Home made wild violet jellymade from flowers in the yard... easy and delicious

wild violet jelly home made

If you have sugar, a box of pectin and wild violets growing around your home... then you can make some delicious jelly. If you have canning jars... you can make it and have some on hand for the summer or as a sweet little gift for someone special.

wild violets perfect for making jelly

Gather about 3 cups of violets. Make sure you are collecting from a clean place where dogs don't pee and where chemicals are never sprayed. 
Put the violets in a heat proof jar or bowl or pan and cover them with 4 cups of boiling water and let them sit covered over night. You will notice a beautiful blue  color and the flowers will eventually go pale almost to white.

it turns such a beautiful blue while it's steeping

The next morning you strain your violet water through a coffee filter and then  heat your strained violet water with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and one box of pectin. Watch when you put the lemon juice in because the water turns back to violet. Science. Cool. Bring this to a boil.

strain the violet water through a coffee filter in a funnel.

you're turning violet, violet!

Once it boils add 3 to 3 1/2 cups of sugar in and whisk it while bringing it back to a boil. Let it boil for 2 full minutes. I use a timer only because I will lose track and ruin it.
Fill half pint jars with your violet jelly to a half inch from the rim. I get 5 half pints and a bit for breakfast from this recipe.
Water bath the jars for 15 mins you are done.
I love to let children help with picking the flowers because it makes them feel like they own this jelly and its fun to watch their first bite on a bit of toast.
I am also assuming you understand how to water bath canned food. If you are not, please take caution and learn how to do that part first. Canning and food safety is nothing to mess with.

water bath for the wild violet jelly

This Jelly is delicious on home made english muffins, too... click here.

4 things you can make by re-using and re purposing a bath puff scrubbie thing.

So if we are going to be successful in a frugal homesteader lifestyle, we have to bear 3 things in mind.
1. Use what you have as often as possible.
2. Waste Not, Want Not (don't just throw stuff out).
3. Don't buy it if you can make it.

I have a never-used bath puff that was destined for the trash. Not a huge deal, right? Because I didn't pay for it (it came in a gift basket) and they are cheap. No biggie. But I did manage to stop myself and ask what else I could do with it.
I came upon the following cute and cool and frugal ideas from the web.

1. Make a pot scrubber.

This will most likely be the project I go with. Great idea in my opinion from Salihan Crafts. She also shows how to make a Yarn Sleeve from the puff in this same post. 

1. (again) Here's a video tutorial on making a pot scubber for those of you who prefer video.

2. Make a costume.

This clever idea comes to us from Razmataz Blog. The directions are easy and fun and are right here.

3. Make a shower hanger.

This idea comes to us from the Instructables website. Click here for details. .

4. Make a bird feeder.

 

This video will show you how to do it with mesh produce bags, but if you take apart your bath puff, you'll find that it's the same thing. It's a mesh tube. 

As always, we'd love to see pics of how yours turned out or any other ideas you have for this concept!