tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126697562024-03-07T00:11:19.902-05:00The Cottage on the HillAuthentic cottagecore.
Traditional family.
Simple living.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.comBlogger1421125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-76641829416091950662021-12-26T16:45:00.005-05:002021-12-26T16:45:51.560-05:00The last 3 months of our 2 year plan...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTpGQdA9xTOT5k-XK2c9YR9nQuGtsuGCYOPb_kQ_xqwAAcrzGwEK0YAGzYqhJL3dQX6WR8Rw0jQZPJkzy2rPp_ActBsMY_hsnd9JlXTOtND_55neGMtbPenrnMol8O-_rd2bvu5Nro8c_o25xh4SFL921yNfpTy5Nr5VTMK9jumYDU24b1t30=s780" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="780" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTpGQdA9xTOT5k-XK2c9YR9nQuGtsuGCYOPb_kQ_xqwAAcrzGwEK0YAGzYqhJL3dQX6WR8Rw0jQZPJkzy2rPp_ActBsMY_hsnd9JlXTOtND_55neGMtbPenrnMol8O-_rd2bvu5Nro8c_o25xh4SFL921yNfpTy5Nr5VTMK9jumYDU24b1t30=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Almost 2 years ago we started a plan to really focus on paying off/down our debts and building our business. We've been pretty successful and are now in the home stretch. One debt still haunts us, though, our last credit card. <br /><br />When we started our journey, we had 4 credit cards and a personal loan. We've paid all but that last, big, pesky credit card. That's the one that we packed our medical-related debt onto nearly 10 years ago. I was hoping to have it paid off by the end of this year, but the dog needed nearly $2000 in vet care, there were lots of vehicle repair bills, the washer and dryer both needed replacing...you know, the usual. We've been hovering between the $10,000 and $11,000 mark. <br /><br />As of the end of the year, with the scheduled payments I have set up, we should be around or just under $10,000. <br /><br />My plan is to put everything I can into paying down that card by the end of March. Here are my ideas:<br /><br />1. A Spending Frost. I can't do a full-on spending freeze because, well, hubby isn't quite on board with that. He still wants to enjoy the fruits of his labors (modestly so, and rightly so!), so he wouldn't be amendable to cutting out his favorite coffee stop or the occasional treat. But, I can! I do have Christmas and birthday money set aside for any of my own treats, but everything else can go through the frost/freeze.<br /><br />2. Eating from the Pantry. I tend to do this, anyway. I squirrel away for the winter and then eat out of my pantry until it's pretty well emptied by spring. Then, I start the cycle over again. I dislike shopping during the winter, and winter is when we're most likely to be housebound, so I make sure we have a stash. This year, I have quite a haul, so it should last us most of the remaining winter and greatly reduce our grocery budget, which can then go on the credit card.<br /><br />3. Turn in Bottles and Cans. I HATE doing this and would much rather just donate them to a cause, but we really do need to allocate all funds we can to paying down this credit card. <br /><br />4. Shop for Better Car Insurance. I think our insurance is high. I'm sure we can find a more competitive rate and save money. We'll be having a driver, soon, and teen boys are EXPENSIVE to insure. Plus, I'm going to be needing a new-to-me vehicle, soon. <br /><br />5. Switch to Cricket. I'm not sure if hubby is on board with this, yet, but I do plan on switching from Verizon to Cricket for our cell phone service. Verizon is crazy expensive, and while we pay for 5G, we aren't getting it. <br /><br />6. Reduce our Energy Use. I've already greatly reduced using my dryer, and I feel like I spend a good portion of my day going around the house turning off lights. Whatever I can do I will do. Throwing on a hoodie is cheaper than turning up the thermostat. <br /><br />***Put the difference from these bills onto the credit card.<p></p><p>7. Utilizing the Cash Back on My Card/Rounding Up Pay-Off. This requires strict discipline so it doesn't run up the credit card bill, but the idea is that when I do make purchases, I use the credit card I am trying to pay off. Then, I pay off that purchase on the card ASAP and round up. So, if I spend $132.44 on groceries, I pay $135 onto the card. Also, as the cash back accumulates, I put it right back onto the card. <br /><br />I've thought of getting a personal loan to avoid the interest charges, but I need to be able to get an auto loan, soon. I'm afraid it'll affect my credit. <br /><br />I'll keep you posted how I'm doing!</p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-6950864878893455702021-04-01T03:30:00.000-04:002021-04-01T03:30:03.663-04:00So, You Want to be A Stay at Home Mom?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/portrait-of-a-mother-and-her-children-possibly-mrs-weddell-george-henry-harlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="624" src="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/portrait-of-a-mother-and-her-children-possibly-mrs-weddell-george-henry-harlow.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> What I wish I did to prepare to be a stay at home mom:</p><p>I was young, naive, and, let's face it, life was very different 19 years ago than it is, today. Back then, as a young bride, I was religiously and socio-politically conservative, believing strongly that it was best for me to stay home. I also feared that if I took on a career we'd have gotten too used to the income to allow for me to stay home. These were all "stuck" mindsets I wish I had the influence, education, and gumption to overcome. </p><p>Now that I am older and wiser, hindsight is 20/20. I always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and my husband was supportive of that. However, I should have been more supportive of him, of us, instead of focusing so heavily on what I wanted. <br /><br />1. I wish I had taken getting a career more seriously. There were options. For example, I could have simply finished at least an Associates Degree at my local college and then become a teacher's aide at my alma mater. That would have given me a steady income to contribute, but also days off and summers off to homemake as I wanted.<br /><br />2. I wish my husband and I had made plans better. We could have financially planned and made arrangements for our future with children.<br /><br />3. I wish I had a steady income-earning career so we could have paid down debts and saved up. Instead, because I insisted on staying home, even childless, we lived paycheck to paycheck, which was fine until it wasn't. A slew of emergencies caused a whole lot of financial hardships that we're only just crawling out of. We're out of the shipwreck, out of the ocean, on shore, but still tired and wet, if you catch my drift.</p><p>4. I wish I had a career to fall back on and grow in. I'm a college drop-out. Again, hindsight is 20/20 and I can see now how that was a very bad idea. But, I allowed some faulty theologies and ideologies rule over reality and reason and now I am paying for it by having to slog through the unknown and look a fool trying to figure this all out with almost no experience. Thankfully, people are incredibly forgiving and supportive.</p><p>5. I wish I took my time instead of trying to rush it. I wanted to be a mom so badly that I agonized when I wasn't, and then was ill-prepared when it was time! I was so busy worrying about getting there than I didn't enjoy the trip. </p><p>6. I wish I wasn't so self-centered about it. I agonized over it so much, and lived in faulty ideologies so badly that it left my dear husband out of the loop. I'm sure he felt detached and distanced, unheard and unheeded, overwhelmed even. <br /><br />Of course, I don't dwell on all this, now. I thought about it, wrote it down, but otherwise for the benefit of others who might want to plan to be a stay-at-home mom, this isn't something that haunts me. I still had a wonderful many years home with my babies and opportunities still have knocked for me. I've grown from this, learned from this, and will support my children and their spouses when that time comes, hopefully helping them with wise advise (if asked for). </p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-76671920559644186022021-03-01T04:00:00.001-05:002021-03-01T04:00:04.236-05:00Spring Cleaning has Begun!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium30xb54nXH_FL_n8lh9V5K280lQyxnSne-BCYSJwpIAuPJCerRL-XifGSEPbSA8Ahyphenhyphen2ikDMaYYnC-1SJXSTRol3OtdGRvhxV2PDxvDVxT9k00uUf9wyX0OI2on4c49ITutcFZQ/s500/scottscleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium30xb54nXH_FL_n8lh9V5K280lQyxnSne-BCYSJwpIAuPJCerRL-XifGSEPbSA8Ahyphenhyphen2ikDMaYYnC-1SJXSTRol3OtdGRvhxV2PDxvDVxT9k00uUf9wyX0OI2on4c49ITutcFZQ/s320/scottscleaning.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I saw this old advertisement and just had to use it for this blog post! It's old-fashioned and my last name is Scott!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For me, March is the perfect month to start spring cleaning. Winter likes to hold on throughout the month and any sign of spring means deep mud, both of which prevent me from doing outdoor work. Once the fine weather comes, the mud dries, and the ground thaws, my house gets neglected in favor of the outdoors.<br /><br />I have 7 small rooms to tackle, which gives me 7 weeks of spring cleaning: Kitchen, Dining Room, Living Room, Master Bedroom, Boys' Bedroom, Daughter's Room, and Bathroom. <br /><br />I started early over the last weekend of February. Last spring and summer I minimized and purged a LOT, but there were so many things I didn't go through, yet, or set aside, not ready to part with them. However, we're coming up on 9 months to a year of that stuff just sitting there, forgotten, right where I left it last year. Therefore, out it goes.<br /><br />Paperwork over 10 years old has also been destroyed. I had 5 boxes of paperwork!! <br /><br />Do you have any spring cleaning plans?</div><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-17189603805939575132021-02-25T06:36:00.002-05:002021-02-25T06:36:04.143-05:00We May Become Part of the New Unchurched<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXcfxHeZUAX36DN67RPmIZ38bgiLTR53tSS75ijG-yCffNiElI5FZ-2FsshTaPe1Bd2qtZcNCDBpFPQtNsRQPITDjHtCxVsifOEonawABMv8oIgQTom-bJN_jHFPY0HYZY3htbQ/s600/abandonedchurch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXcfxHeZUAX36DN67RPmIZ38bgiLTR53tSS75ijG-yCffNiElI5FZ-2FsshTaPe1Bd2qtZcNCDBpFPQtNsRQPITDjHtCxVsifOEonawABMv8oIgQTom-bJN_jHFPY0HYZY3htbQ/s320/abandonedchurch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In my 40 years of life I have never not gone to church. There were brief breaks here and there in recent years lasting no more than 3 months tops, but church on Sundays has always been a part of my life.<br /><br />Until now.....<br /><br />We may become part of the new unchurched.<br /><br />The unchurched is typically meant to describe agnostics, atheists, and apathetic people who don't attend services on Sundays or belong to any church or denomination. However, there is quite possibly a growing group of unchurched people who identify as serious Christians. They are Christians who would like to find a church community, but are struggling to do so.<br /><br />What is our struggle?<br /><br />We can't seem to find a church we can agree upon.<br /><br />I like Catholicism, but my family does not. My oldest likes our former church, but I struggled with some of the theology and my husband struggled with some of the politics. Also, the church was very community-based, which is great, but we live in a different community. <br /><br />I refuse to go to a church that is too casual, uses those hideous purple and blue lights, rocks out to worship, and/or has unchecked non-denominational personalities as pastors. <br /><br />None of us want to go to a church that is only staying afloat because of the old ladies running everything.<br /><br />So many mainline churches are very left of center...and we are not.<br /><br />But so many conservative churches are too far right and have fallen into Trumpism and politics, or they are legalistic.<br /><br />And what about the children?! It's very hard to find a church that has youth in it, especially youth serious about their faith.<br /><br />I don't want my kids a part of an outlying or fringe church. I grew up Assembly of God and my classmates at school thought I belonged to a cult. Everyone else was mainline Protestant or Catholic. <br /><br />Breaking into a church culture is HARD. I hate walking into a new church and you just <i>feel</i> that you're breaking the rhythm and normalcy of the church. People may be friendly and welcoming, but everyone is already established in their cliques and groups and it is hard to find a home there. You'll forever be the "newbie," the "outsider." <br /><br />Theologically, I have a hard time finding a church that I agree with. I actually agree with a lot of Catholicism, but in order to join, you have to agree with ALL of the dogma and vow to it! Other churches I could probably stomach theologically fall into the categories of no youth and run by the old ladies. <br /><br />People say be the change, but we belonged to a church where we were being the change they wanted to see, and it was incredibly lonely and isolating. I was homeschooling at the time, and church, I hoped, would be a source of socializing and making friends for my children, but there were hardly any other children there besides their cousins and a few older kids or a few new babies too young to be their friends. And everyone lived so spread out that getting together was very difficult. We lived a good 35 minute drive from the church. <br /><br />That brings up another problem. We don't want to travel for church. If we're going to plug in, we can't be distanced from the church, making it too hard to join groups or participate in anything besides Sunday worship. However, our local community doesn't seem to have a church we all would like to attend. <br /><br />The closest thing we have to an integrated community church with youth that is nearby is the Catholic Church. And my family does not want to become Catholic, and between Covid and a previously dissolved youth program, my children haven't been able to get plugged in with peers. <br /><br />So, we sit. And I pray.<br /></div><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-49446430862486273402021-02-25T03:30:00.001-05:002021-02-25T03:30:02.429-05:00For Hard Times or Saving Money<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTu5a0XodXmyc-zAThsJxPdJfjYBWOvq_8vdAoPFZnjI1ztalik582JSyfJlpvy-k1rOb6orGlb1AwgEGpRNnRhCJn_jQwsJvpiVh0NGgM2OhoISuOWD8gQmWc3a5sqsiV61WuQ/s500/world-war-two-ration-book-replica-1078-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTu5a0XodXmyc-zAThsJxPdJfjYBWOvq_8vdAoPFZnjI1ztalik582JSyfJlpvy-k1rOb6orGlb1AwgEGpRNnRhCJn_jQwsJvpiVh0NGgM2OhoISuOWD8gQmWc3a5sqsiV61WuQ/s320/world-war-two-ration-book-replica-1078-p.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes life gets challenging and finances get slim. <br /><br />Sometimes we want to save up some money for a purchase or to pay down a debt.<br /><br />Sometimes picking up extra work isn't an option.<br /><br />As we look at our bills we are quick to realize that the most flexible and readily available change we can make is to our grocery spending. <br /><br />We've enjoyed the benefit of a better financial situation in the past 2 years which has allowed me to increase our grocery budget and indulge in foodstuffs and household products I have had to pass by in the past. However, I know finances are easy come-easy go, so I like to keep it in the back of my mind how I plan and utilize a more austere budget.<br /><br />Lately, my grocery spending has been very high. With all the children home instead of in public school, and with hubby not working weekends right now, and thus he likes to shop with me and help me try new recipes, we've increased our spending significantly. However, I would like to back off a bit in order to refocus the funds towards a credit card we'd like to pay off. <br /><br />Below, I will list many different ways to save on the grocery budget. Some are just simple changes while others extend deeply into austerity. <br /><br />1. No more juice, seltzers, sodas, or specialty waters. Tap water becomes the beverage of choice.<br />2. No more packaged snacks. My kids can pack away snacks like they grow on vines outside the window. It would save so much money if I left snacking to bread and butter/peanut butter/jam.<br />3. Limit cleaning products. It's so fun to buy new cleaning products, but a simple vinegar and water cleans much, or a concentrated Awesome from the dollar store will stretch the budget. I can't compromise on my toilet bowl cleaner. I've tried every product out there, but only Lysol works.<br />**As a side note, I don't recommend making your own <a href="https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/why-you-should-never-make-laundry-detergent/#:~:text=DIY%20laundry%20'detergent'%20can%20RUIN%20your%20washing%20machine%3A,-Most%20people%20make&text=But%2C%20in%20the%20long%20run,to%20grow%20inside%20your%20machine." target="_blank">laundry soap.</a> Nor do I find the very cheap detergents like Xtra to work well with my hard water. So, I would have room in the budget to stock up when sales and coupons create great deals on laundry detergent. <br />4. Cut back on condiments. Just get the basics. A lot of fancy sauces and dressings are fairly easy to make, anyway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Elbow macaroni. It's funny, macaroni is macaroni, but it is cheaper to buy a big box of elbows than it is to buy the other fancy shapes of pasta. Elbows work well for almost all of your pasta needs, anyway. <br />6. Question any pre-made or packaged item you are buying. Can you make it cheaper? Sometimes you can. Sometimes it is cheaper just to buy it. For example, Aldi once had a sale on pineapples. For 99 cents I bought a couple of pineapples I was going to can. Well, they only amounted to the same amount of canned pineapple as the 89 cent a cans at Aldi, plus I paid for the processing, the electricity used. It was cheaper to just buy the already canned pineapple.<br />7. Save your scraps. Bits of meat and bones, veggie ends, bread heels....all those are useful! Make broth. Make a meat pie. Make bread pudding or crumbs for breading.<br />8. Have a soup night and a meatless night. <br />9. Make your own <a href="http://beyondgranola.blogspot.com/2012/02/make-your-own-yogurt-greek-yogurt-and.html" target="_blank">yogurt in the crockpot. </a> </div>10. No more K-cups. I have a reusable insert, so I could buy a fancy coffee (with a coupon, sale, and/or rebate) and fill that instead of using expensive K-cups.<br />11. Check out sales on beef. I've often noticed that cuts like London broils can be cheaper per pound than ground beef, sandwich steaks, or stew beef. Buy the London broils and make your own cuts and ground beef.<br />12. Make your own instant oatmeal "packets" with quick cooking oats, maple sugar, brown sugar, and reusable jars. <br />13. Reduce your use of butter. Butter is pricey. Instead, I will use bacon grease to fry eggs and brown meats. I make a lot of baked goods using only half the butter and replacing the other half with lard. In biscuits and pie crust I use only lard. <br />14. In spring look around your yard. If you have an untreated yard (no herbicides, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides) you may have a salad in the making: dandelion greens, plantain, purslane, and clovers are all edible. In the summer, lambs quarter is healthier than spinach and is a very common weed.<br />15. Inexpensive vegetables like carrots can be utilized in quickbreads and "cakes" that make inexpensive and healthier desserts. Replace the oil in the recipes with an equal amount of applesauce for a healthier option. They make great breakfasts, snacks, and desserts.<br />16. Find ways to cut back on your hot beverages. Often, teas, especially basic herbals, can be bought in bulk. Peppermint grows wild in several different varieties around my property. Drying those leaves can replace those pricey boxes in the grocery store with only 20 bags.<br />17. Eat less. We do tend to eat more than we actually need. Cutting back on portions and snacking can save money.<br />18. Be careful when buying in bulk. I've often noticed that the super-sized packages aren't always a better deal than their mid-size counterparts. Also, it isn't a good idea to buy more than you can use before it goes bad. <br />19. Stick with a rotation of basic recipes to avoid one-time specialty purchases or wasted leftovers. <br />20. Don't get sucked into those great coupon-rebate app-sale deals if it isn't something you typically would use. Foodstuffs I can usually find a use for, but I can get sucked into personal and household items I wouldn't normally buy, but because I can get them so cheap through an app and a coupon, I waste my time and money on them. <p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-38705910517298500352021-02-22T06:38:00.001-05:002021-02-22T06:38:02.151-05:00Fitness After 40: Any Progress?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk547YaRa3gSD2A0baFp-xdSM6KvT_p-oj5Qf5zjXE4tpIIXVxGoxnhMWfkHJ6rv5n0sv_-faMWlBWhiU-jyp6VYZeqsaIWw1OZCxoE_M-_vBt-uMWmlRSOta3CUEUVTtfAizi6g/s1410/vintageexercise.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="1100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk547YaRa3gSD2A0baFp-xdSM6KvT_p-oj5Qf5zjXE4tpIIXVxGoxnhMWfkHJ6rv5n0sv_-faMWlBWhiU-jyp6VYZeqsaIWw1OZCxoE_M-_vBt-uMWmlRSOta3CUEUVTtfAizi6g/s320/vintageexercise.jpeg" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now that I am 40 years old, I have stopped chuckling at my predecessors who warned me that everything changes. Certainly not! They just didn't keep themselves up, I would reason. But, as is usually the case, I am eating my words.<br /><br />In my 20s and 30s I could get fairly fit without too much effort, and it would stick. At 40, a good stretching routine on Monday would be undone by Tuesday morning and I feel like I am stretching myself out for the first time. I'm also noticing that I cannot grow in strength and repetition as quickly as I used to. In my early 30s I managed to go from a couple of modified push ups to 25 full-plank pushups within a month. At 40, after a solid month of moving from plank to slow drop to the floor and I still cannot push myself back up!<br /><br />Light-headedness and nausea plagues me if I work out too hard. I've had to limit myself to my stretching-pilates routine and walking workouts. Sometimes, I can hit the exercise bike, but at a leisurely cruise pace rather than a Pelaton commercial-style push. <br /><br />And then there's the weight gain. I normally gain a few pounds over the winter, no big deal, but it gets harder to shed, now. <br /><br />It's frustrating not being able to strengthen as fast as I'd like to. It's frustrating that my body has more challenges to work around. But, the important thing is that I keep moving. I don't have fitness goals right now beyond just staying active, sticking to my routines, and keeping my body stretched and lubricated. <br /><br />The gains are slow, very <i>very</i> slow. But, even if the only gain is just keeping on, that's still a plus.</div></div><br /> <p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-38869952994527548042021-02-18T06:29:00.001-05:002021-02-18T06:29:05.055-05:00When Your Home Can't Have the Aesthetic You'd Like<p> One thing I love about those fix-up-the-home shows on HGTV is the reveal. People walk into their completely done and perfectly staged homes. There's no every day clutter. There are no scuffs on the trim, dirt on the floor, dust bunnies under the beds, shoes piled up by the door, mail on the counter. Even the fruit in the bowl is perfect with no flies buzzing around them. <br /><br />All the rooms are painted and decorated to aesthetic perfection. Everything is DONE!<br /><br />Oh, that feels good!<br /><br />I would love to be able to move out and have someone come in and redo my home to exactly what I need. I could walk in every room and breathe and feel relaxed because it is so perfect. <br /><br />But, I don't live in HGTV. I live in reality. Working class reality with 5 other individuals who don't really give much thought to aesthetics. That can really get me down, sometimes, when I feel like my house doesn't rest my heart because it is never really fully clean and never really done and never really worthy of Instagram showcasing. <br /><br />I think this is a lot of people's reality. The biggest help I've found is minimizing the extras and keeping the house tidy and clean. I may be stuck with scuffed, mismatched furniture, but keeping it polished and tidy can help please the eye. <br /><br />Another thing I've learned is to be true to the house, itself. When we first moved into our 1950 cottage we were 18th century living historians and I so wanted my house to feel like a colonial. Unfortunately, it just didn't work. I could never get the "feel" right. Then, I tried the whole 1950s kitsch, but the mismatched scheme felt terrible. I could isolate myself in the kitschy kitchen and feel like Donna Reed, but then, I'd walk into a quasi-colonial dining room, and my mismatched living room and feel overwhelmed. <br /><br />I had to be true to the house. It isn't a colonial. And even though it was built in 1950, it isn't mid-mod. It's a country cottage, and a small one at that. It is made for minimalism and embraces it. I have to embrace the container (there's only so much square footage), and the lines, and the flow while working with the reality of my family and their needs and interests. <br /><br />A lot of times people embrace a trend without really considering how it works in their space. I've been in homes with very small post-war living rooms only to see a HUGE sectional eating up the entire space and even blocking traffic flow. Opposite the sectional is a gigantic TV much too big for the room. I learned pretty quickly that just because it looks great in a magazine doesn't mean I can replicate it successfully in my own home. Or just because it's the latest trend doesn't mean it belongs in my home. <br /><br /></p><p>Find out what pleases your eye in your space. I was watching a youtuber who suggested grouping things in groups of 3, as that has some sort of psychological benefit for us. However, I'm more of an even number person. I like balance. <br /><br />Start with a blank slate. Let your surfaces be clear for a while. Check the lines of sight from various angles. Consider the light throughout the day. Work around what you need as a family and not so much around the party you'd like to plan some day or the guests who might visit. If your living room can only handle a small couch and a couple of chairs, don't try to squeeze in a love seat to accomodate your maybe someday guests. If you only have cabinet space for 6 place settings, don't stack in a set of 12 in case you host Thanksgiving in 5 years. <br /><br />The last thing to consider is the reality of your time and energy. How much can you manage? I know people whose homes are delightfully cluttered with antiques and collections, but everything has a home and it's all spotless. They don't mind investing their time in the upkeep. But, I've also been in homes where their collections and decor are neglected and piled, dusty and overwhelming because it is too much for them to handle. <br /><br /></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-46765330496862925752021-02-11T02:00:00.001-05:002021-02-11T02:00:03.965-05:00Out with the Old<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/woman-sweeping-her-home-motionage-designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="609" height="400" src="https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/woman-sweeping-her-home-motionage-designs.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Woman Sweeping Her Home by Jean-François Millet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>I've wondered a lot lately if people who go through a tragic, traumatic, or life-changing experience, even a good one for that matter, have this desire to get rid of their old things. <br /><br />I had mentioned in a post early this year that I turned 40 and felt like a page had turned. No, not even a page -- more like a book closed and I opened a new book. I won't go into details as to my life circumstances except to say it is not marriage-related. Hubby and I are still going strong. But, with this closing of a book I find myself antsy to change so much in my home. I wouldn't even really mind moving!<br /><br />I've purged a lot of my wardrobe and bought new.<br /><br />I'm repainting and looking at new furnishings or arrangements. <br /><br />I'm interested in different books.<br /><br />My previous hobbies feel kind of ho-hum and I'm ready to get rid of all the old "maybe someday" boxes of stuff.<br /><br />I want to sell almost all of my vintage clothing collection.<br /><br />I can buy myself a new vehicle next year and I'm feeling a bit edgy in what I might purchase. <br /><br />It feels great to change things up. I don't have to be stuck with the past or with it's stuff. And the more I purge the more free I feel. I feel like if I could just get rid of enough and get the house in order I'll have more inside-of-myself space to dedicate to figuring out what I want to do with my very near future. I'd like to formulate a career plan and go back to college.<p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-54429366972361665462021-02-04T06:53:00.000-05:002021-02-04T06:53:00.465-05:00When Your Spouse is a Keeper<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrkHpSC9VmtVEVnp3x4AZmLsWvAwvUvBsvZBT3-dr03tCyhtgM0u-pgVoB9T6Ot_Xuo_Xbr2okbmuATG8cWSt67HUrjuGvfB-yYFeei3Lg2rQ7dmped6QWAtlXDAdgpyqTWjc3A/s1300/messy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="867" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrkHpSC9VmtVEVnp3x4AZmLsWvAwvUvBsvZBT3-dr03tCyhtgM0u-pgVoB9T6Ot_Xuo_Xbr2okbmuATG8cWSt67HUrjuGvfB-yYFeei3Lg2rQ7dmped6QWAtlXDAdgpyqTWjc3A/s320/messy.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is your spouse a keeper?<br /><br />I'm sure they are in your eyes. :-)<br /><br />But, what I mean is, are they the kind of person who likes to hold on to things? <br /><br />They like to collect.<br />They like to own things just for the novelty of it.<br />They hold onto things hoping to enjoy them eventually.<br />They're sentimental.<br />They worry about the future and keep things "just in case."<br />They are clutter-blind.<br />They like having things about them, finding it cozy and homey.<br />They are visual and don't like things stored away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And you? You're more minimalist and can't stand clutter. Perhaps you're the main housekeeper, too, and thus the management or cleanliness of the items falls on your shoulders. Your spouse might pitch in from time to time, but because they aren't as sensitive to dust, mess, and clutter as you are, it isn't really on their radar to manage it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This can become a battleground in a marriage. How can we find a compromise when we have a keeper for a spouse?<br /><br />I am a HUGE proponent for personal space. If you can manage it, GIVE THEM A SPACE! Whether it is a man cave or a she shed, if you want their stuff outside of your management, they have to have a space to put it in. The space then becomes the container and they can only keep what fits in that container. If you don't have space in your home, even though I am against storage units in general and find it to be a burdensome expense, it may actually be an investment for minimalists married to keepers. The rental fee may be worth your sanity. If it's workable in your budget, try that.<br /><br />***Another option is if you have family or friends with some real estate, see about getting a shed placed on their property and paying them a rental fee. It may be cheaper than a storage unit, and could help them out financially. Perhaps an elderly couple on a fixed income, or trade for keeping up their lawn for them.***<br /><br />Unfortunately, that doesn't always solve the problem. Not everyone has the real estate or funds to create a space. Also, some of us run into the problem of the keeper spouse filling that space and then they start using the main living space. It starts with one little pile or project and before you know it, you're dusting around bits and bobs, piles, and what the heck is THAT!?<br /><br />Reality is, if you marry a keeper, you are agreeing to having to put in regular effort in managing the keeper's stuff. So, take a deep breath. Release the resentment. Here are some more tips.<br /><br />Most keepers will willingly get rid of stuff. Maybe not to your desired level of let-go, but they will. Most keepers are visual, but out of necessity stuff gets layered and becomes out of sight, out of mind. If you fill a box with stuff you're pretty sure they don't even remember, they'll likely get rid of some of it. <br /><br />***If you have a true hoarder or your spouse is displaying strong emotions about their stuff this falls into needing professional help.***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because keepers can be sentimental, you run the risk of them opening a box, finding something they've completely forgotten about, but it triggers a memory or feeling, and they wind up keeping it, even if to just throw it back into the box to be forgotten again. A trick is to have a memories container. Whatever fits in it is what can go in it. It creates a limit and helps the keeper sort through what is really important to them, and what is just a quick dopamine kick.<br /><br />Depending on your spouse, you may be able to just get into their spaces with a trash bag and start throwing stuff away. Keepers may not always be the best at getting rid of refuse. For example, they may get something for Christmas, pull it out of the packaging, but then put it right back in haphazardly and store it in their space. Unless it's a collector's box that adds value to the piece, you can likely just throw away the packaging. <br /><br />Most advice these days are about minimizing and not just organizing. If you want a more manageable house, a cleaner house, a less-stress house, you have to get rid of things. But, if you're married to a keeper, organization is key. They won't get rid of enough, so their things need to be organized for your own sanity. Invest in good storage totes or a wall unit, or free-standing closet. If they collect things, glassed in cases can greatly reduce your need to dust. <br /><br />If you're a minimalist, especially if you have a capsule wardrobe, give your keeper the closet. You can get away with a small free-standing unit, an armoire perhaps. That way your keeper has the greater space (and you can shut the door). <br /><br />Next, I suggest quarantine bins. This is an idea I got from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeLICYOqHfIrfSAQq1TT7PA" target="_blank">Dawn at The Minimal Mom </a>. If you have stuff you're just not comfortable parting with yet, put it in a tote, put an expiration date on it, and if by that date you haven't cared about what is in it enough to even open it up and retrieve it, you can get rid of it. <br /><br />Lasty, consider buying them experiences for special occasions and not things. Not even things that you can use up (because they either won't get used up, or will get used but some portion will be kept). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Be creative! Be respectful and understanding. Your keeper spouse will be more amenable to coming up with solutions if you don't treat their keeping ways as if they are wrong. They aren't wrong.* They are just different.<br /><br />*Again, I'm not talking about mental illness or emotional issues that may cause hoarding.<br /></div><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-43412083048686646092021-01-28T01:00:00.001-05:002021-01-28T01:00:03.081-05:00A Swedish Woman Helps Me Thrive Through Winter<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdRhNZaoXAXlIIroK39EeowXY9pQatw67lmvVmPrMNJOPpE-difrSRrcC5lLmxCE_g8SuAyPmxpdJUarXM7Nmu5aVOkzMgZheJ7yjVQqppFBRiWeGEKu5ur5bE033mu0sDkUfnQ/s2048/icywinter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdRhNZaoXAXlIIroK39EeowXY9pQatw67lmvVmPrMNJOPpE-difrSRrcC5lLmxCE_g8SuAyPmxpdJUarXM7Nmu5aVOkzMgZheJ7yjVQqppFBRiWeGEKu5ur5bE033mu0sDkUfnQ/s320/icywinter.jpg" /></a></div> Photo by Cottage on the Hill<br /><br />Winter and I haven't gotten along very well in years. It would be a painful, depressing time as the cold and damp would get into my bones and feel like it was freezing me from the inside out. A few years ago I would dread the onset of winter, fear it, even. Then, I started watching a remarkable woman who lives in the rural north of Sweden.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAk3t7WHs2zjsZpopox8Taw">Jonna Jinton</a> lives in a tiny village near the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Several years ago, she abandoned her normal urban modernist life to live a dream. Her dream has come true, and then some!<br /><br />I first "met" Jonna through an adorable little meme video that went viral on Facebook. As the northern hemisphere was nearing spring, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw0cR8euig0" target="_blank">Jonna's video</a> of her trudging through waist-deep snow in a pretty dress to hang her laundry and enjoy the sunshine caught my attention. Since then, I was intrigued by her living and, yes, even struggling through her dream. <br /><br />One thing that spoke to me, though, was her love of the harsh, cold, dark Nordic winters. They last longer, are darker, colder, snowier, and more intense than any winter I've endured here in Upstate New York. I've lived through blizzards dumping 3 feet of snow at once, sub zero farenheit temperatures for over a month, and even snow still on the ground on Mother's Day and frost to just before the 4th of July. But, I've never endured a Nordic, almost tundra winter. And Jonna doesn't just endure them. She <i>loves </i>them!<br /><br />Her joy and appreciation is infectious. I wanted some of that, but I felt like my body would fail me since it didn't seem to agree with the cold at all. I didn't feel invigorated. I felt pain. Terrible pain. The cold is painful. <br /><br />But, to enjoy the winter is to embrace the winter. The light, the darkness, the beauty, the cold, the cozy, the rest, the cuddling in, the oven baking, the hot tea, snowflakes, the ice formations, the sledding, the wildlife....winter is a magical time! <br /><br />I also had to be aware of taking care of myself. As Jonna says in<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zTR4ayDG38"> this video</a>, you don't expect a flower to bloom in winter....<br /><br />Jonna is right. Nutrition and movement is key, as well as accepting the rhythm of the seasons. <br /><br />When you live where the seasons are defined, the more defined they are, the more energy you expend during the warmer months. There's a natural energy flow and need that comes with the sun. Winter, then, is a time for rest and more of an interior life. <br /><br />As a side note, (and not a sponsorship or affiliation) I wanted to give Jonna's business a shout out. My husband and I purchased new wedding bands from <a href="https://jonnajintonsweden.com/">Jonna Jinton Sweden</a>! Our original bands no longer fit us, and being engraved with continuous knotwork, we cannot get the cut and extended. Years of hard labor calloused and thickened his finger, and I was dreadfully thin when we married. So, we decided to start our search for new wedding bands. Nothing really spoke to us until I showed my husband Jonna's online store. We saw the <a href="https://jonnajintonsweden.com/product/rimfrost-ring-medium/">hammered silver bands</a> and fell in love with them! <br /><br />Purchasing something homemade by an individual, and someone I feel a sense of connection to, even if it is just through social media, just feels so special. It's personal, intimate, and while, of course, we paid for the materials, skill, talent, and time put into the rings, it feels like a gift. A gift from Sweden. A gift from a dream come true.<p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-78678355528416971222021-01-25T03:30:00.001-05:002021-01-25T03:30:03.964-05:00Favorite Things: Old TV Shows<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://victoryoutreachwhittier.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/key_art_father_knows_best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="800" height="248" src="https://victoryoutreachwhittier.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/key_art_father_knows_best.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Now, television isn't something I am able to indulge in very often. I have one TV series that I watch with absolute strictness, and that is Curse of Oak Island. Otherwise, I watch The Mandalorian when I can and occasionally indulge in the classics. But, boy, do I love those classics! <br /><br />My love has been renewed thanks to Disney's Wandavision, which, I think, they "spoofed" the old TV shows quite well without being rude about it. I'd be happy if they stayed in the Mary Tyler Moore or Dick van Dyke Show style. It's just so adorable and homey! It brought me back to my old favorites such as:<br /><br />The Donna Reed Show<br /><br />Leave it to Beaver<br /><br />Father Knows Best<br /><br />Ozzie and Harriet<br /><br />The Honeymooners<br /><br />I Love Lucy<br /><br />The Dick van Dyke Show<br /><br />I Dream of Jeannie<br /><br />The Mary Tyler Moore Show<br /><br />And the game show What's My Line<br /><br />I'm sure there's more.<br /><br />What are your favorite old time TV shows?<br /></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-89039749299980415232021-01-21T03:00:00.001-05:002021-01-21T03:00:00.125-05:00Focus: Curb Appeal<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTAQn-rnE7tbpVAYJa6m5YxUCjNHkDMDykmT77-UcdpnBfjwj_22p_KtdML_GM2x1JCJot8YKLRuxyfFUdsIpwjPUN4nTxjc3xMsBUKggjys3L8deWbgVkTbprrXm4pJFs9YXRg/s400/tashacottage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTAQn-rnE7tbpVAYJa6m5YxUCjNHkDMDykmT77-UcdpnBfjwj_22p_KtdML_GM2x1JCJot8YKLRuxyfFUdsIpwjPUN4nTxjc3xMsBUKggjys3L8deWbgVkTbprrXm4pJFs9YXRg/s320/tashacottage.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Art by Tasha Tudor<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Spring always tempts me to the open spaces of my back yard that I can fill with seeds, seedlings, and plants. The little homesteader in me wants food and flower growing abundantly in the sunny areas behind my house. Of course, I never intend to neglect the front, and I usually do throw in some excellent plantings when the weeds are few in the spring. However, the demands of tending the large gardens in the back take away from the ones people see first.<br /><br />The new busy days of my life, with work and business, homeschool and home repairs, provides me with little time to devote to my gardening <strike>obsession</strike> hobby. I MUST plan and focus for this coming spring.<br /><br />I decided to focus on curb appeal, not just for the benefit of first impressions, but because it is overall beneficial:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. It'll exercise my gardening creativity. The spaces are unique. I have to think outside the box.<br /><br />2. It'll exercise my gardening education. The spaces are unique. I have to find out how to work with them.<br /><br />3. It'll add to our equity. Curb appeal is important to adding to the overall appearance and value of a home. <br /><br />4. It'll boost the neighborhood. We have a lot of people who walk by, despite being a country road with no sidewalks. Having a beautiful front yard blesses and encourages the neighbors. There's a house around the corner with gorgeous old-fashioned curb appeal. They have a mature garden that always has something in bloom from spring to fall. I intentionally take walks that way just to look at their garden. It is inspiring and stress-relieving to walk past it.<br /><br />I live in a cottage, which is a wonderful thing! It means I can use many natural materials and native plants. I can form organic flow to borders and look at little haphazard because that is what a cottage garden is! I don't have to worry about perfection and it will look beautiful! <br /><br />A cottage garden looks like the cottage is so welcoming that all the plants have just gathered and moved in to enjoy its company. That is my goal and focus for 2021. <br /><br /></div></div><br /><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-50389322781026036262021-01-18T03:00:00.002-05:002021-01-18T03:00:02.672-05:00Favorite Things: Perfume<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/The-Women-Perfume-Counter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="519" height="303" src="http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/The-Women-Perfume-Counter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With Valentine's Day coming, I felt like sharing 3 of my favorite perfumes, an honorable mention, and one for the little girls in your life. They make excellent, romantic gifts for the fragrance-loving femmes in your life!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJFOXMY/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00IJFOXMY&linkId=2e1083d3e584b3e8d1994d8563a05213" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" src="https://fimgs.net/images/perfume/o.18605.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coming in at #3 is English Laundry No 7 (for her). This is a scent that is both classic and modern. It's great as an every day wear, and for special occasions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C1Z5AW/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000C1Z5AW&linkId=8ffb526e136040eb5c8b4e1d3554f979" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://camobluufragrance.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Pleasures.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My #2 is Estee Lauder Pleasures. This was my first "big girl" perfume, a step away from drug store brands into the world of perfume counters. It is oh so feminine!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082RLHV94/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B082RLHV94&linkId=a9dcbdc0501a25acd80e70daeefb5cec" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://perfumeuae.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/chanel_no5_100ml.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br />My #1 was Marilyn Monroe's #1, Chanel #5! I feel sophisticated wearing this perfume. It's an instant pick-me-up and self-esteem booster.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046ZFLD6/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0046ZFLD6&linkId=bf9a92233dea1ccbc6ddff514d68166f" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="277" src="https://fimgs.net/images/perfume/o.30220.jpg" /></a><br /><br />My Honorable Mention is a budget-friendly fragrance from Yardley of London. Their lily of the valley scent is a beautiful, feminine, pleasantly simple fragrance that feels young and fresh, innocent and sweet to wear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00170L9KC/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00170L9KC&linkId=1f788ce622dbd504324ae8f1c7e716d6" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/f99170b3-eb0c-450f-9cc0-9c0e196ae425_1.95fd92dc96b30fcf99dacb36fc228db3.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=ffffff" width="320" /></a><br /><br />For the little girls in your life just starting on the path to exploring their own toilette, I recommend Love's Baby Soft. This was my very first perfume as a little girl. It's an adorable mix of spritzing on some perfume like mommy or grandmum while holding onto the precious powder scent of their baby years (with just a hint of bigger girl undertones).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />What are your favorite perfumes?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-77957927099770440522021-01-14T06:18:00.000-05:002021-01-14T07:16:55.458-05:00Creating Empty Spaces for Peace in the Home<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0uNzlUF4LAURpg-yd-UdyK8cuJ0z9gspJS1QJ4FuTwvTRMf4g0wJkjLO5eghXsb5wyebYvRBeEhTj-hIVF86knKRcyRM4TJ8DI1-aIPorjt8I5U6OeWx05q4j9gHtdJOKF8Tuw/s1024/summerhopper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0uNzlUF4LAURpg-yd-UdyK8cuJ0z9gspJS1QJ4FuTwvTRMf4g0wJkjLO5eghXsb5wyebYvRBeEhTj-hIVF86knKRcyRM4TJ8DI1-aIPorjt8I5U6OeWx05q4j9gHtdJOKF8Tuw/s320/summerhopper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Painting by Edward Hopper</span><br /><p>I blame Covid.<br />And winter.<br /><br />I am inspired by minimalists.<br />And young women in young marriages with young families who've learned and shared their art of creating spaces and space.<br /><br />Growing up, I loved all the things. Cluttered farmhouses, Victorian aesthetic, collections, museums pack full of artifacts, late 20th century consumerism all contributed to an idea that homes were cozy when well (and fully) decorated and displayed. <br /><br />But now I live in a very small cottage instead of a large Civil War era farmhouse, and I have to take care of all the things (or handle all this inventory as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeLICYOqHfIrfSAQq1TT7PA">Dawn from The Minimal Mom </a>calls it). It became overwhelming.<br /><br />Covid has kept my children and I home more. Winter keeps us shut in, too. And the walls close in around us.<br /><br />I find I need space, empty space. <br /><br />Not every surface needs something on it. Not every wall needs something hanging on it. Not every corner needs something sitting in it. <br /><br />This is no easy task in a small house with 6 people. I can't just get rid of a chair to make space. Someone will end up sitting on the floor! With a shocking lack of closet space, I have to utilize cupboards, cubes, bookcases, and hutches to store my inventory. So, while we may have less than the average American home, it still feels like a lot because of the lack of space vs the number of people living here and all their needs and things. <br /><br />Still, there's always ways to reduce, rearrange, and create that empty space. <br /><br />Yesterday, I went through our books (we have a LOT of books) and purged ones we no longer read or need. I also purged homeschool supplies. Let's be honest, a large portion of homeschool supplies were purchased because mom got excited and hoped beyond reality. It also helps that my youngest finally broke through the early elementary stage and I can get rid of all the early ed papers, workbooks, games, and supplies. <br /><br />I LOVE how <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPnkHdnyfqw35cZJI0uypzw">Lynette Yoder </a>decorates her home and has a rotating supply of decor. Unfortunately, I can't really do that because I have very little space with which to store decor, and my home can't handle the clutter. I really only have space for the necessities, so my books become my backdrop. My plants and family pictures are my decor. Lynette is a master are having enough empty, or negative space to enjoy decor without it feeling or looking cluttered. Unfortunately, in my home, there isn't enough negative space just with our necessities trying to fit in that I don't have the freedom to decorate without it looking cluttered.<br /><br />Whether it is an empty surface, an empty shelf, an empty drawer, or an empty wall space, I need little pockets of negative space. Even if it means a drawer isn't stuffed full. A books-stacked-double-deep bookcase is more tolerable if the top of it is empty. Add decor to the top and suddenly the whole thing looks like a mess. <br /><br />Neutrals also help contribute to the feeling of empty or negative space. Back in the 90s when I was a teen it was popular for homes to have a different paint color in every room, even two paint colors in one room. I carried that into this cottage. I had a cottagey living room, a colonial dining room, a 1950s electric blue kitchen, a farm themed kid's room turned master bedroom, a hadn't been painted in nearly 2 decades bedroom, a cabin-like sunroom turned daughter's room, and a french country bathroom. There was no cohesion. Every tiny room in this tiny house was its own entity. I have since painted the kitchen, living room, dining room, daughter's room, and boys' room a warm cream neutral. The bathroom is still french blue, and by request of others, will remain so, and the tiny master bedroom is the palest pink that looks white because it needed something of a brighter neutral being so tiny. There's now cohesion, and I plan to create more by repainting the dining room, which is currently oxblood red on the bottom, cream on top with a chair rail in between, the the trim is colonial mustard/butterscotch color. Way too dark and busy and doesn't go with the rest of the house. <br /><br />Some spaces simply cannot be decluttered. On my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/save_the_dodos/">Instagram </a> I have a picture of a troublesome hutch area in my dining room. This is hubby's dumping ground because he truly does not have anywhere else to put his work gear. We don't have a mudroom or a coat closet or portico or entry way or antechamber, nor is there room to create one near an entry door. So, I have to allow for this hutch to be his space for now, regardless of how cluttered it gets or looks. Therefore, I have to balance it with negative space elsewhere. That may mean decluttering a bookcase or emptying a wall of picture frames or even keeping the room neutral in tones. <br /><br />In my kitchen I don't have curtains.<br /><br />In my bathroom I keep one side of the counter cleared off. <br /><br />A catch-all basket can help keep those little bits and bobs together in one space with only one visual. <br /><br />I see where my eye wanders and what feels unkempt. Right now I have a surface in my living room that's become a catch-all for projects. I'll clear that, today. Also, in my kitchen, I redid my kitchen table, but have my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvuSPBIOjB4">Sunday Basket</a> papers piled up on it and a bowl for past-its-prime fruit that needs something done about it. <br /><br />To not be so cluttered, especially in a small house with a large family, actually does help my family function. It creates less visual stress which helps us all feel calmer and more like we can accomplish things. If my kids are trying to do schoolwork in a cluttered room, they feel more intimidated by the clutter on the pages of the book. Everything looks more amplified and busy and harder to focus on. And when it comes to cleaning, it is more of a breeze because I don't have to clean before I clean! <br /></p><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-59874270752184526802021-01-11T03:00:00.008-05:002021-01-11T03:00:04.066-05:00Favorite Things: My New Favorite Laundry Detergent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Elin_Danielson_Gambogi_-_Le_fil_%C3%A0_linge.jpg/854px-Elin_Danielson_Gambogi_-_Le_fil_%C3%A0_linge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="633" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Elin_Danielson_Gambogi_-_Le_fil_%C3%A0_linge.jpg/854px-Elin_Danielson_Gambogi_-_Le_fil_%C3%A0_linge.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Elin Danielson Gambogi "Sunny Day" 1900</div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> Growing up I remember going to people's houses or going to school and smelling the fresh laundry. I loved the laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store and longed to have laundry that was a fragrant experience. </p><p>Frugality, for many years, dictated what detergent I purchased, which was often the kind that didn't have the greatest fragrance, nor would it last. Nevertheless, through rebate apps, coupons, sales, and allowing myself a little more wiggle room in the laundry budget, I have explored the worlds of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085V5PPP8/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B085V5PPP8&linkId=5bb678e50e67d07b7a990e0cb91c782b">Tide</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N8SJ5GF/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07N8SJ5GF&linkId=03bf2d528c7d1a8ceed6347919ba16b5">Gain</a>. However, as much as I enjoy both of these for massive fragrant laundry experiences, I was surprised that another option has become my current favorite!<br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=katescottscot-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B07L76M2ZK&asins=B07L76M2ZK&linkId=cbf617d11bb7229d248afc7b05d26c99&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><br /></div><div>Not only is the scent amazing, but I love how my laundry feels. I have terribly hard water and I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets, but this detergent actually does get out the dirt, the ick, the stink, and softens the laundry nicely. <br /><br />Some may question my use of more mainstream detergents. I have made and used homemade laundry soap and no longer will (<a href="https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/why-you-should-never-make-laundry-detergent/#:~:text=DIY%20laundry%20'detergent'%20can%20RUIN%20your%20washing%20machine%3A&text=But%2C%20in%20the%20long%20run,to%20grow%20inside%20your%20machine.">besides not performing well getting my clothes clean, here's why)</a>. I've also tried various "natural" or "plant based" or "eco friendly" detergents and, really, for the money, I don't feel like I get the same level of clean. We're a country family with a tree business and I clean houses. We get our clothes pretty nasty. I currently have some Seventh Generation detergent, but only use it on lightly soiled laundry because it just doesn't cut the mustard with our usual laundry needs. <br /><br />Do you have a favorite detergent? <br /><br />Do you love scented or unscented laundry?<br /><br />Do you have a natural, or eco friendly detergent recommendation for heavily soiled laundry?<br /><br />Please share in the comments!<br /><br />*post contains affiliate links<br />
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</div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-78137977966419961842021-01-07T05:00:00.002-05:002021-01-07T05:00:06.563-05:00The Power of Proper Thinking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Fragonard%2C_The_Reader.jpg/573px-Fragonard%2C_The_Reader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="573" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Fragonard%2C_The_Reader.jpg/573px-Fragonard%2C_The_Reader.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fragonard, The Reader</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>I tend to be what I call an idealist pessimist. Basically, I would think of some aesthetic ideal that I wish I was, but be very negative and pessimistic because I could never live up to that. That developed into negative self talk. <br /><br />Dawn from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMinimalMom">The Minimal Mom</a> talks in her videos about how she would berate herself as being a messy person and instead decided to think, "No, I'm a tidy person. What would a tidy person do?" I've adopted this method for myself, calling it Proper Thinking. It isn't negative talk to punish myself, nor is it positive speak that puffs me up. It is proper thinking that is both realistic and productive. <br /><br />For example, I didn't want to go to Church, today. So, I thought, "I'm a Catholic. What do Catholics do? They go to Mass." Therefore, I went to Mass. <br /><br />Another example is when I feel overwhelmed with homeschooling my children. I think, "I am a working homeschooling mom. Working homeschooling moms have to simplify and be concise. They simply cannot spend all the pinterest-worthy homeschool things. I'm also homeschooling during a pandemic. No one is getting an optimal education right now!" <br /><br />In a nutshell, I think about my role, who I am. I think about what I view someone like that is or does. Then, I hold myself to the realistic standard I put on others of similar position and do not expect more of myself. I wouldn't expect another working homeschooling during a pandemic mom to give her children an Ivy League education. Why should I expect that of myself? <br /><br />I'm a tidy mom. What do tidy moms do? They tidy up.<br /><br />When it's estimate day I don't go in my closet and think, "I'm just a mom who got thrust in the role of businesswoman. I'll just throw on my comfy clothes." Instead, I think, "I'm a professional business woman and the face of the business. I need to dress and look the part." (This is important because I do believe I lost a contract in part to my looking dowdy and unprofessional at an estimate. And because I looked so blah, I felt and acted blah and didn't connect well with the client.)<br /><br />This also extends into self care. Instead of thinking, "I have so much to do," and trying to push through when I don't feel very well, I think, "I'm a busy mom who did a lot this past week. I need rest." And then I go rest.<br /><br />Thinking properly is wisdom put to practice. Take care of yourself.<br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-9359539477843782762021-01-04T08:29:00.015-05:002021-01-04T08:29:00.119-05:00My Own Madame Chic Experience and What I Took from It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.nga.gov/iiif/public/objects/1/0/8/108-primary-0-nativeres.ptif/full/!740,560/0/default.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="463" src="https://media.nga.gov/iiif/public/objects/1/0/8/108-primary-0-nativeres.ptif/full/!740,560/0/default.jpg" /></a></div>No, this isn't Lady S, but she reminds me of her graciousness. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XRBR5T3/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XRBR5T3&linkId=f2e85a52fdeab8af2c7e68e9c05fd5b5" target="_blank">Miss Eleanor Urquhart</a>, 1793 by Henry Raeburn<br /> <p></p><p>Two decades ago I was a naive working class teenager from a fairly rural area of the USA who managed to somehow befriend a university gent from Scotland. When I was 16 he actually came over to visit me. Then next year and 2 years after that, when I was 17 and 19, I went to visit him and his family in Scotland.<br /><br />The other day I started reading Lessons from <u>Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris</u> by <a href="http://www.jenniferlscott.com" target="_blank">Jennifer Scott</a> and realized I had my own sort of Madame Chic experience in Scotland!</p><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=katescottscot-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1451699379&asins=1451699379&linkId=7b034f95ea6d274c9790d1a6c90e4186&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><br /></div><div>Lady S (she wasn't really a Lady as a title, like Lord and Lady or Duke, Duchess, Dame, etc, but her husband does hold an MBE!) was a poised, soft-spoken, kindly countenanced Highland beauty. She welcomed me warmly, was a gracious hostess, and I always felt like she wanted to take me under her wing and polish me up a little. Try as a might to not be a "stereotypical American," I unfortunately was. I had virtually no lessons in etiquette other than parroting some polite phrases, had little idea of how to handle a multi-course formal dinner, and didn't have the social skills, breeding, or quality education to really get in on conversations. What their son saw in me I don't know!<br /><br />I saw their way of life and yearned for it, but felt woefully inadequate and didn't know how to go about gleaning from Lady S other than observing her.<br /><br />Even so, my observations proved fruitful. I realized this when I was making my husband's breakfast this morning and warmed his plate on the electric burner before dishing up his omelet. Lady S warmed our plates. I remember helping in the kitchen for a simple dinner of soup and tomato grilled cheese sandwiches, and she, with a serene smile on her face, placed her plates on a rack above her vintage range, telling me that she would warm the plates. I was fascinated that the range had a plate warmer and even more fascinated that people warmed plates! At home we just grabbed our favorite plate out of the cold cabinet and plopped our food on it cafeteria style. To make the loving intention to warm plates before arranging a meal beautifully, even a simple one as soup and sandwiches, really spoke to my heart.<br /><br />21 years later, I warm my husband's plates and think of Lady S so very fondly. Like Jennifer, I lost contact with the S's of Scotland. I did find out where their son works and I know they moved from their Inverness home some time ago, but I never contacted them. I was an ignorant lass and parted ways abruptly (and unintentionally rudely) when I met my now husband. I'm ashamed of how I behaved, but I honestly had very little social etiquette upbringing (and some toxic religious teachings) and didn't know any better. <br /><br />Despite our sour parting, I hold very dear memories of my time with the S's of Scotland. Happy Hogmanay, dear ones!<br /><br />Jennifer Scott, The Daily Connoisseur's Platforms<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jenniferlscott.com">Website</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyConnoisseur">YouTube</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dailyconnoisseur/">Instagram</a></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor">Facebook</a></div>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-72297602944198551152021-01-01T05:00:00.001-05:002021-01-01T05:00:03.067-05:00My 2021 Vision Board<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxj0JijUScZVLfnBGnW9dwI6UvN_1TiMpltS6SeO-TM5kZEAdZWCNSS7yosBDiasH7Ey6kZKRXWJf4F84a8Sidw680aih0C8ioJu_jb6mKdOkuiWFNaYmBhekcBHANeEgCcWepGw/s2048/Green+%2526+Pink+Wedding+Mood+Board+Photo+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxj0JijUScZVLfnBGnW9dwI6UvN_1TiMpltS6SeO-TM5kZEAdZWCNSS7yosBDiasH7Ey6kZKRXWJf4F84a8Sidw680aih0C8ioJu_jb6mKdOkuiWFNaYmBhekcBHANeEgCcWepGw/w640-h480/Green+%2526+Pink+Wedding+Mood+Board+Photo+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.canva.com/join/fdt-xms-nwh">Image made at Canva</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks to Megan at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCou_foVGi73d9ieCelFUSUQ">Megan Fox, Unlocked</a> I decided to put together a 2021 Vision Board and share it with you!<br />I guess the "vision board" idea is something that some people put together to speak something into existence. That's not my intention. Like Megan, I don't believe that a vision board or my own efforts can supernaturally make my wishes come true, but I do believe in positive reinforcement and a healthy mindset.<br /><br />I made a simple board on Canva. I loved the simplicity of their platform, and though I could have done a better job editing my own work, I didn't have much time and am still pleased with the results. It's pleasing to the eye and reminds me of my 2021 vision and goals without revealing my inner heart and deeper thoughts on the matters that are between God and me.<br /><br />I can comfortably reveal the gist, though.<br /><br />My word for the year is Growth.<br />I could have used so many words, but Growth stood out to me.<br />I'm working on growing in so many avenues, so this is perfect.<br /><br />I added a Bible verse to help me remember that God is on this journey with me. I have a hard time explaining the depth of this because it's difficult to explain some toxic mindsets I had before. Basically, because I broke off from something very controlling, I battle feeling like God was on that path and not on this one.<br /><br />The 4 pictures represent my wellness vision, my business vision, my home project vision, and my relationship vision.<br />I want to be healthier, remind myself that I am a professional now, intentionally work on my home and its repairs, and spend intentional time with my children.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you have a vision board? Word of the year? Motto? Resolution? Goal? Hope? Dream? Bible verse? Quote?<br />Please share them in the comments!</div><br /><p></p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-17274892440289689582020-12-31T20:16:00.000-05:002020-12-31T20:16:12.246-05:00A New Introduction for the New Year<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-exsMwy9LAv1hP186BwB6MXdPmNrHk1_DfJ6-CynMz0XCya8Hn2cZfSNCFjwykk9sVDr-gZ5q3GMK8UhnKNADhkjfj1FQGKzxGYLL5fAN3ZRG2gECOKjPqWNkwweddIkU8oap1w/s1636/1231201523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1614" data-original-width="1636" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-exsMwy9LAv1hP186BwB6MXdPmNrHk1_DfJ6-CynMz0XCya8Hn2cZfSNCFjwykk9sVDr-gZ5q3GMK8UhnKNADhkjfj1FQGKzxGYLL5fAN3ZRG2gECOKjPqWNkwweddIkU8oap1w/w200-h198/1231201523.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Happy New Year!!<br /></p><p>"New Year New You" has never felt like it applied to me as much as it does this New Year. I just turned 40 years old and, for some reason, it feels like my life didn't just turn a page, but that it closed a book and started a new one. Throughout the year I'll probably blog about what that means and how it came about, but for this blog post I'm here to reintroduce myself to you.</p><p>Hi! My name is Kate. I'm 40 years old, a wife of almost 19 years to my Northman, and mother of 4 (3 boys and a girl). I am a business owner, I work, and I am currently homeschooling all 4 children (thanks to the pandemic).<br /><br />We live in semi-rural upstate New York. That means I'm surrounded by farm and woods, but Target is only a short drive away. LOL! We live in an itty bitty cottage that was built in 1950 on about 1/2 an acre of land in a quiet neighborhood. Our dear little cottage, named Taigh Beag (pronounced "tie beck," which literally translates from Scottish Gaelic "Little House" but, as I later found out, is colloquial for outhouse or restroom! Isn't that funny!) is in need of a renovation. We're hoping this is the year we get to really put a lot of work into her. She deserves it!<br /><br />I have way too many hobbies and interests which I've had to pare down and set 99% of them aside so we I can focus on the business, the children, homeschooling, and fixing up Taigh Beag. Still, that is feeding my creativity and stretching my skillset, so I can't complain in the least!<br /><br />I'm studying minimalism, organization, house cleaning, simplifying, streamlining, and all those others tips, tricks, and hacks that help a modern house become a modern home - that is, a haven for family and open and welcome to any who may cross the threshold. Since moving from being a stay-at-home mom to a business woman (even if just part time) I need my house to function better without me. Plus, I hope to help others with their homes, too, especially people whose circumstances have made it so their house has gotten beyond them. I've been there. I want to help others get back on track.<br /><br />Should you explore my archives and old posts, please know that I am not the same person I was even last year. I've changed and grown a lot from the 20-something young mom and the 30-something homeschooling mom. I've changed faiths. I've changed mindsets. I've changed attitudes, judgements, and energy. And I'm very <i>very </i>excited to share them with you!<br /><br />Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2021! </p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-60010380681916649962020-12-30T22:38:00.008-05:002020-12-30T22:42:12.303-05:00The Psychology of Clutter, Decor, and Accessories<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfdVwrKmu81BYCBatC0QsZRkl8QeVm8p9EHGBxI8cGgKFIHt-u77tT7UbXh_7cBQRN_L3aU2xeHVgjfFWwt36UDY4FM4pYiaM0LUciBfjJJqEEL_f7QZqJfbTZeJwKt3WjvcB-Q/s1116/mug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfdVwrKmu81BYCBatC0QsZRkl8QeVm8p9EHGBxI8cGgKFIHt-u77tT7UbXh_7cBQRN_L3aU2xeHVgjfFWwt36UDY4FM4pYiaM0LUciBfjJJqEEL_f7QZqJfbTZeJwKt3WjvcB-Q/s320/mug.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DPSVM86/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07DPSVM86&linkId=c67bff9b1eba9ed43a142f29464c7b3f">Well with My Soul Mug</a><br /> <p></p><p>For Christmas I got a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PC7MHQ8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07PC7MHQ8&linkId=75e591f6e8e9be24ca3a767827cedbb0">Keurig K-Duo</a>! It was the perfect upgrade for my family. My daughter and I love flavored coffees, but my husband can only have regular coffee due to allergies. Only regular coffee goes through the carafe, but my daughter and I can enjoy flavored K-cups, like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0788BZXR5/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=katescottscot-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0788BZXR5&linkId=7baeb8e1631703648da0841425913323">Starbucks Veranda Blend</a>. My husband was impressed with the quality of brew the Keurig makes, too! <br /><br /></p><p>Once I figured out where to set it in my little cottage kitchen, I was tempted to hop online and search out nifty accessories to go with it, but I really didn't want to clutter up my already small kitchen with more things on surfaces. So many people I know have those neat carousels and drawers for their coffee pods and if that works for them, I'm very happy! They do look very nice at a home coffee bar!<br /><br />It got me thinking, though, about clutter, decor, accessories and the psychology behind them. Keep in mind that I grew up during the consumeristic 80s and 90s. These were decades of mass marketing and the latest fads. It was all about displaying what you could afford. If you bought anything, you made sure others could see it. If you went anywhere, you had a souvenier to display. Remember VHS and DVDs and how people bought special media cases to display them in? <br /><br />A part of me still retains this mindset, especially as compensation for living under more modest means and thus not being able to be a part of this consumeristic culture. But, I know that it is neither sustainable nor blissful. In fact, it is stressful. <br /><br />I quickly understood that <b style="font-style: italic;">for me </b>an adorable k-cup carousel was unnecessary. I do not need to display my fancy collection of flavors. They have a home in a drawer that contains my other coffee products. It wasn't practical <b><i>for me</i></b>. <br /><br />Mindful decorating and wise purchasing of items that actually are helpful and benefit the bliss of your home is the way of this decade. It's about creating a haven for ourselves and not a museum of our consumerism. I'm glad to see that so many younger wives and mothers have adopted this wisdom. In fact, I get most of my inspiration from them! If an item or fad works for your home and adds to the benefits, by all means! However, I love that we all have permission to look past fast consumerism and fads and really consider what makes our homes home.</p>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-88150194487483923212020-12-26T22:08:00.002-05:002020-12-26T22:08:46.157-05:00My Theme for My Children for 2021Be the Better Person<br>
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No, it isn't "be the best." That's not typically helpful and can often leave others harmed in your wake.<br>
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This isn't about being the person who wins the race. This is about being the person who helps another person cross the finish line.<br>
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When a group of kids are teasing another, don't join in on the teasing at the very least. Put in the effort to stop the teasing.<br>
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When everyone is sharing dirty jokes, be the one who doesn't laugh, but shares a funny clean joke, instead.<br>
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When everyone is talking badly about someone else, be the one who says, "I don't know. I always thought he was smart/funny/clever/nice." Or "I like Mrs. Kane. She's a good teacher, and fair, too."<br>
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When everyone is calling the President horrible names (Trump or Biden), be the one who calls them by their proper title.<br>
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When everyone is swearing, be the one who doesn't.<br>
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When the people in the store are being grumpy with the workers, be the one who is kind and friendly.<br>
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When everyone else is being lazy and not getting the work done, be the one who does your job.<br>
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Assess the group dynamics and the situation and think how you can be/do better than the status quo.<br>
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I've noticed throughout the decades that there are people, perhaps many people, who actually don't want to join in the lowest common denominator but fear being the odd one out if they don't conform. What they need is a leader, someone to, in a way, give them permission to be a better person.<br>
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The other issue I notice, today, is that people try to be a leader and create change by being controlling, bossy, judgemental, and telling people what they should do. That's not what I want my children to do. I just want them to be. It doesn't have to be preachy or judgey. It can just be...kind, well, nice, good.<br>
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I'll be honest, it's going to be a challenge. My kiddos have picked up on and adopted some pretty bad social habits that are sad to witness. I'll have to watch myself like a hawk because I am sure I slip up terribly. Even so, our mistakes are learning opportunities. My prayers are that my children are open to this, even in the face of terrible influence and peer pressure.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-40460962772854429642020-12-26T21:49:00.003-05:002020-12-29T18:46:46.920-05:00Influencers Who Actually Influenced MePeople have varying opinions about this newish line of work called "Social Media Influencer." I'm sure there is a lot of drivel out there, but there are a lot of influencers who actually do positively influence! Today, I share the ones who influenced me in 2020 and why:<br>
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1. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPnkHdnyfqw35cZJI0uypzw" target="_blank">Lynette Yoder</a>. Lynette is a Mennonite mom and content creator on YouTube and Instagram who vlogs about homemaking, decorating, and her life and family in Sarasota, FL. She influenced me by being a Christian woman who takes time, money, and energy to create a beautiful home. Having lived under a poverty mindset, I discovered that I attached a level of morality around being so frugal that it felt wrong to actually earn and spend money on fixing up a home, as if God would punish me for doing so. Lynette showed me the value in a beautiful space, in organization, and how it helps not only herself, but her family function and grow well. Because she keeps such a nice home, she is able to be hospitable to others, and has organization and time enough to function and serve outside the home in her community. The Lord has blessed her as she blesses her family, her neighbors, and her community with her talents.<br>
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2. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCou_foVGi73d9ieCelFUSUQ" target="_blank">Megan Fox, Unlocked</a>: Megan is another Mennonite mom. She lives in Lancaster, PA, with her 2 adorable young children and husband. Megan has influenced me by showing me that you can be firm in your convictions without being judgemental or apologetic towards others. You don't have to prove you are right to anyone, but at the same time you can be confident in your personal choices while also being open-minded. Megan has also showed me that it isn't wrong to create a beautiful home. Nor is it ungodly for a woman/mom to carve time for herself to advance in a money-making line of work, and to be serious about it, seeking growth and development. She's great at showing how to be intentional about where you are at in your life, your week, your day.<br>
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3. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeLICYOqHfIrfSAQq1TT7PA" target="_blank">The Minimal Mom</a>: Dawn has changed my life. Seriously. I had looked into minimizing and minimalism before, but I just didn't "get it." I loved the aestheic and the idea, but I couldn't seem to plug it into my own life, until I started watched The Minimal Mom. Dawn is a mom of 4, like me, and she's very realistic and honest about, well, everything involving family life and minimalism. She does a great job of giving practical advice and even some counseling/therapy that gets to the root of our psychology as we seek to declutter and clean and organize our homes. Dawn helped me get past some guilt and fears I had surrounding getting rid of things. I grew up in a poverty and apocalyptic mindset (thanks conservative dispensationalism *sarcasm*) where it feels sinful to get rid of things "because you might need it and not be able to get it the next time."<br>
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4. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDailyConnoisseur" target="_blank">The Daily Connoisseur</a>: Here is yet another Christian woman (and mom of 4) who keeps a beautiful home, a beautiful self, and works. She also homeschools. Jennifer has influenced me by showing me it is not a bad thing to buy nice clothes (just not a lot, you don't need a lot), take care of yourself, and present yourself well. When we present ourselves well we feel good, and when we feel good, we act better and are better people for the world. She maintains a classic poise that means money wisely spent on a level of care that is neither extravagent nor cheap. Proper self care leads to us being better wives, mothers, career women, and community members, which helps spread a betterment in goodness.<br>
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All of these women have helped me adjust some of my ingrained mindsets that were keeping me frozen and locked in to a way of thinking and living that was holding me (and my family) back.Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-5899497338350381952020-12-22T17:24:00.002-05:002020-12-22T17:24:38.034-05:009 Months into our Two Year PlanWhen our oldest turned 14 this past March, I decided to start a 2-year plan. This was a plan of hard work and paying down/off debts and doing DIY fixer upper projects around the house. I didn't make it official because I'm quite used to wrenches being thrown into the gears of my plans, but we, by the grace of God, did better than I thought we would! The two year plan would bring us to our oldest's 16th birthday, which I figured would be another life-changing milestone.<br>
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We paid off 3 credit cards and a personal loan.<br>
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Our business grew by leaps and bounds.<br>
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I hammered out a lot of those little household projects.<br>
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I reduced about 30 to 40% of our belongings.<br>
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And we have entered into the very real possibility of not only renovating our little cottage, but putting on an addition!!<br>
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Thinking about it, I decided it would be a good investment to look into getting a reno done. Hubby has 10 years until he can retire, but I still have 20-25 years. That's plenty of time to pay off a reno mortgage before retirement, and then our house will be repaired, redone, and ready for our golden years.<br>
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My short-term plan is to spend January-tax return spending wisely, saving, and paying down our worst debt, our last credit card. Then, when we see what our finances look like after the tax return, I'll contact banks to see what they can do with our remained debt and mortgage, and find out what they'll approve, and what we can afford for renovations.<br>
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After, I'll get quotes on a reno of our current square footage, a quote on a small addition, and a quote on a larger addition. Then, we can decided how far into the rabbit hole we want to go with this.<br>
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I'm really excited! It would be amazing to have even just a fixed up house, but if we could put on an addition, I would be over the moon with joy and thanksgiving!<br>
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God is good!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-49788463758177495462020-12-16T06:11:00.001-05:002020-12-16T06:11:03.448-05:00I Have Entered My 40's A Different PersonYesterday, I turned 40 years old. It honestly felt like a page turned in my life. I felt light and excited and like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. I have a new vision, new interests, new likes and dislikes, new thoughts, and a new decade ahead of me.
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One thing I especially decided to grab this decade is the idea that it is ok to fix up my house.<br>
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For some reason, I latched onto the idea in the past that it is somehow wrong to, say, take out a loan to fix up a house that is outdated, run down, but still useable. Funny thing is I didn't really think this of other people. I didn't look at people moving into a new home and fixing it up as being wrong of them. In fact, I sighed with a tinge of envy. But, as is common with many people, to feel better about what we can't do, we moralize it.<br>
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In the past we simply didn't have the funds to put into the house. It was a sacrifice we made so I could stay home when the children were small. So, I semi-consciously created a morality around my poverty that made me feel guilty when I really really REALLY wanted to fix up my house.<br>
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The children are older and we are getting into a better financial situation. Fixing up our house, and not just fixing it up on a teeny tiny budget of next to nothing, is in our grasp. At first, I felt terrible about the prospect. Would it be unwise to spend so much money or even get a loan to fix up the house? I decided no. It's important.<br>
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Our little cottage deserves to be fixed up. She hasn't seen much renovation since she was built in 1950. The bathroom got a facelift in the 90s, it seems. There are many things that are broken. Things like the electricity needs to be updated. We live in a different world with different electronics and different needs. Plus, we have to face the reality that we'll likely grow old in this house. It wouldn't be wise to grow old in a house that continues to need work. Better to do it now while we are still fit and able. I have 25 years before I am retirement age. That's plenty of time to pay off a mortgage-style loan on home renovation.<br>
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In order to do all this, I also have cast off my 1950s ideaology of being a forever stay at home wife. I am now a business owner.<br>
Because I am a business owner, I cast off my false morality concerning keeping up my own appearance. Not that I was poorly groomed, but I shunned salons in the past and settled on whatever I could wear (especially footwear) inexpensively, keeping clothes longer than they looked good and attached a morality to it. Good-bye super long hair that is no longer serving me. You were cute in my younger days when you were thick and blond. Now, you are thinning and graying out and I want to look professional and not witchy.<br>
I am not "displeasing God" or "becoming worldly" by fixing up my house or being well-groomed. I've thrown off those past assumptions. God placed me in the first world not to live like the second world. Holding myself back doesn't help me extend myself to others. It hid me and made me unapproachable.<br>
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I cast all that off and enter my 40's a new woman!Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12669756.post-26289077527143469842020-09-03T02:00:00.001-04:002020-09-03T02:00:03.151-04:00Decision Fatigue and the Need to MinimizeI was in bed staring at the bookcase on the opposite wall. Along the side were necklaces 3 to 4 deep on hooks, well organized, but annoying me. I got up and opened my jewelry case that my husband got me for Christmas last year. Inside, rows and rows of earrings were neatly arranged and I looked at them with disdain and grabbed the same pair I typically wear.
Jewelry is supposed to make us feel good and pretty. Instead, I didn't even bother with it, except for earrings to maintain my piercings. Why couldn't I get my act together to wear any of the pretty jewelry I owned?
It actually took several weeks to figure out. It's called "decision fatigue." I had SO MUCH jewelry that it was an added chore just to go through it and pair it with outfits. I also realized that as I work on minimizing and being more intentional with my wardrobe, many pieces of jewelry I owned simply didn't go with what I had left.
I kept anything heirloom or precious, of course, but 98% of my jewelry is costume, anyway. Most of it was purchased through garage sale, given to me as hand-me-downs, or fun finds through Paparazzi. I actually found it easy to get rid of HALF (Yes, half!!!) of my jewelry. No more hooks draped with necklaces down the side of my bookcase. No more rows upon rows of earrings.
My next step is to be intentional about my jewelry usage, and by next summer when I do Onion Layer Two (The Minimal Mom on YouTube), I will know what other pieces I can get rid of because I never bothered to wear them.
The jewelry went to a family member who is taking this fall and winter season to dabble in repurposing jewelry. I was only too happy to donate my items to her hobby. Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05961614872895512970noreply@blogger.com0