Things You Can Make

Today I found two interesting web sites: 100 things you can make yourself and 100 more things you can make yourself. Each item is linked to a site that describes or shows how to make the item. These are not all easy-to-make things, but her point is that we don't always have to buy things pre-made. We don't have to pay others, we don't have to be lazy, and sometimes doing things ourselves can be rewarding.

Some of those links are pretty interesting, though none of them inspire me to try making the thing myself except possibly the beaded curtain (as a way to store extra beads and maybe other things I have but am not using yet?), the pudding pops, and the snow globe.

I like making things myself, once I have figured out how, mostly because then I can customize them. I don't think there are all that many things that I make myself. Here is a list, with no links at all, of things I make regularly or that I have made more than once and feel I could make again.

1. spaghetti
2. pancakes
3. scrambled eggs
4. French toast
(and other foods)
5. rope (from twine, yarn, or string, etc.)
6. embroidery decorations
7. charcoal fueled box oven
8. potholders
9. personal finance spreadsheets

Here is a list of other things I have actually made before though I wouldn't say that I make them regularly and perhaps I could no longer make them (because I was borrowing tools or supplies) or I might have to re-teach myself how:

1. knitted and crocheted dish cloths
2. a quilt
3. a purse
4. a web page
5. easy garments (sewn)
6. easy songs (written by others) on some instruments
7. mediocre calligraphy
8. beaded necklace
9. dangly earrings
10. camp stove (with tuna can, cardboard, and wax)
11. checkbook register
12. table (lashed)
13. fabric roses
14. tissue paper flowers
15. cake decorations from frosting
16. candles
17. juggling balls
18. ceramic flute carrying case

There are many things I think I could make and that I think I will make sometime, but haven't yet made such as cloth napkins, but that list is long and, because I haven't done them yet, a little depressing, so I don't feel like conjuring that list up.

Here are some things I wish I could make, for which I am still seeking the perfect recipe:

1. chicken tikka masala like in Indian restaurants in the US or in this one grocery store in England
2. almond chicken or other chicken-in-sauce like they have in Chinese restaurants in the US
3. pumpkin butter