The Handcrafted Journal

Welcome to the newly refreshed era of Grandma Skills. Where we collectively embrace a Modern Handcrafted Living. A space is where slow over hustle is welcomed, peace is desired over chaos, nurturing your village is necessary, and thoughtfully handcrafting the life you live is the norm. Where we honor skills of the past, while also creating traditions of our own along the way. Sharing this little corner of the world with you as new paths are carved brings me such joy and I’m elated to have you here on this journey, so let’s dive on in. Vol. 001: Nurturing Your Village The Handcrafted Journal where I intend to share more than just the products I make.  It’s been on my heart to share ways of truly embracing a Modern Handcrafted Living.  One of those ways is to nurture your village by supporting those in your life when they are facing hardship.  As someone who has experienced immense support during extremely unexpected medical hardships I understand how important it is that we all take a moment to notice and lend a helpful hand to our friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers. I can tell you first hand when you take the time to reach out and say “hey, I know you have a lot going on right now and I’d love to bring you a meal, when’s the best day I can drop one off?” It means the entire world. I made a promise to step in and support those in my village [and others] when they faced hardships after having so many helping hands step in and support my family. So where exactly am I going with this? Most people say, “Oh you’re so thoughtful to think of bringing them a meal” but here’s the thing, anyone can step in.  The biggest hurdle is knowing what’s an easy dish to bring.  So I’ll be sharing my favorite go to meals here in this Nurturing Your Village Series. Without further a-do.   Lasagna Bake, Salad Kit, + Garlic Bread This is my go-to dish to whip up and bring to anyone who’s recently had surgery, had a baby, been sick, or had a death in their family. It’s hearty, you can get fancy with the ingredients, and is great as leftovers throughout the week. Ingredients: Lasagna Bake 2 Jars Pasta Sauce [marinara, or get fancy with butternut squash sauce] 1 pound ground meat [beef, turkey, venison sausage, italian sausage] 1 15 ounce container ricotta cheese 1 10oz+ bag shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1 TBSP parsley 1 TBSP basil 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. Onion powder Salt & pepper to taste 1 egg slightly beaten 1 lb. penne, rigatoni, ziti noodles [any tube like noodle shape] Garlic Bread Italian Loaf 1-2 sticks of butter 1 TBSP parsley  1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic Salad Kit Any salad kit Chopped vegetables to get fancy [cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, pickled beets, pickled onions etc.] Cooking Instructions: Step One: Boil noodles.Step Two: Brown meat.Step Three: Mix beaten egg, ricotta, parmesan cheese, ½ mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, basil, salt & pepper to taste.Step Four: Drain noodles & mix with sauce and meat.Step Five: Spray 9x13[or larger]pan with oil and put half of the noodle mixture in. Split the ricotta mixture in half and dollop spoonfuls over the first layer of noodles. Repeat.  Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top.Step Six: Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes [45-60 if from refrigerated] *pro tip: use large foil pans so they don’t need to return a baking dish to you ;)   Garlic Bread: Slice loaf in half. Mix parsley and garlic into room temperature butter then spread evenly over both halves of bread. Bake @ 350º for 15-20 minutes or until the butter has fully melted. I promise you anyone you bring this hearty meal to will not forget the kindness of your heart when you acknowledge the season they’re in.  It’s my hope that collectively we can lift each other up and support one another and I hope you find these meal ideas helpful! - Michelle

There are many benefits to wool garments, more than you're probably aware of.  It's one of my favorite materials to use especially when creating high quality sustainable products.

How do I wear this?  This question hands down is the one I most often get asked.  So let's dive in!  How do you wear your snap cowl? There are a few different options which makes it a great staple piece of your cold weather accessory collection. First up, let's go over how to put your snap cowl on.  You can either slide it over your head with all 3 snaps done, or with the top snap undone.  Or you can undo all of the snaps, drape it over your shoulders, snap the middle snap, then snap the top and bottom snaps. How do you style it? Now that you have your snap cowl in place you can leave all 3 sets of snaps done for the OG style.  This is my favorite way to wear my cowl when it's cooler or windier outside. Or you can undo the top snap an either "pop" your collar or fold the collar part of your cowl outward.  I love wearing my cowl this way when it's a little warmer outside (above freezing) or when I'm running errands so that I have some airflow and don't overheat indoors. If you have more of a petite build you can offset your snaps for a tighter fit.  You'll snap the middle exterior snap to the bottom interior snap and the top exterior snap to the middle interior snap.  This will help close the gap around your neck and offer warmth and wind protection. What do you wear your snap cowl with?  Funny you should ask!  They are so versatile and that's why I love them.  You can wear them with your regular outfit and add a jacket without any fuss.  Here are my suggestions: long sleeves/sweater vest light jacket heavy jacket  One you've selected your outfit you can also choose to wear your snap cowl on the inside or outside of your jacket or vest. They are so versatile and that's one of many reasons why I love this investment piece.  I can't wait to see what outfits you pair your cowl with!  Make sure to tag me @grandmaskills on social media so I can see!

Do you ever find yourself turning away from a high-quality product because you see the fiber content you fear that you'll be unable to wash it?  You're not alone.  I too was afraid of washing wool, so I've put together a quick tutorial for you if you're in need of laundering your wool products from Grandma Skills. While wool garments do not need to be laundered often as they are naturally stain, odor, and crease resistant I want you to feel confident in being able to do a quick re-fresh while maintaining the integrity of your product if you're unable to take it to the dry cleaners (my top recommendation for cleaning to ensure longevity of your wool GS products). First, you'll want to select a wool friendly detergent to hand wash your item.  Here is a list of a few I would recommend (be sure to follow the washing instructions on each bottle for proper use): Soak Wash - Scentless 12 oz Laundry Detergent Ecover Delicate 750ml Woolite Delicates Hypoallergenic Liquid Laundry Detergent After handwashing you'll want to dry your item flat.  Do not place it near sunlight or a source of direct heat. There you have it!  Be sure to check out the rest of the GS blog for proper care of your products and styling recommendations.