Yesterday was a lazy, kitchen-free day. Yes, there was another trip to a friend's farm for berries for jam and cream for butter, but aside from that the kids and I called an official day-off from putting food by. And we set of to an undisclosed location. A Mystery Wednesday, as it were.
We packed a lunch, grabbed some swimming suits and towels and hit the road. By lunch time we found ourselves in a small "city" less than an hour away and spent the day buying supplies for some wonderful upcycling projects I have up my sleeve and playing at a sprinkler park. (Suggestions for all of these vintage drawers? They are fairly shallow and I have 14. I'd love to hear your ideas.)
And today?
This morning as the sun came up Pete and I harvested some of our herbs (mint, lemon balm, and chamomile) and have them set out to dry in the shade. The rest of the day we'll be inside, making jam and preserving other garden goods until the sun goes down. My fridge is brimming with berries from yesterday and I've got those new Tattler lids to try out for the first time. (We'll be using this recipe for our jam, minus the rhubarb and I'll let you know how I like the lids!)
Hope your today is wonderful as well. Keep cool, northern hemisphere friends!
You sure have been busy. It is good to have had that day off.
Hi Rachel,
I have used old drawers as a chalkboard. Paint the outside whatever color you like then the inside drawer part is chalkboard. Use it for our farmers market too:-)
rachel, what part of the chamomile do you use for tea? i have just been using the blossoms. wondering if you add the greens too? thanks!
Katie,
Just the blossoms but I am hoping that drying them this way will make harversting less time consuming. We will see!
~ Rachel
what is that swimming mechanism you are in??? i love drawers used as shelves, just mounted right onto the wall. but 14 is a lot!!
Arrrgh… I keep losing my comments!
Do you have any tried and true recipes for tea/icea tea using mint from the garden? I have a bunch of chocolate mint, and just dried some and put it in the freezer. I also want to give some as a gift with a recipe.
I have always wanted to put drawers on wheels (castors?) and use them as under-bed, under-couch, under-wherever storage (here’s an example:http://www.flickr.com/photos/postroadvintage/5110901004). I also like the idea of using them as shadow box-y displays, alone or grouped together.
Here’s a cute idea for a dollhouse: http://www.neatorama.com/neatobambino/2011/06/16/from-dresser-drawer-to-dollhouse/drawer-dollhouse/.
You could use the drawers on the wall as display shelves/cubbies: http://pinterest.com/pin/4869776/
or forward-facing bookshelves: http://pinterest.com/pin/35064285/
A magnetic version – so cute!!
http://pinterest.com/pin/16717258/
I am also interested in your mint recipes. I have tons of mint and am not sure what to do with it. Do you just dry it, store it in jars and use it in tea? Thanks! Any secrets to drying it? I have grown herbs for a long time, but usually use them fresh and do not dry them so I am flummoxed by the mint!
Sounds like a FANTASTIC day!
What about having Pete build a frame for the drawers, and then using the “dresser” to store craft material, dried herbs, pantry goods, or whatever else? I see an organizational GOLDMINE! 🙂
Or something like this: http://behomemade.com/furniture-rescue/drawer-wall-storage/ (I was thinking much the same, but built into a frame to hold them vs. “floating”
My best idea for your drawers is here: Cutest dollhouse for your daughter, EVER!!!
I am a silent reader of your blog…but I had to comment on this!!!
Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Julie
Hi Julie,
Do you have a link to a version you like? Someone else posted one too. Thanks so much! ~ Rachel
So cool. Thanks Casey. ~ Rachel
Love it! Longing for more wall space in my wide-open house! ~ Rachel
This was kind of what I was thinking. Thank you Zazzy! Rachel
Sounds sweet, Julie. Thanks!
Rachel
Whoa! I imagined them mounted flat, but sticking out it cool too. Thanks Casey.
Rachel
Julie,
I always dry it for tea. The flavor is better. For use cold I mash it with a mortar and pestle or roll it between my hands and cover with cold water. So wonderful. Or try fresh mint and lime juice in fizzy water with a pinch of stevia for a virgin mojito. To dry your mint snip the sprigs, bundle and hang to dry. Then crumble off the stem into your jars. I dried my last batch on an arch of garden fence which worked well also. Does this help?
Hugs,
Rachel
All wonderful! Thanks Zazzy.
~ Rachel
Wonderful! Thanks for the dollhouse link. I dig it. For mint iced tea start with dry mint and make sun tea. Use quite a bit though so you have good flavor. We love fresh mint mashed (between hands, roll vigorously or pound with a mortar and pestle) and infused into water. Soooo good.
Rachel
Marni,
It is a wood-fired hot tub that Pete and I built when Sage was a toddler. Here is a link to their website. http://snorkel.com/ We love it.
~ Rachel
Lovely! Thanks Suzanne.
~ Rachel