Hint of the day: double duty cookie press

Deviled eggs- an economical meatless Friday hors d'ouevres popular with many.  But I hate washing out decorating bags (especially for a Sriracha filling) and I've never had much luck with substituting parchment paper or baggies.  My aluminum cookie press came to the rescue!  Just a few quick turns, and my deviled egg tray was completed and cleanup made easy.

Hint of the day: lay flat to dry

 

As the days are getting warmer, I have been washing winter clothes and putting them away for next season.   But I ran out of space on my drying rack for garments that need to dry flat.  Fortunately,  my patio set came to the rescue! Children's garments would fit on the chair seats.

From the archives

and worth re-reading :

Why Catholics Give the Best Parties

Verily Magazine

In case you haven't heard of it, Verily Magazine is an online publication focusing on style, relationships, culture and lifestyle, all aimed at young women and all pleasing to read from a Catholic point of view. The newest edition of Verily's online magazine was in my inbox this morning and I was able to paste it in below.  You'll want to subscribe for yourself and get your friends to do so as well.

The Church Ladies heartily approve!  (You can sign up to subscribe here.)

KEEP IT SIMPLE: PACKING FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY Packing for a weekend trip can be tough. You just never know what you'll need! Kat of The Refined Woman is here to save the day with her easy packing tips. Read more... WHAT TO TELL A GUY WHEN YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED Art by Nima Salimi Is it ok to tell a guy you have a boyfriend when really you're just not interested? Author Elise Italiano answers this question, plus advice on how to let a man down respectfully. Read more... FOUR WAYS TO STAY SHARP AFTER GIVING BIRTH Art by Lucy O Photography New moms have heard advice on how to get fit, eat healthy, and keep their marriages strong, but there's not a lot of advice out there on how to keep your brain sharp. Mom and blogger Nicole offers four ways to keep your mind afloat. Read more... STYLE HOW TO: WEAR BOTANICAL PRINTS Art by Aaron Lee Craig Stylist and blogger Brynn of Being Elliott looks print perfect in botanicals. She's here to help us pull off the look ourselves this summer. Read more... 5 THINGS EVERY DAUGHTER SHOULD BE TAUGHT Art by Andrea Rose In light of Father's Day, we're sharing the five things every daughter needs to hear. Rule number five: You can be delicate and strong all at once. Read more... MONICA LEWINSKY AND OUR CULTURE OF HUMILIATION Art via The Incredible Tide Can we change our culture if it punishes women more than men for the same crimes? Read more...

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More Thrifty Gifts for Fathers' Day

I was a little more pressed for time this year than Therese, and opted for the store-bought route.  However, I was pretty impressed with what I managed to put together for less than $10, and it tiered together very nicely when wrapped.

1. 2 jars of Nutella (on sale for $2.68 each, and an additional $1 manufacturer's coupon)

2.  Vintage hardcover edition of Quo Vadis ($4 at local antique mall)

Our boys are quite young, so my husband has plenty of time to prep for father-son reading!  I tucked in a copy of Auntie Leila's reading guide as well.  This is a theme I plan to repeat in future years- my husband's family favored fantasy and mystery books so he never read many classic adventure novels like The Swiss Family Robinson, Treasure Island, etc - a nice gift for Dad and the family library.

3. A cozy tartan robe ($2 at thrift store)

This is a perfect year round robe made of the softest cotton and was in like new condition.  Score!

Wondering what to do with all that rhubarb?

This recipe got high marks from some Church Ladies recently:

3 pounds rhubarb, cut up


Mixed with
1 bottle vodka
1/4 cup grand marnier
Simple syrup (6 tablespoons sugar heated to boiling with 1/4 cup water)


Cool the syrup before mixing into the rest of the ingredients. 
Let stand 1-2 weeks in covered container.

Recipe is flexible - it originally called for 1/2 cup of the Grand Marnier, but my source preferred with less.

It's a lovely pink color and, according to reports, is dangerously good when mixed with 7-Up.

On a somewhat related note, I'm re-reading Anne of Green Gables now and this is just homey enough to make me think of Marilla's Raspberry Cordial.  (Medicinal purposes only, right?)

Thrifty Gifts: Father's Day

I don't know about you, but whenever I see Father's Day gift guides, they tend to bring on more eye rolls than lightbulbs. They seem to break down into the crazy expensive, one-use gadgets no one actually wants, the weirdly cutesy, and items that will be enjoyed way more by the giver than by any dad I know. So here, without further ado, are some homemade gifts that will actually see the light of day once in a while.

Monogrammed hankies

Fonts (L to R): Oil Can, Eccentric, Euphorigenic

We've blogged some details on this one over the years (here, here, and here). This one is a fantastic last-minute gift; I finished the three hankies above in an afternoon. Just find some fonts you like, print and trace (if you work carefully with a light hand, you can even do this with a regular pencil), and embroider. DMC cotton floss holds up well in the wash, and is usually 30-50 cents a skein. If you are new to embroidering, Needle'n'Thread has great tutorial videos. Backstitch and stem stitch are good for monograms, with satin stitch to fill in thicker areas (as on the hankie on the left).

Matching outfits

Okay, maybe not for everyone, but it can be fun, especially for a new dad. The picture above is Simplicity 3852, which conveniently contains outfits from a baby romper all the way up to adult size in one envelope. If the men and boys in your life would appreciate something a little more subtle, matching neckties (men's, boys', and little boys') would make a great riff on a Father's Day classic. Ties are cut on the bias, so keep that in mind when picking out a print. This also means you'll have extra fabric left over, so think about including a pocket square. If that's still too much, how about some pajamas?

Reuseable Brown Bag

(source)

Do you walk to work, or bring your lunch? (Sorry, but what's a post about dads without a Dad Joke?)There are a ton of tutorials for this easy sewing project online (Here's a big roundup.) Just pick a manly fabric and you're good to go. You could even use an old pair of chinos for the fabric, making this project essentially free.

A Manlier Diaper Bag

Vogue 8990

This will be the one I'm attempting this year. While I don't think he actually minds, every so often I get a comment about having to carry around the very girly bags our hospital gives out. I'm keeping the pockets versatile, so hopefully he'll have a use for it even when we don't have one in diapers. If putting together an entire bag isn't for you, an all-in-one changing kit that he can have on hand might be just the ticket.