This week’s freebie pattern to download is the Poppy Motif.

Color Suggestions: Work flowers in 2 shades of red; leaves and stems in 2 shades of green; pot in 2 shades of yellow.

You can download a copy of this pattern here: Gingham Poppy. You’ll find all the details for this pattern series here: Cross Stitch Embroidery Series: Gingham Flowers.

Printing Instructions: Make sure to save the pattern to your computer desktop first (right click, save as…), then open the file on your computer, select “Print”, uncheck anything like “Fit To Page” then print. These will all fit on an 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheet of paper.

If you need help transferring the pattern, see this page: Embroidery Pattern Transfer Tips - Vintage Notes.

There is one last pattern from this series and it will be available next week :). If you like this pattern design, check out the Gingham Fruit Pattern Series, the complete set is available to download.

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Today’s feature is a hot goody from LifeHack.org with 80 How-To Sites Worth Bookmarking:

These eighty sites are the places I turn to when I’m trying to figure out how to accomplish any particular goal. Any time I’m facing a new project, I start searching for how-tos that will help me figure out how other people did similar things and how likely I am to finish the project with all ten fingers still intact. I’ve broken them up into a few different categories, just to help you narrow down what you might be looking for. Some are simply archives full of tutorials. Some are blogs that publish how-tos fairly regularly. Some are just great resource sites. But they all have provided me with the information necessary to carry through on a project.

Of course I had to bump this into today’s slot since Tipnut made the list, I’m-So-Thrilled! You’ll find it in the Sewing and Other ‘Feminine Arts’ section, Thank you!

The full list is packed full of goodies (and include many of my favorites), if you’re going to bookmark a page–This.Is.It. The DIY categories are:

• Every How-To They Can Get Their Hands On
• Become a Technophile in Ten Easy Steps
• Habitat Hacks You Can Live With
• Dining on a DIY Diet
• Sewing and Other ‘Feminine Arts’
• Doing Business Your Way
• Hack Your Wallet and What’s In It
• Get Your Brain to the Optimal Level

Great resource! Please visit the site to review the entire list–it’s a keeper :).

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Pita Filling Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup onion (minced)
1 can chopped water chestnuts (sliced)
1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix

Directions:

• Mix filling well. Store in refrigerator overnight.
• Cut small pitas in half & stuff with chilled filling, serve.

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Today’s feature is from Burda Style with a free pattern for a Hanging Pocket Organizer, this is in the style of an over the door shoe organizer:

A simple and pretty way to reorganize your sewing room, your toiletries, make up whatever it may be. A great solution to hide away all those little objects that occupy each ones life.

You do need to be a member to login and grab the pattern, but membership is free. These are a lot prettier than the plastic shoe organizers, but the downfall is that you can’t see at a glance what’s inside the pockets. Still very useful though!

For ideas on using pocket organizers, see Quick Tip: Utilize The Pantry Door and Organizing Tip: Over the Door Shoe Bags.

Please visit the site to get your copy of the pattern.

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Buying Tips

• This plant usually grows slowly inside a house–purchase a large, more mature plant if possible. If a young plant is your only option, you can still use it for first aid treatments but know it will take a few years to get large.
• Young aloe plants are potent enough to use for first aid treatments, but the more mature plant offers a stronger potency, strength does increase with age.

Growing Tips

• Aloe Vera can be planted indoors or outdoors, but will turn brown in harsh sunlight so plant in indirect light.
• Will freeze, make sure to protect it during frost dangers. Not suitable for wintering over in cold weather zones.
• Will grow faster outside than inside, but definitely makes a good indoor plant.
• Use well-drained sandy potting soil, a good quality commercial potting mix with extra perlite, granite grit, or coarse sand are added is recommended. Cacti and succulent mixes may also be used. Source: Wikipedia: Aloe Vera.

Watering

• Aloe Vera is a succulent, don’t overwater.
• Allow the soil to become fairly dry before watering. Lightly water during winter months since the drying out will be slower.
• If planting in a pot, make sure there is a drainage hole so the water can drain easily.

Repotting

• When the plant is rootbound it will be top heavy and will send out more new shoots or pups, repot.
• Remove new shoots when they are 3 to 4 inches high and replant in their own pots. If you don’t, they will suck life from the mother plant. Signs of this happening: The mother plant will get bright green and spread its leaves horizontally rather than vertically.
• Water the pups well when repotting then don’t water again for about 3 weeks, forcing the new roots to get strong and seek water. They may turn grey or brown initially, this is normal. These make great gifts so give freely!

Symptoms Of Poor Plant Care

• Leaves lie flat instead of upright: usually because of insufficient light.
• Leaves are thin and curled: plant is not being watered enough, it’s using up its own liquid.
• Leaves are brown: too much direct sunlight.
• Very slow growth: High alkaline soil or water; too damp for too long; not enough light; too much fertilizer.

Removing Leaves

• Harvest leaves as you need, the plant wound is quickly sealed and healed. The leaf will not grow back, choose those closest to the ground as they are the most mature and most potent.

Using Aloe Vera For First Aid Treatments

For benefits and home remedies using Aloe Vera in first aid, see How To Heal With Aloe Vera Plants: Tips Guide.

How To Cut A Leaf

• Remove the leaf from the plant with a sharp knife.
• Trim the thorny edges from the severed leaf, then slice the leaf across its width. The inner transparent, gooey gel is ready to be applied directly to the afflicted area. Use generously, it will be absorbed by the skin within several minutes.
• After the gel from the first layer of ruptured cells has run dry, scratch the surface with a clean knife to rupture more cells, releasing more juice. This can be continued until there is nothing but green skin left.

How Long Will A Leaf Last

• Wrap partially used leaves in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate, it will last for days.

Consuming The Plant Directly

• The colorless pulp is tasteless, but first rinse off the bitter yellow sap. Peel the green skin from the pulp, then rinse off the sap with cool water.

Source - More complete notes & tips can be found in the booklet:

The Ancient Egyptian Medicine Plant Aloe Vera Hand Book
Author: Max B. Skousen
Aloe Vera Research Institute (1982)

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Today’s feature is from The Pioneer Woman Cooks with a recipe for Sleepin’ in Omelette, if you’re on a diet or concerned about your arteries–keep moving and don’t look back! From the page:

This is a delicious breakfast-or-shower-or-brunch-or-luncheon casserole that is not only flavorful, it’s disturbingly easy to prepare AND can be made up o 24 hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge until baking time. (GOSH, I’m into the run-ons tonight.) The recipe comes from the annals of my mother’s recipe collection, and I believe it originated in the Junior League cookbook in the town where I grew up.

The recipe is packed with yummy things like chunks of onion rolls, butter (ummm, LOTS OF BUTTER!), chunks of cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, eggs (10!), milk and other tasty goodies. Make this dish the night before and it’s ready to pop into the oven in the morning (after you sleep in of course!).

Please visit the site to grab the recipe and view all the gorgeous pictures.

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