re-usable food wrap or homemade cling wrap

It's super important to me that our homestead reduces waste when ever possible and also reduces our exposure to chemicals.
Cling wrap is one of those things that I pondered this weekend. I can not get it off of the bowls to reuse it, it ends up a wrinkled mess. Even if I could, I can't imagine cleaning it enough to re-use. So I thought I'd take a peek out there and see if anyone had any ideas and I found more than I thought I would!

DIYNatural.com has a great idea using cloth and and iron.

NourishingJoy.com has some interesting things to consider when choosing your material.

TheArtOfDoingStuff.com includes ideas with buttons and alternatives to bees wax pellets.

We'll be trying this out soon.

Please let us know if you have done this yet and what your thoughts are!

Mason Jar No Spill Drinking Glasses

Making a pickle jar and mason jar into fun summer or wedding glasses is very easy.

They are my hubby's favorite glass to use. Although in the summer one may choose to have a cover on their drink to keep it cold and keep the bugs out.

You can use mason jars with the lids and rings or you can use pickle (or any grocery) jar with a lid that screws back on nicely.

Quarter inch grommets are the best for this purpose. I took a pickle jar washed it out and pushed a screwdriver carefully through the top. Then I fanagled  the grommet through the whole. Quarter inch grommets fit straws perfectly and protect everybody from sharp edges. Next step is to fill with an icy summer drink and off we go!

Canning summer squash and zucchini

I have never had summer squash. And to my knowledge I don't  like zucchini. But I was at a family reunion and my uncle gave me a basket filled with both. And now I will love them. This will be my first things that I canned that I didn't pay for since I didn't have a garden this summer . I am mega excited because so far canning has been expensive. Buying a pressure cooker and a water bath canner  and many jars has cost a pretty penny . Plus I have purchased every ingredient for each recipe that I found and was excited to try. The purist in me who wants healthy food for my family likes. The trying-to-be-a-homesteader does not.
So I jumped on Google while I was in the city and had internet and searched for canning summer squash. I choose to follow Canning Granny's recipe. There seems to be a little bit of controversy over canning summer squash and zucchini. Like every blogger out there... I am NOT making any recommendations or suggesting anything is safe. I am simply telling you what I chose to do and I trust Canning Granny's recipes.
There are a few blogs out there with a few techniques for doing this. Each one is followed by a panicked post from a reader saying that its not smart to can these items.
Canning Granny also included a few recipes to try which I am going to do this winter. And I will be making zucchini bread. I imagine we will love it since it came from my uncles garden and was canned at home.

Summer Squash (left) and zucchini (right)