St. Patty's day is tomorrow, so to celebrate I thought I'd include a yummy recipe for Irish Soda Bread! I found this recipe online, but it's not only pretty easy but one of my favorite simple bread recipes. It is beyond yummy when made with stew or Welsh Rarebit!! ... [ Read More ]
Tips for an Old-Fashioned Family Night
Technology can be incredibly useful and entertaining, but it's easy to become over-reliant on it. When was the last time your family sat down for a good old-fashioned family dinner and evening of entertainment that didn't involve a screen? Taking time to let your family reconnect is important, and that means stepping away from technology and having a good old-fashioned family night! Here are some tips for making the most out of your family evening together and for getting your whole family on ... [ Read More ]
The Dreaded Leftovers: Tips for Using What You Have
You'd be amazed at how much food gets thrown away in America every day simply because people don't know how to use leftovers. One of our members recently posted a link that was all about using leftovers, and I couldn't help but think what a great topic! So, I thought today I'd pass along some of my tips to avoid throwing away food. Plan a leftover night - This is my No.1 secret to not wasting leftovers. When you're planning out your weekly meals, set aside one night that is just for ... [ Read More ]
Daylight Saving Time
Unless you live in Arizona or Hawaii, then you're probably still feeling the effects of Daylight Saving Time (DST), which officially started at 2 a.m. on Sunday and pushed all clocks in the United States forward an hour. As I was groggily crawling out of bed this morning I couldn't help but think: Why on Earth do we use Daylight Saving Time? What started it all? So, being a curious sort of person I looked it up and was rather surprised. When I was a kid, someone told me that Daylight Saving ... [ Read More ]
Planting Zones
March is finally here, which means that if you haven't already got your gardening together, it's a great time to start! It's sometimes hard to think about spring and growing things when you're still shoveling snow outside, but believe me--you'll thank yourself later! Whether you live in the South, where the cold months are likely nearing their end, or in the North, where you've still got a few months to go, it's good to have an idea of when to get your garden going, and that's what the map ... [ Read More ]
Best Free Cross Stitch Patterns
In some of my earlier guides for cross stitching, I mentioned that while there are plenty of beautiful patterns that you can purchase, you can actually find a lot of patterns for free with just a little bit of searching. Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite sites for free cross stitching patterns with you! Each of these sites have different kinds of patterns and all of them are available for download in PDF format. Here are some of my favorites: DMC Free Patterns - These ... [ Read More ]
Cross Stitch Pattern Walkthrough
Last Friday, I posted a brief introduction to the wonderful world of cross stitch. I have a passion for handmade crafts, and needlework in particular is something I've always enjoyed. Cross stitch is one of those super relaxing crafts that doesn't require all that much thought and you can make just about anything. The above image is the pattern I'm going to walk you through today. It's actually the first part of a homemade baby shower gift I'm working on, and once the little guy is born I ... [ Read More ]
Beginner Basic Cross Stitch Tutorial
I love cross stitch. Maybe it spawns from an interest in old-fashioned skills and needlwork, or maybe it's because I have so many fond memories of watching my mother sit in her comfy rocking chair in the evenings, working on some needlework craft or other. Either way, I have a deep love of cross stitch, and I wanted to share with you a brief tutorial on this old-fashioned hobby! Cross stitch is one of the oldest forms of embroidery and cross stitch samplers like the one shown above have been ... [ Read More ]
Tips for Urban/Apartment Homesteading
A lot what we discuss on Old Fashioned Families is the more traditional kind of homesteading--meant for those who are living on their own plot of land, usually a little ways away from the city. But there are many different kinds of homesteading, and living out in the country isn't necessary to be considered a homesteader! Today, I wanted to share some tips with you about becoming an urban or apartment homesteader. It's not quite the same as if you owned your own farm, but don't be ... [ Read More ]
5 Natural Ways to Relieve Stress
In this day and age, I think that everyone is a little stressed. Whether it's the little everyday things that just pile up, work-related stress, financial issues or anything else, stress can be extremely bad for your health--both mental and physical. While there are plenty of drugs and things that one can take to reduce anxiety and stress, I personally prefer home remedies and natural health for things like this. Don't get me wrong--modern medicine has its place, but I think ... [ Read More ]