Category Archives: Blog Posts

Homestead Hack: Wear Your Shirt Inside Out When Painting

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Many of us are stuck inside for the foreseeable future. So parents are often busy homeschooling their young ‘uns. But otherwise we’re all picking up projects to busy ourselves whether Decluttering, crafting or maybe Batch Baking, and more.

You say you’ve decided to pull out that can of paint you’ve had in the shed and go ahead & repaint the bathroom? Good for you! If you’re like me, painting always (aaaaaalways) involves paint being splattered on my clothes. No matter how careful I am!

I used to dig in my closet for the oldest shirt I could find and just realize it would be relinquished to the trash after I was through painting. But one time I was painting our bee boxes and hated to ruin a shirt – even an old one – just because I needed to paint. So I got to thinking…

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16 Favorite Bread Recipes All In One Place!

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

With the buying frenzy going on in many of our grocery stores these days, more and more people are having difficulty finding fresh bread. The good news is – bread can be very easy to make, even for the novice baker!

There’s a traditional light & fluffy sandwich bread, or a simple recipe for a bread machine. Heck, there’s even mix-n-pour beer bread. I thought I’d share a list of our favorite bread recipes. The links are included in each title. And there’s something for every baking skill…

Come see all our favorite bread recipes in one easy-to-read list. Traditional bread, tortillas, biscuits and more! #TexasHomesteader

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Garden Update: March

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by Texas Homesteader ~

Spring is almost here, y’all! I’ve been both planning on as well as working in my garden already. I’ve had a system in place for years for keeping weeds and grass out of my garden’s walkways, but now I actually have something to keep grass & weeds out of the planting rows too. Less weeding? Yes please! Plus it will still help to conserve moisture & also attract earthworms. SCORE! All garden goodness right there!

See what’s going on in our garden this month…

It's only March, but there's LOTS going on both in preparation of as well as in the garden. Come see what we're doing. #TexasHomesteader

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A Day On The Homestead – Social Distancing Edition

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by Texas Homesteader~
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Times are uncertain. This COVID-19 scare has us all taking precautions. Our state and local authorities have advised that we stay away from public places. It’s recommended that we practice social distancing to flatten the curve of new cases.

For RancherMan & me, that may look different than other folk’s social distancing. Come along and see what a day on the Homestead looks like during this time.

It's been recommended we all practice social distancing for a while to keep everyone healthy. Come see what a day on the homestead looks like. #TexasHomesteader

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How I Make A Healthy, Creamy Salad Dressing In 1 Minute!

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Aaaaah, spring! The trees are turning green, daffodils are blooming, and there’s all those fresh greens in the garden for a healthy salad. I LOVE salads! The freshness, the crispness and the healthy aspect of it. To me, it’s like welcoming spring after the long winter season of eating more comfort-foody types of meals.

But ya know, although a healthy food may start out healthy, the health aspect can be changed drastically based on what you add to it. I mean, heck – an apple is about as healthy as it gets. But add flour, sugar, seasonings, butter and a thick buttery crust and it’s an apple pie dessert instead! So I really (really) wanted to make my own healthier yet creamy salad dressing. After doinking around a bit I made a delightful, creamy, healthy and tasty salad dressing that I can just mix together in a minute. And you can’t get a more worthy topping for those fresh greens than that, #amiright??

I wanted a creamy salad dressing, but I wanted it to be healthy. And fresh. And CHEAP. This is the zero-waste recipe I came up with. #TexasHomesteader

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How A Bidet Can Be An Eco Win

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by Texas Homesteader ~
*contains affiliate link 

What with all the toilet paper shortages & such, I’m reading about quite a bit of shopping/stockpiling anxiety for folks out there. But not me. I’d wanted to get a bidet (pronounced bid-day) for a long time. It can replace toilet tissue, and cleans with a gentle stream of water instead.

But it wasn’t toilet paper shortages that made me consider this purchase. Out here we’re on a septic system, so keeping toilet paper out of the system just keeps it healthier and allows us to go longer between times that it must be pumped out. So it can be a cost savings too.

We went paper-towel, paper napkin & paper plate free over a decade ago. Disposables in any of their forms are always shunned here. So a bidet can be an eco win as well.

Plus I’ve heard folks singing the praises of the cleanliness difference between using toilet paper vs. a bidet. So I asked RancherMan if he would research and find the best model for us.

I've wanted a bidet for years. We decided on a model that has dual nozzles and adjustable settings. Installation was fast too. But there's an issue with some toilet seats #TexasHomesteader

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Throwback Thursday: My Favorite Denim Repurpose

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by Texas Homesteader ~

I love all things denim. So it’s lucky for me that I get plenty of denim material to craft with. RancherMan’s hard on his jeans – working cattle, or fencing, or in the shop building or repairing things. I have lots of fun Projects Using Denim from his worn jeans.

But my absolute favorite is my dish carrier. When we go out to eat I carry it into the restaurant with me. With its denim cover & bamboo handles it looks purse-like enough that it doesn’t feel odd carrying it in. I get so many compliments on it! Then after our meal I can place our leftovers into the enclosed dish & bring them home. No wasted food and no crappy flimsy styrofoam container. And to celebrate Throwback Thursday, I’m sharing again how easily I made it.

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Denim Crafts

A Comforting Tradition When Going Through Hardship

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by Texas Homesteader ~

In my family we have a tradition. It’s one that brings comfort again & again. We each have a small cross that we keep with us. The ladies in my family keep it in the lipstick pocket of their jeans. When things get tough in life, we can reach into that pocket, feel that cross and know this comfort:

We do not walk the path alone. God is with us.

I carry a pocket cross with me when going through life's trials. It's brought much comfort. The message on my pocket cross says BELIEVE! #TexasHomesteader

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5 Frugal Things – Raised-Bed Gardening Edition

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

Spring is on the way, y’all! And I’m sure I’m not the only one getting antsy to get in the garden, am I?? LOL.

But as you know, much must still be done before that time comes. There are still lots of preparations to be made first. So this week’s 5 Frugal Things is aaaaaall about saving money with the garden. Come see 5 things I’ve done this week to save some cold, hard cash!

5 Frugal Things - GARDENING EDITION! Come see what I did this week to save money. This week I'm talking all about saving money on gardening. Come see! #TexasHomesteader

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