Home Teaching

Nope, not "Home Schooling"..."Home Teaching". This has been a homemaking week (per Pumpkin's request). The first project was learning how to preserve corn (after a wonderful woman dropped off three HUGE bags of field corn). Pumpkin was intent on being a "big helper" and did pretty good (until a caterpillar bit her...then she wanted nothing to do with the corn after she stripped the husk off of it).

How to preserve corn by freezing:

Step 1:  Strip the cob of the husk and snap off the nasty end:

Step 2: Boil the corn:

Step 3: Cut the kernels off of the cob (I couldn't accomplish this safely and take a picture at the same time, sorry!).

Step 4: Put in plastic bags (if you don't have some nifty freezer boxes like I've been lusting after) and cover with a salt & sugar solution (1 tsp. each per pint of water).

Step 5: Push all the air out of the bags, lay flat and freeze.

With fall coming before we know it, we'll be through these bags in just a couple of weeks...we love our tortilla soup!

Our second project was requested by Pumpkin herself. She loves her Littlest Pet Shop critters (btw...some of the BEST traveling toys we have come across!) and wanted to make some stuffed Littlest Pet Shop. 

Step 1: Draw the design. She started out by drawing a picture of what she wanted, and I showed her how to divide up the sections (she wanted ears of a different color) and add a seam allowance.

Step 2: Pick out the fabric. I had a couple of boxes of fabric gifted to me and it proved to be a treasure trove for this project. 

Step 3: Cut out the pattern pieces. 

Step 4: Layout and pin.

Step 5: Sew! 

I try to teach "make do with what you have"...turns out, a cooler 

and the bathroom stool work great as a sewing table at this age!

The project isn't finished yet. Once it is, I'll post up some more pictures. If we're still here in a month, Pumpkin should be able to enter it into the fair...something we haven't been able to do the last couple of years because of our travels. Pumpkin is hopeful and excited!