Lehman's Country Life

When many of us think of Easter, we think of the Easter bunny, candy, pretty dresses, and the endless varieties of egg dye kits.  Every year we go and buy dyes to color our eggs and a few of us actually manage to use it on the eggs.  Why not shake things up a bit this year?  You have everything you need to dye eggs in your refrigerator, freezer or pantry.  Some time and imagination are all you need.  Plus, this means extra money in your pocket for other important things like chocolate bunnies or jelly beans.  So, go grab the kids and let’s get started.
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Chocolate and roses are two words that seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly.  They are the old stand-by for a romantic gift and can be a very expensive purchase.  What if there was a way to combine them together into a gift that didn’t put a dent in your wallet but still showed you cared?  Well, there is.  Kiss roses make special and unique gifts that don’t cost a fortune.

Begin the process by gathering your supplies.  For this project you will need:  floral stems, floral tape, foiled Hershey Kisses, plastic wrap, ribbon for roses, and foliage (optional).

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No matter who you are, we all have a pair. It’s those beloved old jeans that don’t fit anymore, or have more holes than fabric. They sit in the drawer because we can’t bear to part with them. Well, now you don’t have to. Turn your old favorite pair of jeans into a functional purse that you can use every day.

Your supplies for this project are simple:  old jeans, decoration – rhinestones, beads, etc – a sewing machine or needle and thread, and scissors.  Now let’s bring new life to an old pair of jeans.
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The holidays mean many different things to people and for most of us, one of those things is a pile of holiday cards.  You receive them from family, friends, neighbors and businesses.  Most of us will run out of room for all of these cards long before the season is over.  A holiday card arch is a clever and beautiful way to display all of your cards without taking up extra space.

Building this arch is a fairly simple project.  You can find the supplies you need at your local home improvement store.  For this project you will need:
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We come across cotton everyday in our homes, at the stores and even at work. Our lives are intertwined with this fiber and most of us never think twice about it. What most people don’t know is that there are many different kinds of cotton. Cotton is grown all over the world and is a part of everyday life.

Scientists exploring in Mexico first found bits of cotton bolls and cotton cloth, in Mexican caves, that were aged at least 7,000 years old. The cotton itself was found to be much like the cotton that is grown in America today. Cotton was being grown, spun, and woven into cloth in Pakistan in 3,000 years BC. Around this time natives of the Nile valley in Egypt were making and wearing cotton clothing. In about 800 AD, Arab merchants brought cotton cloth to Europe. Columbus found cotton growing in the Bahamas Islands when he traveled to the Americas.
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The family farm has been a vital image in the American consciousness for centuries. The thought of a rural barn raising creates a picture of community spirit. Many American farm families can look at their barns as links to the past. A barn raising shows the strength of a community in more than riches. These old barns are community landmarks and make the past, the present.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, barns were essential structures for the farm. They stored the hay and housed the horses and cattle, which were an inseparable part of farming. The barn was usually the first structure to be built when a family moved to a new area and it was also the largest and most expensive. The community would get together and help build the barn so that the family could start their farm and the community could prosper.
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Fall is on its way and school is back in session. Keeping school papers and other household paper work organized is a challenge.  I myself have already misplaced papers that my daughter needed for school. There are many options out there to help keep us organized but many just look boring or utilitarian (and some cost a small fortune). A simple paper box that you design and create yourself can be an excellent way to store important papers in one place and show your personality at the same time.

Gather all of your supplies together before you begin. You will need: heavyweight drawing paper, cut into one 10 5/8-inch square and one 11-inch square; scissors; Crayons or markers; glitter glue, stickers or stamps; Paints and brushes.
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As fall is beginning to move in, afternoons are focused on the famous after-school snack.  Afternoon snacks are important to school age children because many have eaten lunch in late morning and their systems are ready to crash.  To children of the preschool age, daily snacks are even more important and can be a challenge.  Many preschoolers get as much as one-third of their total daily calories from snacks.  It is almost impossible for kids to get all the nutrients they need in just three meals.   Some easy tips, recipes
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As the days of summer are drawing to an end, many of us will still be wondering what we are going to do with all those shells that followed us home from the beach.  One great craft to do with them, especially if you have kids, is to make shell spoons.  These handcrafted spoons can become a memorable keepsake or add some whimsical fun to mealtime.

Your materials for this project are quite simple.  Begin by choosing shells that are “spoon-shaped”, have bright colors, and interesting designs.  Wash your shells thoroughly to remove all sand and beach grime. 
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Along with summer come days spent working outside, lounging by the pool, and enjoying picnics and barbeques.It also begins an ancient battle between human and yellow jacket.We know these brightly colored warriors by sight but what do we really know about them?Let us find out because they say that knowing is half the battle.
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