Emerging from the bat cave

I’ve announced the winners at the bottom of this post.  Thank you to everyone who left me a comment!

I’m emerging from the “Bat Cave” once again, able to catch my breath and get back to blog posting.  For the last three weeks, I’ve been in “design mode”.  My friends know not to text me, call me or drop by during this design process because I’m not good company.  If you haven’t read about my pattern design process you can read about it here.  Nothing changes about this process except the deadlines and what I snack on. I have a “pre-market” fabric line this time so my deadline was today (January 30th).  You’ll be seeing the results of my labor sometime in March or April.

Pantry Organization

I loved all your comments, emails and suggestions in my last post. I’m finally ready to start my pantry organization and I’ve ordered some containers from Amazon.  I ordered one of each item below so I can see how I like them.  What you think of these?

These are all arriving today and I’m anxious to get started!  If you’re thinking about organizing your pantry, I found some wonderful blog posts here, but I still have a few questions for any of you who have tackled a pantry…when you clean your pantry do you take everything out first?  Start one shelf at a time?  Work on one section at a time? And how do you store your pet food (I buy large bags from Chewy)?  Do you keep your general first aid things (like bandaids, cold medications, etc. in your pantry?

Guess what?  If you leave me some suggestions, you’ll be automatically entered in my first giveaway of the year!  I’ll tell you about it at the end of this post.

Anne Cleeves, Shetland Books

I just finished reading Anne Cleeves last book in the Shetland series and I’m onto the Vera Stanhope series.  Thank you to all who told me about the TV series already being available!  I just have a few questions for you:  How are you watching these?  Did you go through Amazon Prime and sign up for Britbox?  Did you pay for a Britbox subscription and is it worth the monthly price?  I plan on watching these on Sunday while my hubby is tuned into the Super Bowl so please let me know.  Any information you leave for me will automatically enter you in my giveaway!

Bunny Hill Giveaway

I’ve rounded up some Country Christmas fabrics for a giveaway and here’s what you could win!  Are you ready?  A Country Christmas Fat Quarter Bundle, or Fat Eighth Bundle.  A Country Christmas Jelly Roll (I have two of these) or a layer cake! Or, a Country Christmas Honey Bun (I have two of these)!

This is a pretty sneaky giveaway because I hope to get some free advice!  I’ll pick some winners in just a few days and announce them right here on this post.  If you can’t think of any “pantry organizing” ideas you can always tell me what you have planned for Super Bowl Sunday!  I live in the San Francisco area so I am surrounded by 49er fans!

Back soon,

Anne

Winners!

1.  The winner of the fat quarter bundle is Karen Seitz who wrote:I hope you make great progress on your projects!  I keep my dog’s dry food in a plastic trash can with lid that I got a million years ago at Crate and Barrel. This one from Ikea looks similar and is steel: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/knodd-bin-with-lid-white-60045656/ The container is on the floor of a closet that acts as extended pantry and small tool storage.  The closet is conveniently located right next to Phoebe’s bowls. :-)

    

2. The winner of my first fat eighth bundle is Karen who wrote:Anne- you may want to consider a subscription to ACORN instead of adding BritBox to your Amazon Prime.  Duplicates almost all the BB offerings plus quite a few others including scads of BBC mysteries ( including Vera) but costs quite a bit less for an annual subscription vs the monthly BB charge. Just another possibility.

    

3. Winner of my second fat eighth bundle is Sharon Treece who wrote:Anne here is a great way to keep the small items close and not lost in all the big stuff.

   https://www.wayfair.com/storage-organization/pdp/rebrilliant-culebra-6-basket-overdoor-organizer-w001312855.html

4. Winner of 1st Jelly Roll is Gayle who wrote:  Sorry I can’t help with organizing your pantry or where to watch the movies😢. But to avoid the football on Sunday, I will be starting the “ABC’S of life for grandbaby #6. Yes I have made this 6 times. Good luck with your organizing 👏👏
5. Winner of the second Jelly Roll is Barbara who wrote:When I clean the pantry, I first make a picture of the current arrangement & then I take everything off the shelves & do not let anyone in the kitchen ’till I complete the cleaning & rearranging of the shelves. We’ve a large kitchen with an aircraft carrier sized island providing plenty of stackable space; the first items to be restocked are the home canned vegetables, they are always on the top shelf out of the light. Next, are the few Kroger canned goods, along with lots of ingredients for our love of the Mexican, Italian, Irish, & Middle Eastern dishes. On the floor of the pantry, I’ve baskets filled with different Rices, Beans & the King Arthur Flours with the White Lilly Flour (for Biscuits), & home ground Corn Meal for my Great Grandmothers Corn Bread recipe. I’ve also my brothers home raised Honeys & a Vermont friend who keeps us well supplied with Maple Syrup from their trees.  I do not keep any emergency medical supplies in the pantry, instead we always have a shelf in a Linen Closet in a plastic rectangular box to keep them together.

   We keep our Pet Food (6 Fishes) in a sealed container from Simple Human, it always stays fresh & they love it. I must apologize for writing an epistle. Good luck & buy an Amazon Fire Stick to watch anything on television!

6. Winner of the layer cake is Donna Williams who wrote:I did just clean the pantry yesterday. Everything came out, checked for expiration dates (I had too many of those, will pay closer attention so I don’t have any or at least a few), shelves wiped down. I put all my baking stuff together,much easier to find, and my nuts and beans on another. As far as Britbox, I do that through Amazon and I also have Acorn. Hooked on British tv, and I’m never without something to watch. Shetland is awesome, Vera is my fave. AND season 10 just started so very excited for that. Best of luck and enjoy Vera.
7.  Winner of a honey bun is Sandy Kendrick who wrote:

   I love my carousel spice rack. Couldn’t imagine not having one. There are so many great spices I use all the time. This makes it so easy to find what I’m looking for. Good luck!

8. Winner of a honey bun is Terri Wetzel who wrote:Because extra boxes of foil, plastic wrap, and zip lock boxes don’t stay stacked.  I store them on end in plastic magazine storage files, purchased from a office supply store. Clean pantry one shelf at a time.

   Maybe sewing or embroidery on Sunday am. Going to friends for potluck for Super Bowl.Go 49ers!

There were so many great comments, I can’t thank you enough!  I’ve gotten so much information from you.  I hope all of you enjoyed reading all the suggestions.  I took a before photo of my pantry and as soon as I’m done organizing I’ll show it to you along with the “after” photo.  The before photo is a bit embarrassing I might add.