The Cottage on the Hill

It's easy to pick out a shade of red lipstick when it is labeled "British Red."  (L'Oreal)

Nothing like helping my sister and brother-in-law move into their cute 1920's Bungalow to inspire me to put some elbow grease into this little cottage of mine!

First of all, closet modulars do not make adequate bookcases for homeschooling.  While the cubby hole look is reminiscent of my own school days long since gone by, they are simply not strong enough to be stuffed with books.  I just had to prop mine with a 2" lean up with a small dresser.  Now that dresser is jutting out a little, just waiting for a toe; likely mine! Still, I used what I had, but it is time to move on.  Not sure how.  Money for a bookcase in the size I need isn't easy to come by.  There's always a more pressing need, like food and doctor bills.  But, I do believe it is time to start shopping around for either an adequately enormous bookcase, or someone who can custom build an adequately enormous bookcase. Because, newer bookcases are a nicer option than fewer books!

Last night as I scrolled through my facebook news feed, one of my friends posted THIS article.  It is about a woman who spends much of her time in Victorian garb and living as if it were the Victorian Era.  I found the article intriguing, but one bit stood out to me. The article quotes Ms. Chrisman saying, " 'People have   mixed reactions,' she admitted. 'Some are enthusiastic and positive .  The other day an old man ran out of a restaurant to tell me I made his day, he said: "You look beautiful." Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2506542/Wearing-corset-liberating-Meet-woman-living-modern-day-Victorian-life--cell-phone-car-home-appliances.html#ixzz2kleYzYKQ Follow us:  @MailOnline on Twitter  |  DailyMail on Facebook That made me think that in today's world, beauty is vanishing.  Instead, we have sexy or sloppy.  Just scroll down the sidebar of the page the article is on and you'll see what I mean.  Whe...

" I saw a Kingfisher fly across the little pool by the roadside below Olton station today.  The new Catkins are showing on all the Alder and Hazel trees now.  The sun had a most remarkable appearance just before setting tonight.  I never saw it look so large in my life.  It was deep crimson, shaded with purple which gave it a globular appearance, and it looked like a huge fire-balloon suspended against a curtain of grey cloud." From The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady  by Edith Holden

I usually clean and purge after Christmas, but I can see this year needing to have a clean slate before Christmas.  I hope to take one week and really focus on cleaning, purging and reorganizing. One thing I started last year that I plan to continue with this year is purchasing totes I can label to store any new Christmas gift toys the children may receive.  That way, we're not scrambling to find ways to store new toys amid the holiday mess and clutter.

From:   The Village Alpaca Yarn Shop There is an alpaca farm nearby, so I called on them first to find Alpaca yarn for my Something Soft and Kitten Gray .  They didn't have the shade I wanted, so a quick etsy search found me these skeins!   I can hardly wait until they arrive in the mail.  I plan on knitting myself a scarf on obnoxiously large needles.  If that yields undesired results, I'll resort to my usual number 8's for scarves.

I cleared this pile of sticks and brush out just in case we decide to use this space to put up a small barn and fenced area to house some goats.  This is the back point of our pie piece property. Wearing my British Woolie Pullie (or is it Wooly Pully?) Firewood, stacked by my oldest and I.   And I moved the compost bin to the edge of our property so it gets more sun and makes more room for a possible fenced in area for goats....that's if we don't decide to move by next spring.

"La Seine" Vanessa Paradis and -M-.

I always thought it would be neat to run a little hobby shop of beautiful, well-made, heirloom quality dollhouse miniatures.

I had success baking bread on my stove top!   I dug through my shed and found a Griswold cast iron pot with no lid.  Hubby removed the bale handle for me and my inverted #8 cast iron frying pan fit nicely as a lid and gave height to the "oven." I made my usual sized recipe of 3 cups of flour, but had to divide it in half and bake each half one at a time.   I used one of my small round pyrex casserole bowls to bake the bread in.  Greased. Inside the pot, I placed a trivet to put the pyrex bowl on.  I preheated the pot on the burner and preheated the frying pan on another burner. Then, I placed the bread on the trivet and covered the pot, keeping the heat at medium.   I didn't get a chance to time it, but it does take longer than in a conventional oven.  A long while later, I ended up with this! It is a successful, tasty little loaf of bread!  The bottom has a good crust.  The top is weak, as is understandable ...

Yesterday, my oven sat stone cold.  The baking element needs to be replaced.  I was ready to throw in the towel and have a good little fit about it because I had been baking our bread regularly and planned out a week of meals, many of which need an oven.  I didn't know the oven was broken until AFTER I went grocery shopping, so I had no store-bought bread and plenty of ingredients for oven meals. But, I decided to try to play Pollyanna about it.  I came up with: 1. I get to experiment with baking bread on the stove top. 2. I have an excuse to clean behind, around and under the stove when we pull it out. 3. Hubby has an excuse to patch up the mouse hole behind the stove.  Yes, we literally have a real mouse hole in the wall like in the cartoons...not so arched, but close enough!

Tasha Tudor There is a maple syrup farm for sale the next state over and it has me dreaming.  We go through a LOT of maple syrup every year and to be able to make our own, and sell it, would be very nice.  Unfortunately, it seems dreaming is as far as I can get with this maple farm.  It would take a miracle.....

Maple Cinnamon Bread

While a larger house and some more land (preferably an entire farm) is our hope for the future, we would not be heartbroken if we stayed here in Taigh Beag.  One reason is our good neighbors.  The other day, our neighbor who owns the farm next door dropped off these beautiful pumpkins for us.  We are so thankful!  Really, we've been blessed so much, lately, I need to start writing thank you cards!

My recent trip to Goodwill brought me home a bagful of garments in a brown, white, black and whisper pink palate.  I've begun to ponder what other colors and hues are lacking in my Autumn/Winter wardrobe? I would like something soft and kitten gray. A scarf, perhaps.  Or a light sweater in merino wool, cashmere or angora.  A skirt, maybe?  A silk blouse.  Gloves.  Socks! Or a kitten. I can only dream of a kitten.  My beloved does not share my fondness of cats and my children certainly wouldn't give the poor creature a moment's rest.  Although, we could use a good mouser!

Image: www.panoramio.com All summer I dreaded the coming of winter.  How, I anxiously wondered, will I ever manage another winter cooped up in this little cottage?  The walls already felt like they were closing in on me.  Could I manage juggling 4 small children with cabin fever? I didn't want to bear the cold. I didn't want to bear the winter coats and gloves and mittens and hats and scarves and boots. I didn't want to see trees naked of their leaves, or a bleak winter landscape.  I didn't want to feel cold or worry about driving anywhere or hubby working out in sub zero temperatures all day. I didn't want to say good-bye to sunlit evenings and face darkness before dinnertime. I was actually stressed out about winter coming. But, whether or not I want it to, winter is coming. Just an hour's drive north of me, snow fell the other morning.  And I was happy to see pictures of it on facebook! What changed? Grim accepta...

My daughter loves that one of the Corgis in Corgiville bears her name.

While fashion dictates that you must not wear brown shoes with a black suit, I love black and brown together.  It is classic, like a pair of equestrian hunting boots.  

The other day, my daughter told me that she wants to learn how to read.  I heard somewhere that once a child starts putting bodies on their drawings of people (as opposed to just drawing legs off the head), they are ready to read.  Sure enough, she has been drawing bodies and when I tested her on phonics sounds through the alphabet, she got most of them.  Out came our beloved Bob Books and she quickly picked up books 1 and 2.  Now, she's like Helen Keller when she made the connection at the water.  She is constantly pointing out words to me and asking what they are.  Sometimes I tell her.  Sometimes I have her sound them out. I expect she'll catch on quickly to reading and we can start first grade next year with her reading already.  Her older brother has difficulties reading and possibly some mild dyslexia and even though he is in 2nd grade, I still have to read many things out to him.  We started a reading chart and he has been willing...

I am here.  I am alive, I promise!  I went through a bit of a funk and had some adjusting to do.  We started homeschooling for the year in August.  We've finally settled into a routine and the Autumn air feels so freeing as opposed to the oppressive humidity of August. Feeling renewed and refreshed in so many ways, I would like to set some goals for myself for October and I thought I'd share them with you: 1. Stress LESS!   I let stress get the better of me this summer and stressed about things I didn't really have to.  So now, I am going to make a concentrated effort to NOT stress. 2. Exercise!  I am joining my cousin's Beachbody Challenge Group for October.  I'm  not looking to lose weight, but I would like to keep my blood flowing as the temperature chills.  Plus, it's just so good for you! 3.  More homemade!  The cooler weather means I can return to a meaningful relationship with my oven!  There's nothing li...

Where I live, if you mention lingerie, people automatically think of Victoria's Secret.  If you say you need a new bra, the choices seem to be big box stores or VS.  But, thanks to hubby, I've discovered the pleasures of shopping in independently owned lingerie boutiques.  Hubby had to work a couple hours away from home for over a year.  During that time, he was near Rhinebeck, NY, a beautiful village full of art bars and boutiques.  His ever-watchful eye for pretty things for his wife spotted a pretty dress in a window of one of the boutiques in Rhinebeck.  He never was able to stop, but finally, when his stint there was completed, he drove me down for the day to clean out his rented room and stop at the shops.  Turns out the clothing shop does indeed sell clothing, but it is also a high end lingerie shop called Joovay.  The lady inside was an intelligent, kind-faced beauty and we had the pleasure of having conversation with her while I br...

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these thin...

Recent goodies in my mailbox (aside from homeschool work books): I've had my eye on this skirt for my daughter for several years!  It is from Mini Boden and I either couldn't find it in her size on ebay, or they were still asking more than I was willing to pay.  Finally, her size and a price I could live with! This will be our oldest's level 3 piano book.  I bought it early at a good price because I want to learn Lunar Eclipse for myself.  I'm a self-taught piano plunker.   No, that's not me. I love Bea's blog (check out my sidebar) and her gentle inspiration and ideas.  While I don't believe I'll ever find myself as disciplined and dedicated as her, she does give practical advice and a fun challenge to life.  I was so eager to get this book! Since I'm trying to organize home creamery classes, I thought it would be an interesting study to see how the West Ladies do their dairying.  I am slowly building my c...

How does mushed up food wind up in the master bedroom? That's easy! When you live in a small house, and your master bedroom door is so close to the dining room table that when you pull the high chair out, it practically sits in the door, and your baby boy likes to announce that he's finished with dinner by chucking what's left on the floor, you're just bound to have some wind up in the master bedroom! I suppose we could shut the door, but we only have two windows in this house that can hold air conditioners and both of them are holding air conditioners.  Those windows happen to be bedroom windows.  Therefore, if we shut the door, the bedroom turns into a meat locker and the rest of the house turns into an oven.  So, we firmly, but lovingly correct and encourage baby to stop chucking his food, and I continue to clean food out of the master bedroom.  We continue to live in our little cottage, cozy, storing up plenty of memories to laugh and marvel at for years ...

I have reopened my natural soap making business!  You can see the shop on etsy at: Seasons Soapworks Etsy Shop You can visit my soapy blog at: Seasons Soapworks Blog You can join my facebook page at: Season Soapworks Facebook Page And you can email me about soap at: Seasons Soapworks Contact

It is funny how our body image works.  There I am standing in front of the mirror in my clothes for the day and wondering what is wrong with my body because things just didn't look right.  I change.  I still look odd, but deal with the outfit anyway.  Then, I get dressed for bed and my nightgown just isn't as alluring as it used to be.  What's wrong with me?!  What's the malfunction here? I then realized the answer to my questions:  ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!  I'm not malfunctioning.  My wardrobe is! Just like in the picture above, there is nothing wrong with that little girl, but the shoes just don't fit her, so it isn't looking right.  (It's looking cute, though, something I can't say about my ill fitting wardrobe.) Last year I had my 4th baby, so of course my body was all sorts of different.  More voluptuous.  I thought then that I'd probably wind up staying in that size, give or take a few pounds and a bra size, and start...

I am SO EXCITED!  Two days ago, I asked the home school group I belong to if anyone would be interested in a class on making your own dairy products.  To my surprise, not only did many ladies respond almost immediately, but they started asking when and where.  I love their enthusiasm!  So, now I've got my work cut out for me and I have to start planning these classes!  I already have enough interest for two classes!

With money being tight, it seems I may not be able to purchase the curriculum I would like to for home schooling.  It caused me a little anxiety at first when I realized we may not be able to "afford" home schooling this year.  How in the world can we home school if we don't have a curriculum?  I live in a state with some fairly strict home schooling laws.  Unschooling in my state is difficult, if not impossible, at least for me. Anyhow, as I sighed and lamented my lack of all those cute workbooks and lesson plans I see in all those home schooling catalogs flooding my mailbox, I realized something.  Yes, a blessing.  Yes, a call to work.  Yes, creativity. A few years ago, my neighbor invited me over to the one room schoolhouse on his property to take whatever schoolbooks out of the enclosed bookcase I wanted.  This grades 1-8 schoolhouse closed in the 1950's or 1960's, but left almost everything in it.  Over the years, my neighbor has ...

Stock Photo Sometimes you have to lower your standard of living to increase your quality of life. Kateri Scott These seasons in life come to most of us.  These seasons where something goes wrong, something breaks, someone falls ill and the bills pile up while the income ceases or slows.  We find ourselves counting pennies, stretching food, pulling together yard sales, considering another way to earn an income, and coming up with unique ways to save buck.   I grew up in this kind of life.  Money was always tight and never enough, yet we muddled through somehow. I still find myself in this kind of life.  Hubby is a hard working man and provides well for us, but life has a way of happening from time to time rendering that bank account far too slim.  It is usually a time of high stress and tears as I navigate the bills and books.  It is usually a time of crying out to God, questioning Him, and wondering while we are faithful tithers (10% o...

It is amazing how much time homeschooling and chasing around a mischievous and highly mobile baby can take up.  Now that we have July off and my baby boy is old enough to play with his siblings (with mom close by, of course), I have been filling my days with cleaning, organizing, rearranging, purging, soap making, and cooking. It amazes me no end how we continue to manage in our little cottage.  We actually do fit in here even though we don't have the spacious luxuries other smaller families have.  It's almost a shame to leave and "waste" in a larger house.  The tiny house movement is certainly an inspiration.  Funny how in some way, I'm actually living a vogue trend rather than making do with what we have because we have no options right now.  Our farm isn't ready for us and we aren't ready for it.  The Lord knows the time, if at all. One thing I am learning is being content with what we have.  It is so easy to dream about our future farm too...

My hot rollers, especially when my ends need trimming and I can't find babysitting so I can go to the salon so my ends need a little help not looking so frazzled. That the grass is turning green! All the varieties of birds visiting my bird feeder. Babies!  (No, I'm not having another baby, but someone I know is having two!) Bare Minerals Make-up foundation. My hologram eyes....they change colors on their own.  Really!  It depends on what I wear. My sneaky red highlights.  Yes, deep down I'm a redhead.  Deep deep down.  I have natural red highlights in my hair.  They like to hide, but in the right light, particularly sunlight, they may shine through. Homeschooling.  There are days I just don't want to do it.  There are times I just want to scream at the state's standards.  There are times I just want to send that fidgety little boy outside just to not hear him whine and complain about doing to work, but overall I LOVE homesc...

Queen of the Home at Raising Mighty Arrows! http://www.raisingmightyarrows.net/2013/04/queen-of-home-giveaway.html?m=1

I am not good with children. Ok, let me rephrase that.  I am not good with other people's children.  Never really have been. I had the thought today that simply because I have mothered 4 children, it is assumed that one day I will take on a teaching role in children's church.  It is also assumed that I am good with children.  I must be to mother 4 children, after all.  Frankly, unless the Lord calls me to teach children's church, I'm not volunteering any time soon! Sure, I've learned a few tricks of the trade during the 7 years I've been a mother so far, but I'm really not sure I can handle a classroom, playgroup, or other such entourage of children who are not my own...at least not without a helping hand...preferably from someone who's good with children. Maybe I just need a little more practice.

"Found a wren's nest built entirely of straw in the ivy growing up an ash-tree.  At the end of this month changed residence to Olton 5 miles further North." The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady  Edith Holden

After many talks between hubby and I, we decided to not sell our house and move into a travel trailer.  Instead, we plan on staying in our little cottage for at least another year and using this year to build equity in the house where we can and making it more appealing for buyers.  Let's face it.  The market for 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom houses under 1000 square feet is limited.  For now, I'm purging what I can to make the house appear more spacious.  Having a family of 6 in such a small house can appear to be a turn off to buyers as the clutter of daily living overwhelms.  There are other factors to consider, too.  My outdated kitchen, for one.  No dishwasher and an apartment-sized stove aren't very appealing to many modern buyers.  The original 1950's countertops and white enamel cabinets has limited appeal.  I've made lemonade out of my lemon of a kitchen by playing up the retro look and while it is cute for me, I would understand if a...

Several years ago, I tried an online virtual make-over where I could try out different celebrities' hairstyles.  I tried a curly cropped style (it was blond, though) and it actually looked pretty good on me!  Since then, I've wanted to try it and even recently considered purchasing a wig to see if I liked it, but I didn't want to spend the money.  I'm also wary about cutting my waist-length hair!  Well, if the Downton Abbey girls can pin up their long hair into finger-weaved bobs, I can curl and crop my long hair, too!  So, here it is! Hubby says its sassy and he likes it, though he's glad I didn't cut my hair. :)

Ribbon Memo Board Before Ribbon Memo Board After! Since I painted my kitchen that retro blue color, my old ribbon memo board no longer matched at all.  It was old, too, and looked dingy.  A trip to the fabric store and about 15-20 minutes of work and my ribbon memo board now matches my vintage-y kitchen perfectly!  

I was given a rare opportunity over the weekend.  Hubby was feeling under the weather, but needed to attend a meeting out of town.  I volunteered to drive him to and from the meeting and my parents volunteered to care for the older 3 children.  So, while hubby was at the meeting, I was able to put the baby in a stroller and leisurely browse the Barnes & Noble near by. My visits to Barnes & Noble are very few and far between, but one of my favorite things to do there is browse the bargin shelves. I bought: Thomas Paine's Common Sense  (for me and for homeschooling) Sun Tzu's Art of War  (for hubby) A book on Reflexology A Boynton book for the baby "Duck Dynasty" Season One on DVD (for hubby and I....c'mon, it was on sale!) 3 books on 1940's fashion they did not have. Several other books on my list were a little overpriced for my taste. However, I did see this coffee table book: It was way too pricey for my pocket book that day, but i...

It's just audio, no video. "Just Give Me a Reason" Pink I used to sing my heart out all the time.  I was a top soprano and soloist in high school and had my fair share of solos in college, too, but then I just stopped.  Every so often, I warm up the old chords and give it another shot.  My voice has changed a lot since I was at my peak at 16-17 years old, so it's neat to try different songs now.   I heard Pink's song "Just Give Me a Reason" today and I fell in love with it and decided to give the first verse and chorus a shot.  Pink totally owns this song.  No one can come near her, in my opinion, but it's a fun song and a beautiful song and I wanted to give it a shot of my own for the fun of it.

I am so fascinated by many different economical and environmental lifestyles that people have chosen to lead!  Finding blogs that speak of their lifestyle is like reading the best articles in the best natural home and garden magazine out there.  I love reading about people who: 1. Live in tiny houses 2. Live in small houses with large families 3. Live off the grid 4. Live as plastic-free as possible 5. Live as self-sustaining as possible 6. Live as waste-free as possible 7. Live on a tiny budget 8. Live debt free 9. Live in RVs 10. Live as naturally as possible 11. Farm not only organically but sustainably 12. Live a more old-fashioned/old-timey/vintage lifestyle My sidebar features some of these blogs.  Please go visit them with an open mind and a learner's heart.

A vintage tennis dress Or A vintage tennis skirt Also A Ballet Wrap Sweater A Trench Coat for Spring Ballet Wedge

Spring cleaning never works for me because I want to be outdoors doing yardwork in the warming sunshine after a winter behind four walls.  This year, I've decided to try my hand at Lenten cleaning and get the children involved as a lesson in giving up some of their playtime to contribute to the well-being of the household.  Besides, they make most of the messes, so why not clean them up?! This is going to be quite the challenge for me.  I hope I end up as proud and accomplished as the vintage lady above rather than like this:

Three things: 1. I don't always like to follow workout videos.  Sometimes, I just like to dance like a fool alone in my basement. 2.  Upbeat music is a need, but the workout station I typed into Pandora only seems to play music about the guy singer trying to get laid, usually in some brutal, disrespectful, using, objectifying way to women.  Hey, guys!  God called you to PROTECT women, not abuse them! 3. I'm a multi-tasker.  I'm almost always doing at least two things at once. Therefore, working out to worship music seemed like a great idea....but it can be hard to find worship music that has a beat upbeat enough to get a good sweat going. Here's what I've found: http://www.klove.com/blog/scottandkelli/post/2012/01/10/The-Scott-and-Kelli-Workout-Mix.aspx I also find Kari Jobe's " Steady My Heart " a great warm-up or cool down song in both exercise and worshipping! And my children's favorite:  " Days of Elijah ."

Hubby and I are considering downsizing.  That's right!  Downsizing!  Now, for those who know that we live in an 880 square foot cottage with our 4 children and dog, you are probably scratching your heads.  For those who have read this blog long enough, you know I've talked about our little cottage bursting at the seams.  So, why downsize?  Isn't that the opposite of what I've wanted? We are considering (still just considering at this point) having an adventure this year in a 5th wheel travel trailer before we find our bigger place to settle into and call home!!  Even though it is just a consideration and we go back and forth between "this is a great idea" and "this is insane," I'm purging anyway.  So, even if we decide that it's insane and we stay put in Taigh Beag a little longer, I'll at least have less stuff to deal with!

A week late, I know, but I only have one resolution this year: I resolve to live more deliberately. That means that I take more notice and more focus on all aspects of my life.  It covers grounds such as: Taking time to read the Bible and pray. Can something be reused, refashioned, repurposed or recycled before throwing it away? What can my children learn from this? Do I really need to buy this? I can either sit here and surf the net or get up and wash the dishes and go to bed more fulfilled. What can I learn from this? Is this just me reacting wrongly or are my red flags/offenses taken justified? Taking every thought captive. What needs accomplishing today?  Right now?  Later?  Or not at all? How can I make good use of the time and resources I have at hand? I spent much of 2012 in "survival mode" as I dealt with a difficult pregnancy and an emotionally and mentally difficult post partum.  I'm ready for a change up!

I was dreading winter.  The spring and summer were just so beautiful and easy (no wrestling small children into coats, mittens and hats) that I didn't want to give them up.  Autumn stayed warm late, too.  But now that the snow has fallen, we're past the Solstice and the sun shines bright through my south and west windows, I am enjoying winter.  Even in the sub-zero cold, I bundled up and blissfully listened to the unique creaking of the snow beneath my feet....the sound that snow only makes when it is bitterly cold out.

All it took was $2.00 and a few minutes, but I finally did it!  I finally got rid of all those junky, flimsy dry cleaning and store stock hangers in hubby and I's closet.  They were replaced with uniform, plastic ones from Target. It's amazing how such a little thing can bring a sense of organization to a home....or at least a closet.  The tangle of twisted, wirey metal, sagging shirt shoulders and lack of uniformity was annoying and really did add to a sense of disorganization and messiness. Now, those old hangers will be recycled and I move on to the next organization project!