Giveaway: Natural Linens Ticking Towels & Napkins

By now you may be aware of my love for cloth towels and napkins. (If not, feel free to catch up by reading HERE - we use them exclusively now, not just once a week.) You, too? Or perhaps you'd like to begin your journey toward reusable linens. Either way, you'll want to check out Natural Linens Eco-Friendly products made from 100% organic GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified cotton.

And what a blessing that Carmen at Natural Linens is offering a giveaway for a lovely set of two hand towels along with a set of 8 napkins... all in a lovely blue ticking! Be still my heart!

The hand towels would grace any home, either in the kitchen, a guest bath, at the dinner table in a large bread basket, or even as an accent in a creative display. But keep in mind... they are made to work and can be used every day. Finished in a rustic serged edging, the blue ticking looks great with almost any decor from shabby chic to French country.

I can just imagine a summer table set with these napkins, interspersed with white dishes or enamelware and bright yellow sunflowers. Definitely an alfresco affair to remember!

But why just use them for special events? Why not create a home-culture that includes lovely linens? The blue ticking would be perfect for every day. And let's face it... the men in our life might adapt more readily to blue stripes as opposed to something floral. I think these are a win-win for any home!

If stripes aren't your thing, be sure to shop Natural Linens' Etsy store for their Birdseye Unbleached organic cotton products. These items come unadorned, but if you wanted to add a creative touch, they're the perfect blank slate for creating personalized items. A little fabric painted strawberry on a hand towel, perhaps some bright orange carrots with green tops on napkins, or how about a hand stamped initial in fabric ink on the Natural Linens handkerchiefs?

I've been using Carmen's Natural Linens for some time, and I am impressed by their ability to look fresh even after heavy use. The natural color seems to hide a lot of discoloration and dinginess I typically get on all-white cloths. And they do hold up! At just over $1 each, their un-paper towels are economical enough for you to give them a try. (2 un-paper towels cost about the same as a roll of disposable paper towels, but they last MUCH longer!)

*NOTE: As with most 100% cotton products, ironing is necessary if you want a wrinkle free look. However, it is up to you and many people just hand press has they line dry their natural linens.

Natural Linens has several items in their product line. Click one of the links and check out their Etsy store or website and see for yourself! And then be sure to come back and enter the giveaway!

Winner: Thy Hand Hath Provided Cookbook!

Thank you so much for a wonderful response to Jane Bryan's Cookbook giveaway! Sounds like a lot of us want more recipes from scratch and canning tips. For three blessed winners, they'll soon receive a copy in the mail...

Congratulations...

Lulu Banbullzull 

Kimmie Annie 

Melissa Tippie 

Please email me with your mailing address as soon as possible because I know you'll be excited to get your cookbook!

Don't forget... Wedding "season" is fast approaching and Jane's cookbook would make a lovely addition to a bridal shower gift. I'm thinking a cookbook with any of the following...

• pie plate and rolling pin
• water bath canning set
• salad bowl, salad tongs, salad spinner
• casserole dish and oven mitts
• cookie sheet, jelly roll pan, cookie scoop

You get the idea. Be creative and come up with your own combo gift. And why not keep a couple of extra copies on hand for last minute gifts? It's nice to have something ready in the wings. You can purchase her cookbook right HERE!

Happy cooking!

Give Away: Thy Hand Hath Provided COOKBOOK!

As I type this post, I've just finished a wonderful dish of Coconut Curry Lentils over rice (p. 53). Thanks to Jane at Thy Hand Hath Provided, I now have a recipe that totally satisfies my curry craving whenever I want! My husband said at least twice tonight "It's a keeper", meaning he really likes the dish and definitely wants it again - a high compliment as he is quite the foodie!

I've admired cookbook author Jane Bryan and her culinary skills for some time now. She grows most of her own food and is an avid canner. What makes her stand out is the fact that she actually uses all the food she puts up (in either the pantry or the freezer) in recipes all year long. It doesn't just sit on the shelf looking pretty. Wasting it would not fit her philosophy of food nor giving (read more about her family's journey to Eating Simply In Order to Give).

While many like the idea of the farm to table fad, this is truly how Jane's family lives... it sustains them; nourishing while warming the soul with most meals having traveled only as far as the garden to the table, only a few yards away. 

Another thing I learned from Jane is how to think in multiples. For example, she has a very nice pie crust recipe (p. 86) which she makes in large batches and freezes. By doing this, she is able to make a quick meal or dessert without having to stop and make the crust. I like that the recipe incorporates whole wheat flour along with the white and it's actually written out in the cookbook to make 9-11 pie crusts for both sweet and savory dishes. 

Pie Crusts (p. 86)

Table of Contents

Preface
Breakfast & Brunch
breads, Muffins, & Rolls
Salads & Dressings
Soups, Stew, Chowder, & Chili
Vegetarian Main Dishes
Main Dishes
All Kinds of Sides
Pies
Cakes & the Like
Bars & Cookies
More Sweets
Drinks & Sauces
Preserving: Canning Help
Preserving: Canning Recipes
Preserving: Freezing
Resources
Index
Equivalents & Substitutions

What You Won't Find

These recipes are almost entirely "from scratch", so you won't see a bunch of "can of _______" or "cream of ________ soup" unless it's a canning jar holding something from the garden or a slightly more exotic ingredient such as coconut milk. Occasionally there is a box of Jello or a prepackaged cornbread mix, but these can easily be substituted for those who wish to avoid using anything from a box. There are a few recipes that occasionally call for shortening (something I personally do not use much, but again, substitutions may be made). 

Summer & Fall Pesto Pasta Salad (p. 44)

You also won't find ultra difficult recipes that require the home chef to have a culinary arts degree. For example, the Coconut Curry Lentils was an easy dish that required only two pots with an additional pot for the rice. Cleanup was very modest. On the other hand, the flavor was 5 STAR! I felt like I got a LOT of bang for my buck with this dish (so to speak).

There are plenty of basic dishes as well, but mostly in the canning section, where you WANT basics in order to use them in other recipes later on. But make no mistake about it, there are plenty of twists on old favorites such as Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 126). WOW! Sounds good, doesn't it!

Please note this book is chock full of recipes, not photos. However, Jane does have an extensive list of recipes on her blog with many great pictures. The advantage to having the cookbook is:

a) so many recipes in one location
b) something to carry around the kitchen while you're cooking (computers aren't so handy at that)
c) a resource for making notes in the margins
d) her canning & preserving notes
e) great material for curling up in bed and planning future meals!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

(please note, this recipe is on her blog, not the cookbook)

What You Will Find

If you've followed Jane's blog, you know she is a rare jewel. This gal walks the talk. And these recipes reflect how her family eats every day. Based on this cookbook, I'd say they're eating well and enjoying some great meals and lovely treats!

Because Jane consistently puts food up in jars or the freezer, she has included a section for each with foods her family preserves. For those getting started or wanting to know her particular methods, these pages will be an welcome addition.

Basic Tomato Sauce (p. 160)

Update 2/23/13: For clarification, please note that some recipes contain refined sugar and white flour. In most cases, easy substitutions may be made such as sucanat for sugar, soft white wheat (for pastries) or hard white wheat for other recipes.

I confess, my favorite thing about Jane's cookbook... her pasta and pizza recipes. Spring is right around the corner and as soon as asparagus is in season, I'm making this dish...

Pasta with Asparagus, White Beans, & Mint (p. 43)

Meet Jane...

Jane Bryan is a Christian (Mennonite) stay at home and homeschooling mom of three and wife to "pharmer" Jamey (gardener/pharmacist).  As a family, their goal is to bring glory to God by living simply in order to give while striving to eat food in it's purer forms - without pesticides, chemicals, and the necessity of miles and miles of transportation.

"The bounty of all good food available to us is overwhelming in a world where so many are hungry." ~ Jane Bryan

If you'd like to know more about Jane of Thy Hand Hath Provided, please visit her blog to find out "Why We Do What We Do" or read her interview with me on the Homestead Tour from August 2010.

Enter To Win a Cookbook!

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of the Thy Hand Hath Provided Recipes & Preserving Cookbook, all you have to do is click on the options below. Jane is hosting 2 copies so at the end of next week, Punch Tab will randomly select 2 different winners!

UPDATE 2/25/13: Jane has graciously offered to give away a THIRD cookbook! Why not order one for yourself and if you win, give one as a gift to a fellow homesteader, a new bride, or someone struggling to cook from scratch? Spread the blessings...

Preparedness Challenge 2012 Grand Finale!

Welcome to the Preparedness Challenge! Each month of 2012 USA Emergency Supply has generously hosted a great give away to encourage families to set something aside to prepare for a time of emergency or the unexpected.

I've been so excited to see how many of you have been preparing. And although link ups on here have been down a bit (due more to my lack of promotion probably than anything else), overall, I'm hearing and seeing more and more people taking preparedeness seriously. 

Recently Jamie Lee Curtis was on a late night show and brought her Bug-Out bag with her to show viewers. Nice, Jamie! It took some courage to "come out" and share that she's a prepper, too! 

Toni at A Bowl Full of Lemons has just launched her new Emergency Preparedness E-Book... Way to go, Toni! Yesterday, she started the first week of her 8 week Emergency Preparedness Program, so you're just in time to get started with her! I  haven't had an opportunity to view the e-book yet, but it's got a lot of printables as well... LIKE that. I think it's going to be great as she's VERY organized.

Todd at Prepper Website launched his FREE new journal this past month called The Preparedness Review, with some awesome articles. I was very excited to be included in his publication as well as his featured December Website of the Month (should be posted next week right here so check back if you want to see some fun answers to the questions he asked me!). If you haven't read the Journal, you need to click the link above and download it... the publication is free and full of great information. 

Finally, I want to say a H.U.G.E. thank you to Justin at USA Emergency Supply for so faithfully supporting the Preparedness Challenge all year long with such wonderful give-away items! He has a huge heart for this and has been extremely generous... please take a minute to stop by his website today and just say "thank you" for supporting families getting prepared. 

Speaking of give-aways...


Last month's give away winner is...

Langela @

Langela won the bucket toilet with deodorant and digester! Congrats, Langela! Email me when you get a chance, please.

This month's give-away...

As a grand finale to our 2012 Preparedness Challenge, USA Emergency Supply is offering an End-Of-The-Year Blast for our give-away...

Wondermill Junior Deluxe

Value $219!

What an amazing give-away item! Woo hoo! Someone is going to be VERY happy with this mill. Rather than me tell you all about it here, please take a quick cyber-jump to see the details of this item for yourself. Can you imagine how handy this would be in an emergency?

How I Met The Challenge!

• Food Storage:  I added some awesome organic walnuts to my food storage from Fillmore Farms, as well as lots of canned tomato products, rice, and beans.

• Emergency Preparedness: I set up a family medical notebook which has all our most important medical information all in one place, including copies of major tests, etc. (More details on that to come in a later post, I hope).

• Sustainable Living: I scored big in this department... 3 commercial truck loads of wood chips for the garden for only $50! I'm talking a HUGE pile! I think I'm finally set for getting the garden Back to Eden. I also acquired another book... The Apple Grower by Michael Phillips. I'm considering a small orchard out back and this book focuses on doing that organically. 

Join the Challenge & Enter The Give Away

I'm doing things a bit differently for our Grand Finale... using Punch Tab to record your entries (see below). I am just asking that you please do not participate unless you can comment and tell at least one thing you did this month to be prepared. And please pass along this post and share the give-away. Helping a friend or another blogger take up the challenge could someday save a life. We're in this together, friends!

Winner: Natural Linens Eco Towels

Thanks to everyone who entered the Natural Linens Eco Towel Give-Away and visited their website this past week! Sounds like a lot of us are ready to ditch at least SOME of the paper towels if not all. I know my family is cutting WAY back... we've taken another step forward in becoming more sustainable.

I do hope you'll keep NATURAL LINENS in mind when you do a bit of shopping during the Christmas season. Their products would make great stocking stuffers! Handkerchiefs for the guys, lavender sachets for the girls, reusable organic cotton coffee filters for the coffee connoisseur... definitely something for everyone!

Congratulations to our winner...

#1249... 

Farmstress Maggie!

Thanks to Natural Linens for introducing us to such a wonderful product and hosting a fun give-away!

  

Give-Away: Natural Linens

I've been planning to do this give-away for some time and I must say... I am so glad to show off this product to you! Carmen at Natural Linens sent me some of her re-usable Eco Towels and I've had plenty of time to give them a thorough work out in our home and "kick the tires", so to speak. And I have NOT been disappointed.

There's a lot of talk about switching from paper towels to something more sustainable, something that lasts a lot longer. And while our family made the switch to cloth napkins with relative ease, we were struggling in the paper towel department. Honestly, it just wasn't happening.

This is the country. The Southwest in fact. Can you say DUST and DIRT? Think old western movies and you're on the right track. Yes, I live in the mountains where there is a bit more vegetation, but it's still high desert territory and boy do we have the dirt to prove it! (I gave up on the floors a long time ago!) So you can imagine that a paper towel that I can throw away is so much more appealing when wiping up dirt and grime. But here's what I found...

The Eco Towels actually worked better!

How's that possible? Well, in a nut shell...

• they last longer before I have to get a new one (even though they are smaller in size)
• they can be easily rinsed out and used again (in certain applications)
• they are able to get in crevices that the paper towels can't because they're thin and pliable
• they are tougher than their paper counterpart
• they are lint free and don't leave bits of fiber behind

And cleaning them? A piece of cake. These are so small, I just throw them in with my other kitchen towels (I typically use hot water for these) and they take up very little room. I've not had to do any extra loads. Whether they're hung dried or dried in the dryer, they do about the same, but they will shrink a bit in the dryer. You can see a comparison below of one new one with one washed and dried in the dryer (on top of the new one).

Here's an example of some of the dirt on a couple (I really did use these)...

And after washing... the edges curl a bit, but it really doesn't bother me as much as I thought it might. If you hand press these as they come out of the washer and THEN hang them up (something that doesn't typically happen with kids helping), then they might do better for you. Certainly doesn't change their effectiveness.

To get the most out of one cloth, I use a technique I learned from reading Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell and The Clean Team.

Fold into fourths. Use one side. Flip it over and use the other side...

Next, unfold it ONCE (see brown heart sticker so you have an idea of where the original side is in each photo)...

And then fold it back on itself.



Use both of these sides and then open it up completely.

Fold the dirty sides so that they are on the inside and repeat the steps above.

With paper towels, I never fold like this... I just wad them up and use them and then throw them away, so not every part of the towel is used. Not nearly as frugal in terms of usage.

So how does one really transition from paper towels to cloth?

Hide the paper towels for a while. Or stop buying them for a period of time.

Seriously. And get a big basket or large bowl or some other container, and fill it with lots of Eco Towels so they're handy and ready to go whenever anyone needs to wipe a spill, clean a window, or wash a dish (and yes, they can be used as wash cloths - no need for two products!). I also like to have a second basket in the laundry room so family members can toss them in there when they've used one up.

One more thing I want to mention... I liked the off white color a lot. Typically, I buy lots of those cheap white wash cloths some place like Target or KMart and we use these in the kitchen as wash cloths. But they get so stained and dingy. The Eco Towels seem to have that natural ecru color and they just look better for this kind of heavy use.

I think the hardest thing you'll have to over come is the fact that you may be accustomed to a thicker towel, but being thinner allows you to get into places you normally can't. You really need to buy a set and find out just how well they really do work. The price point on these is only about $1.10-$1.15 per towel, which makes them very affordable, especially since you don't have to throw them away after one use!

If you REALLY want to go green and stop the waste, then you really should consider Natural Linens Eco Towels! Just think... it's a great way to prep for a possible long term crisis when paper towels will dry up on the grocery store shelves. Maybe you should get more than one set!

Give-Away Ends: Monday, November 19!

* Note: Due to the number of entries on recent give-aways, I'm switching to Punch Tab to help manage it all. You can enter below by signing in via facebook or your email. 

Winner: BOGS Boot Giveaway!

Today is the day! After more than a week of drooling over BOGS and dreaming about them in our sleep, someone will be the very blessed recipient of a pair of wonder shoes! (Ahem... yes, they ARE wonderful!).

Reading through as many of the 884 comments as I could, several of you already know what I'm talking about when I say BOGS are the best! I wish you all could be winners, but alas, they would not be able to remain in business.

Friends, I know you're a frugal bunch and you like a good deal, just like me! Some articles are best bought at the thrift store. Other things, the dollar store. A few products are even worth purchasing at full retail price. Then there are those items that are the backbone of a well run homestead. Your physical strength and stamina, your joints, your FEET!

I know BOGS are not your discounted version of muck boots or even clearance rack wellies. But you need to view these as an investment in your homestead. Need I say more?

Trust me... your whole body will thank you!

Just ask Nana-Bob, cause she's going to be sporting a new pair of the classic high Tuscany's and she can tell you just how great they are!

{smiling}

{thinking to myself... did Nana-Bob just catch that? Is she jumping up and down doing a happy dance?}

YES... Nana-Bob!! YOU WON!! Woo hoo!!

Congrats!

Give Away: BOGS!

Oh, friends... this is one A.W.E.S.O.M.E. give-away today! If you've never seen these before, let me introduce you to BOGS...

BOGS Plimsoll Tall Boot

My new pair arrived last month and I couldn't be more pleased! These aren't my first BOGS. Up until about 3 years ago, I had been wearing my tennis shoes for gardening and they just weren't working for me. Dirt would get inside my shoes and my feet ached terribly. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if I was going to be able to continue gardening for many more years. That's when it occurred to me that if I was going to garden seriously, I needed some serious shoes for the job! 

Once I started wearing BOGS, I really didn't give my feet another thought. Seems like I could go the entire day... my feet didn't wear out until the rest of me did. I'm not exaggerating... I think I felt about 10 years younger after a gardening session! And instead of dreading outside work, I looked forward to it more and more.

Several garden seasons came and went and along with it, the colder weather. Thankfully, my feet stayed relatively cool in the summer and warm in the winter (I always wear socks with my BOGS because I noticed my feet get a bit sticky inside if I don't and they're harder to pull off). Because snow would sometimes get in through the top of my boot, I recently selected a higher boot for winter wear. 

I love the red stripe on this pair... for some reason the green reminds me of a pair of vintage wellies! And check out the cute lining...

 

Here's the deal... They claim they're the most comfortable work boot around...

Yep. I'd have to agree. Friends, there are a lot of boots out there that look cute, but that won't matter a bit if your feet are killing you! Recently I had my arches evaluated and turns out, they're pretty high. No problem here because BOGS have GREAT support. And they're not flimsy around the ankles either. As long as I wear socks, they're a breeze to get on and off with their built in side handles... almost every model has them, they just look a bit different depending on the style.

No matter what we're doing, BOGS work for us so we can work the homestead. Cleaning out the animal quarters, in the garden, hauling wood... sometimes I forget I have them on only to realize I'm cooking in them! And one more thing I really want to mention... they REALLY hold up to the work. I've worn my first pair almost every single day for the last 3 years and they're STILL going strong.

Enter the Give-Away!
* Open to USA residents only!

BOGS is offering one very fortunate Homestead Revival reader a pair of BOGS of the winner's choice! In other words, if you win, you get to choose! So you need to get over there and pick a pair that you like...

1. Visit BOGS and check out their line of great boots and shoes. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me which style and color makes your heart sing (and will make your feet happy)! If you do not have an active blog, be sure to leave your email address!

UPDATE: Please allow time for your comment to be visible before you repost; typically comments will not appear right away!

2. To enter a second time, share this give-away on Facebook, including any photo from this post, and a link back to Homestead Revival. Then leave a comment telling me you've done so.

3.  One more chance? Sure... "LIKE" BOGS Facebook page and leave me a comment telling me.

This give-away ends Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PST. 

THIS GIVE-AWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Disclosure notice: BOGS sent me the pair of green boots in the photos above to review, however... 

all opinions in this post are my own and I would not hesitate to buy another pair!