Growing up in the mountains of Tennessee, I was blessed with an amazing mother! As a little girl, I was convinced that my mama could do anything-cook, sew, crochet, embroider, garden, lay linoleum, and even drive my daddy’s log truck! As an adult, I looked back on my school pictures and noticed that in almost every photo, I was wearing something my mama had made. A big part of that was because we could not afford new clothes, and she could make anything in the latest styles. Along the way, she taught me how to do so many things. I started embroidering at the age of 8, and when I was 12, she helped me make my first quilt!

I was also blessed with incredible grandmothers. I always remember my maternal grandmother working on a quilt with quilting frames in the back of her living room. We grandchildren would often play beneath the quilt while she and some of her sisters were quilting. My paternal grandmother was a remarkable cook whose yeast rolls and chocolate chess pies were still being talked about many years after her passing! In 2000, just before my Grandma passed, I started making yeast breads and rolls to carry on the family tradition, and I was quickly designated the “roll maker” for all family gatherings!

As my children grew and played sports, I grew as a cook and a planner. I learned early on the necessity of planning our meals a week in advance. As both my husband and I were educators who grew up poor, we lived frugally. All those years of meal planning and frugal living have taught me that families can eat well without breaking the budget!

When my children were small, I didn’t always have time for my hobbies. Now as my youngest is about to finish high school, I am once again crocheting, embroidering, quilting, and now making personal care products! Of course, I am still cooking for my family since feeding people seems to be my love language!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll find some new recipes you want to try, but you might also find some soap, lotion bars, face scrubbies, or another product you want to try! Enjoy!