn't matter who you are or where you live, it should be everyones goal to have as little household waste as possible!  With a little work and a lot of creativity it is possible!

Practice these basics in order from top down and read about how to maximize each one to the fullest at Zero Waste Household. ​

Enjoy this FREE Recycling Chart (below) to help with recycling as much waste as possible.
Click on the picture of the chart below to download and print!  
It is an 8.5" x 11" pdf file :-)

Read more about having a Zero Waste Household.
Thanks for visiting :-)
Please follow us on social media!
Sincerely,

This lovely cowl is named after my friend Patty who I really have to give a lot of credit to.  She is pregnant (yea!) and she decided to learn to crochet so she could make her own special baby blanket! What better reason could there be to learn how to crochet? Anyway, she was doing a new stitch I had never tried and of course I had to figure out how it was done and what it would look like!  So I used this simple new stitch and made this cowl I named after her :-) 

​Enjoy!

Supplies:

• 2 skeins Charisma Loops and Thread yarn (109 yards, 3.5 oz.) Color is Bouquet.
• 9 mm crochet hook Susan Bates Bamboo handle Hook (affiliate link)
• Steel Yarn Needle (affiliate link)
• Small Scissors
• Three (3) 1.75" Carved Coconut Buttons from Amazon (affiliate link)​

Directions:

• Chain 19.
• Row 1: Skip first chain, and sc into the second one, dc in the next, then sc in the next repeating across the row.  You should end with a double crochet.
• Rows 2 - 55: Chain 1, turn and repeat row one, again starting with a sc and ending with a dc.
• Knot off and weave ends using yarn needle.
• Approximate finished dimensions are 9" wide by 32" long.
• Sew decorative buttons on through both ends as shown. The buttons do not work as they are for show only. The cowl is simply pulled over the head when worn.

Super simple!
Check out our two other FREE cowl patterns:
​(click the picture to go to pattern)

Thanks for visiting!
Check out our other FREE crochet patterns here!
We have some great Crochet Boards on Pinterest too!
Sincerely,

Building a backyard chicken coop requires a little research and planning before getting started.  Below you will find a some of the things to think about with respect to the requirements and basic design principles before you start building, or even if you are considering buying a ready-made coop. Either way, if you are getting chickens you absolutely need to make sure you have a coop in place first!

Coop Requirements

• Plans can be bought or designed yourself. For our coop we did a lot of research online about design before we finally drew up our own plans.  
• You need to have a place in your yard where you want the coop to go. This will determine the size.  You also need to check with your local laws. In our town we are not allowed to have a rooster and there is a  maximum of five hens permitted (based on property size). There are also laws about how close to the property line the coop can be.
• We took pretty much took something from every plan we looked at in our research and fit it all together to work in our yard in the location we knew it was going in.  So basically our coop was designed specifically for the location where we have it, the number of chickens we planned on having, and the way we wanted it to look (it matches our house). 

Design Principles

• The coop house at 4' x 4' can hold up to 6 hens. There is a roost inside with a plexiglass side window over the egg boxes for light.
• ​The inside walls do have a thin layer of foam insulation. The roof doesn't, but it does have tar paper and shingles. 
• The inside walls of the coop are made of sheet plastic that would normally be used on walls in a bathroom. This was to make the coop easy to clean and it works!
• There are two vents near the roof peak: one in front and one in back. They are always open for fresh air which is very important.
• It has two hen boxes on the left side with a lifting (and locking) lid for easily collecting their eggs.  We felt two boxes were necessary and were right because they have worked out well.
• The house is lifted up and an 8' by 4' base was built to create an enclosed area.  This is so that even if we are not here to let them free range, they still have access to the outdoors.
• The house has a small inside door that lifts open and a ramp extends downwards for the chickens. We no longer close this door unless there is a very severe storm expected.  I can't even remember the last time we closed it.
• The entire coop, including under the bottom (so nothing can dig into it from below), is covered with the heavy duty wire mesh.  We then put plenty of sand and soil inside to cover up the mesh.
• Note that there is also a nice size front door on the house. This was initially for us  so that we could have easy access for cleaning, but the chickens love when we leave it open all day in the summer. It really lets the coop air out and they love 'jumping' in and out for fun.
• There is also outdoor perch. During the hot summer nights they mostly use the outside perch. 
• We added plexiglass on the top of the outside part because the first time it rained the outside part of their coop became a mud pit. This was not good and took quite a while to dry out.  We also added some plexi glass around the part under the house and halfway up all of the sides (not the screen door).  This helps keep them protected from heavy rains and winds all year round but still allows adequate ventilation. 

Coop Cost

• Our coop did not cost a lot of money because most of it was built from recycled wood and materials we in the garage. All we really had to buy was the insulation, six 8-foot 2 x 4's, some hinges and clasps, and the 1/4 inch galvanized wire mesh to wrap it in. Even the roofing material was left over from when we had our house roof re-done.
• Just know that we designed it so that it would be easy to build and we could use what we already had around!
• Basic materials: six 8 foot long 2x4's, TR111 for the outside, some trim wood, roofing paper and shingles, white sheet plastic for the interior walls and floor, caulk to seal up gaps etc., nails (duh), 2 hinges for egg box lid, 2 hinges for front door, 2 hinges for screen door, 2 hinges for the little interior door (it lifts up with a pull string), a handle with clasp for the front door, a clasp for the egg box, two slide locks for the screen door, a handle for the screen door, galvanized hardware cloth, plexiglass for the window and the sides of the exterior coop, corrugated plastic roofing for the top of the exterior coop, thin foam insulation for the walls of the coop, paint, and a lot of construction staples!

• Coops can be bought, however they can get expensive.  But buying  is an option :-)​

Check out our slide show of building the coop!
We built it in the spring of 2010 and it is still great 7 years later!

For information on  building a coop check out:  http://howtobuildachickencoopmanual.com

Thanks for visiting!
Check out more about our chickens on our page "Backyard Chickens" and follow our "Chickens & Eggs" board on Pinterest!
​Sincerely,

We compost here every single day.  Well, the scraps go on the counter every day, not necessarily out to the bin. But the point is that we compost and we reap the rewards every spring when we use that wonderfully rich, dark, material in our gardens! We currently have an inexpensive four sided recycled plastic compost bin. It came with a removable lid on top and a front sliding door that could be opened to pull out the material. We modified it over the years by removing the top and the front door so it is always open to the elements (and because the were annoying and unnecessary). Now it is much easier to maintain but when we move to our New Future Homestead we will simply build a three sided bin from cement blocks or wood (see pictures below) that will be much easier to access and turn regularly. No matter how big or small a bin you choose or use, the reward of beautifully rich compost is well worth the effort!

Choose a question below to learn more:

You can easily purchase a bin (see some at the bottom of this  page),
but DIY is even better if you can!
Here are two of my favorites!
Note: pictures are links to plans (actual links at the bottom of this page)

A few simple tips to help make composting simpler:

• Keep a small bin next to the sink to throw all scraps into very easily.  Keeping it clean is vital or it will smell and grow mold! We use an old plastic 3 lb. coffee container with a handle (see picture below). My husband also drilled holes in the lid for air circulation (prevents mold growth).
• When emptying the bin, use a rubber spatula to get every last bit out!
• Keep a shovel or three pronged hoe in the pile so you can easily turn it every time you empty the kitchen counter bin!
• If you can, locate the compost area near the garden in an easily accessible location.  After all, you want the compost close to where it will most likely be used!  This will also assure that it will be watered when the garden is.
• If you have animals, you want the compost pile between them and the garden.  This was not possible for us so we find ourselves carting the waste from our chickens across the yard. Someday when we move to our new homestead we will definitely be designing this better!​

If all goes well, your compost can be usable anywhere from two (2) months to two (2) years. Ours is used once a year when we plant our garden in the spring and it is awesome!

Thanks for visiting!
Please follow us social medial
and check out our other ways to Minimize Household Waste
and Zero Waste Home!
Sincerely,

Sources:
www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
www.birdsandblooms.com/backyard-projects/diy-garden-projects/diy-compost-bin/
www.allanblock.com/courtyard/compost-bin.aspx

Ways to Conserve Water at NO COST to you:​

• Turn it off - when you are brushing your teeth there is NO need to keep the water running.  The same holds true if you are cleaning in the kitchen or anywhere else.   

• Don't turn it on all the way - If you're only getting the toothbrush wet, you don't need to open the faucet full force.  Only opening the valve part way will decrease the amount of water that comes out.

• Don't water your lawn -  the grass will not die if you don't water it.  It goes into a dormant state and will come back in the fall.  Unfortunately, your neighbors might not be so happy with you, so maybe it's better to not have a lawn at all!  Grow native plants that do not need a lot of water and skip the grass if at all possible.

• Water in the mornings - water plants in the morning, before the Sun is strong enough to evaporate the water too quickly (And burn the sensitive plant parts in the process!).

• Take Shorter Showers - Since I refuse to turn off the water and freeze during my shower, I compromise by taking a shorter shower which of course uses less water as well.  Check out this pdf from the EPA about shower and the "drops to watts" connection: http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/ws_waterenergy508.pdf

• Displace Water in Your Toilet Tank - depending upon the size of the tank, you can use different items to do this.  In our upstairs bath we have an old bottle filled with water, and in the downstairs bath we have bricks.  They are different because the position of the free space in the tank was different.  However, both of them now use a lot less water to flush.  Note: if you do this and find that the toilet is not flushing your waste, then you are displacing too much water and need to decrease it.  Of course there are fancy things you can buy at the store to help you do this, but we figured why waste more money?

• Full loads only - When you do laundry or run the dishwasher, make sure it is FULL.  Running them for a small load is a total waste of water.  Unless you have a setting that specifically decreases the amount of water used, wait until it is full, but note that every load generally uses the same amount of electricity, so only running full loads will save on both your water and your electric bill.

• Drinking Water - like it cold?  Then keep some refrigerated.  It's a waste to run faucet and wait for it to get cold every time you want a cool glass of water. *But note that if you have any pipes with lead you MUST run the water for up to 2 minutes depending upon when it was last used if you are using it for drinking or cooking. Check out this flyer from the United States Environmental Protection Agency titled Lead in Your Drinking Water (https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=20001R4V.txt​).

Ways to Conserve Water at a Minimal Cost (but are worth it!):

• Use a rain gauge - this will help you keep track of the inches of rain so you know how much to water your plants and garden each week. You need to remember to record the inches and empty it after it rains.  

• Mulch your plants - We have mulch available from our town for free (We need a truck to get it though.), but you can buy it too.  Putting mulch around the base of plants keeps the soil moist.  NOTE: not all garden vegetables and plants should have mulch around them.  
• Plant Native Plants - native plants, which means they naturally exist and grow in your area, should not require any additional watering! Check out the Native Plant Finder Site to see what native plants grow where you live.
  

• Outdoor Water Faucet Timers - we use these for our sprinklers to water our vegetable garden.  I love them because I can go out, turn it on for an amount of time I choose depending upon the rain received recently, and then I can walk away and forget about it.  They shut off on their own!  

• Irrigation System - we tried this in our garden.  We purchased all of the stuff and set it all up and we absolutely despised it.  It clogged up.  The plants blocked other plants when they got bigger so some areas got too much water and other got none.  For us, it was a waste.  We are still looking for a better option as this would save a lot of wasted water (The sprinkler even waters the walkways.). However, to date we have not found what we need in a way that is cost effective. 
• Rain Gauge - This is a very simple, yet helpful, tool that we use to determine how much rain has occurred. If we have had an inch or more in the past few days then we know that we can modify the amount of time that we water our garden.
  

• Rain Barrels - you can collect rainwater to wash your car and water your plants.  We have not tried it yet, but it is one of the things on our future TO DO List.  Here are instructions (pdf file) from the EPA with a parts list: http://www.epa.gov/region3/p2/make-rainbarrel.pdf

• Fix Leaks - fixing any water leaks can save a lot of water believe it or not.  The EPA says that "one drip dripping at the rate of one drip per second can waste up to 3,000 gallons per year."  That's the amount of water needed to take more than 180 showers!  And if you pay by the gallon, you can save a lot too.  Here's a link to the EPA's fix a leak fact sheet (pdf file): http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/ws_fixaleakfactsheet508.pdf

• Water Saving Shower Heads - We bought the Delta Water Saving Shower Head from Home Depot.  It uses 1.5 gallons per minute and cuts typical water usage by 40%.  The head actually makes it feel like a lot more water is coming out of the head than really is.  It also meets EPA WaterSense criteria (see picture of label to look for below).  It was from the Home Depot and had a Home Depot Ecco Options imprint on the packaging.  At  cost of only about $13, that was fine by me. The same one in satin nickel is on Amazon for $22 so the Home Depot was a good deal.
• Water Saving Faucet Aerators - We have two 75% (.5 gallons per minute) water savers for the bathroom sinks and one 55% (1 gallon per minute) water saver for the kitchen.  They were only about $5 each (including the metal screw on part) at Home Depot.  You can also just purchase the aerator insert without the metal for about $3.  They are made by Neoperl and meet the EPA WaterSense criteria as well (see picture of label to look for below).  Note: they can take a lot of getting used to, especially in the kitchen! My husband hates when he is trying to fill a pot with water. However, I shared with him this simple fix: use the spray nozzle. There is no water saving aerator on the sprayer so we use that to fill up pots faster!

Links:
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/fixleak.html
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/ws_waterenergy508.pdf

Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,

Oh so simple! Love this circle vest. I will attempt to write out directions, but know that it really depends upon the stitch, the yarn used, and how much you increase each time around. The more you increase, the more of a 'bustle' you will end up with in the back.  

Supplies:

• Size 6.5 mm crochet hook
• 4 skeins of Loops & Threads Charisma Yarn in Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) Color (3.5 oz. each)
• Yarn needle
• Small scissors

The Basic Pattern:

• Round 1: chain 8 and connect
• Rounds 2 through about 8 (depends upon yarn) so go to 13" diameter: crochet rows around, increasing to keep the circle as flat as possible for a basic vest. The more you increase the more 'bustle' it will  have at the end.  I did rows of one or more double crochet with one or more chains in between, single crochets, etc. I did it randomly for fun. You can do the same stitch all the time if you want. You will continue until the vest is approximately 13" in diameter.
• Round 9: the next round will be single crochet all the way around one time
• Round 10: You will add armholes now: Armholes should measure approximately 10-12 inches diameter. Single crochet 5 stitches and then chain 30, skip about 35 stitches (10-12 inches) and connect with single crochet. Continue single crochet for approximately 34 more stitches (should be about 12") and then chain 30, skip 35, and attach with single crochet. Continue single crocheting all the way around and connect.
• Rounds 10 - 16 or so (about 10" width): continue crocheting around increasing regularly to keep as flat as possible (remember too much increase makes a lot of "bustle" in the rear).  
• Rounds 16 - 20 or so: single crochet around until it is approximately 3 -4" wide.  
• Finishing: weave in all loose string ends. 
• You can add a chained string as a tie in the front or even a button, but I just like the way it hangs loose like in the pictures below :-)

I love this vest because it is so simple that I can work on it while watching television with my husband!

Thanks for visiting!
Check out our other FREE crochet patterns here!
We have some great Crochet Boards on Pinterest too!
Sincerely,