I've been on the lookout for a black maxi skirt that I'm willing to spend the money to buy, and believe it or not, I haven't been able to locate one yet!! I looked online, and it looks as though Target has them, but I haven't been able to make it to one, and there isn't one in our little town yet. :(

At first I was reluctant to try the whole tied-shirt thing (so 90's!), but I've been seeing other people doing it so thought I'd give it a go myself. And I'm also not crazy about black-and-white (or at least not about white on top...I think black on top and white on bottom looks more modern, typically), but I don't really own a lot of button-downs. I'm so broad-shouldered that if I get a button-down to fit my shoulders, it's usually way too roomy in the waist, and if I try to fit my waist, it's too snug in the shoulders. It's a weird problem to have, I guess, but that's what I deal with. :P

So I decided to fake a maxi skirt with a maxi dress that I've had for about a million years, and I like it. I still think I'd rather have a different-colored top, though.

Maxi dress: Already had (NY&Co.)
White button-down: Already had (NY&Co.)
Shoes: $5 (Old Navy)

I hit a BOGO clearance at Forever 21 at the end of the summer, so I got this sweater and a coral/pink/white dress for $10.99. I loved these jeans when I bought them, but I'm thinking they may not fit as beautifully as I'd hoped, so I may try to resell them and begin hunting for a more flattering pair of flares. I'm a litte aggravated, because I really like them...but the hunt continues!!!

Sweater: $5.50 (Forever 21)
Jeans: $3 (Aeropostale, purchased at Goodwill)
Platforms: $5 (Charlotte Russe, 2 summers ago)

What I Wore for Girls' Night In

Tonight I'm hosting a group of moms in our home. I'm (hopefully) going to teach them how to make fabric flowers like the one I have on my belt.

Blue-and-white striped t-shirt: Already had (Forever21, a couple of years ago)
Tan sweater: $3 (Old Navy, purchased through an online exchange site)
Jeans: Already had
Shoes: Already had
Belt: Already had
Flower pin: Made from an old t-shirt! :)

What I Wore to the Airport

We are taking Mother to the airport tonight, and I'm trying not to think about it. I love her so much, and miss her tremendously when we're apart...I was thinking today that I could've been born to anyone, and yet, I was born to her. I am so incredibly blessed.

But we're hitting a food truck on the way to the airport, and we've never done that before, so I'm looking forward to that part. Just not the part where she gets on a plane and flies away.

Button-down: Already had (Target, a few years ago)
Long-sleeved t-shirt: Hand-me-down (Abercrombie & Fitch)
Jeans: Hand-me-down (Old Navy)

I have decided that I like it when people get sick of their clothes...turns out that I get some really cute stuff!

What I Wore

Denim jacket: Already had
Blue shirt: $12.99 (TJ Maxx)
Lace skirt: $21.99 (Rue 21)
Cowboy boots: Goodwill

What I Wore to Go Thrifting

Well, we finally had a cold front move on in! It's so funny to hear how many people here in TX think that we are really having cold weather!! In the Midwest, it would just be considered cool.

My mother is in town visiting this weekend, and since my friend and I had such luck thrifting a few weeks ago, Mother thought it would fun to try our hand at it, too.

It wasn't as successful a trip as before, but I still scored a pair of lamps that I'm hoping to spray with Krylon's Looking Glass. Here's hoping!

Sweater: Hand-me-down
Jeans: Already had (bought at F21 a couple of years ago for $6 during a holiday sale)
Scarf: Already had (bought at Old Navy a couple of years ago for $3.97)
Sandals: $5 (Old Navy, this summer)

How to Make Yogurt (The Middle-Eastern Way)

My family goes through a lot of yogurt. As in, A LOT of yogurt.

Originally, I decided to learn how to make it myself just to cut down on the cost.

Then I discovered that homemade yogurt is WAY BETTER than store-bought yogurt. And that manufacturers put gelatin in their yogurt in order to give it that particular consistency. (That's gross.) I also discovered that what we're calling "Greek yogurt" is basically just yogurt that's had the excess whey strained out of it. (If I understand it correctly, true Greek yogurt must be made from sheep's milk....if I understand what I've read.)

I started off making my yogurt in my Crock Pot, and that's a great way to do it if you're unsure of what you're doing.

Then my friend Sandra, who is married to a man from Lebanon, told me that her mother-in-law taught her to make yogurt the way they do in Lebanon. And as it turns out, it's even easier than making it in my Crock Pot!

You need:
1 gallon of milk (I use 2%)
1 cup of plain yogurt to use as a starter
a stock pot
a towel
a colander
a cheesecloth or thin tea towel (I use a thin tea towel)

Pour the milk into the stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove. When it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat so it can cool a bit. When it is cool enough that you can dip your finger in it for 10 seconds (for me, this takes about an hour), whisk your starter yogurt into the warm milk. **Before you mix the starter yogurt in, you may see a film on the top of the milk. I skim this off first. **  Cover with a lid, wrap a towel around it, and set it on the counter to completely cool.

Once it comes to room temperature (and this will take a few hours), I like to strain off the excess whey to take away some of the tangy bite and to make it a little thicker. This is a totally optional step. Line the colander with a tea towel, and pour the yogurt in and just let it drain. I typically collect the whey, because there's so much that can be done with it (AND I HATE TO WASTE!). Whey can be used to make ricotta, or it can be added to the bread-making process in place of water, used in other lacto-fermented foods, or even given to chickens (I often give whey to my Mother-in-law for her chickens, and apparently they love it).

The next time you make yogurt, you can use your own homemade yogurt as a starter.

I hope you love it as much as we do! :)

This post is linked to Little Natural Cottage, and The Purposeful Mom.