Keeping it Real

One of the lovely (or not-so-lovely) things about our online “life” is that we can portray only the best and only the prettiest parts of our real life. Our houses are always clean, the children are always dressed and happy, and all of the meals for the week are planned. It is easy to get caught up in maintaining that rosy, perfect picture, afraid to admit that we truly are human and don’t really have it all together.

  Earlier this week on a Facebook group I’m a member of, a thread “Worst Housekeeping/Housecleaning Confessions” was started. It was such a blessing to me to read through it and see that I wasn’t the only one(!) who didn’t have a spotless house. I’m not the only one who struggles to stay on top of things, yet has laundry piled high waiting to be washed and a fridge that needs to be cleaned out.

So when you feel overwhelmed, remember you aren’t the only one who has sat down and cried your eyes out because of the state of your home and because you feel like a failure as a homemaker. The real world and real life are messier and more disorganized than blogs and Pinterest would lead us to believe.

A trick that I’ve learned to help me when I have the housecleaning blues is to do one thing in each room that is noticeable. That gets the ball rolling and there is a difference (even if it’s small!) in each space. For example: in my bedroom, I’ll make the bed. In the living room I’ll make sure the couch and coffee table are straight. Little things like that will help me see where I want to go and give me motivation to get there.

I am a huge list maker. I make lists for everything. And I make lists when I clean. Checking things off of a list gives me an adrenaline rush (I know, I need to get out more) and sometimes my lists are ridiculous, depending on how airheaded I am that day.

I have also started using a timer extensively, thanks to the FlyLady. It is amazing to me how much I can get accomplished in 15 minutes of focused cleaning. I highly recommend doing this. In her book Sink Reflections, she gives the following “formula” for cleaning with a timer:

Set a timer for 15 minutes and work as fast as you can in one area until the timer sounds. Don’t get distracted and move until time is up. Set the timer for another 15 minutes and move to another area, even if the first isn’t finished—you can come to it later. Continue in this manner until you have cleaned for 3 sets of 15 minute intervals (a total of 45 minutes.) Set your timer for 15 minutes again and take a break.

This method has really worked well for me, even if I have to go back to an area a few times to finish it. I’ve found, however, that 15 minutes of focused cleaning is usually almost all that I need for most areas.

Clothespin Bag Tutorial and Pattern

In the vein of my post last week about line-dried laundry, I thought I would share with you a pattern/tutorial for an easy, quick clothespin bag. This bag can be whipped up in about 30 minutes and is a great project for a beginning seamstress, whether she be 8 or 48 ;)
Enjoy and let me know what you think of it. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Hung Out to Dry

The Benefits of Line-Dried Laundry

At the beginning I want to say that this is not a dryer bashing post. I am so thankful for my electric dryer! It enables me to do laundry when it is raining, or in the middle of the night if I need to. It is a great blessing to me, but I am thrilled to not have to use it for every load of laundry now that I have a clothesline in my backyard.

       I love crawling into a bed freshly made with sheets fresh off of the clothesline. It makes the whole room smell like fresh air and sunshine. When I bring my line-dried clothes inside and put them away I feel like I am making the whole smell fresh. I grew up with a clothesline and line-dried laundry, so that is what “home” smells and feels like to me. I love looking out of my kitchen window and watching my clean laundry billow in the breeze.

    I’ve been greatly enjoying my clothesline the last few weeks. I didn’t realize how much joy I was  going to get from something as simple as hanging my laundry outside almost everyday. I get excited about doing laundry now—which for me is big because I am notorious for doing other things to avoid laundry.

Some people curl their nose up at line-dried laundry. I understand this is personal preference, but to me this is silly and the benefits outweigh the reasons some prefer to use a dryer. One thing that I hear from several people is that “line-dried towels are scratchy!” They are, but it’s not like you are using a Brillo pad to dry off with ;).  A lot of people (Jacob and I included) prefer them that way. Line-dried towels absorb much more moisture than towels dried in a dryer. When using a dryer-dried towel after being used to towels hung to dry, it feels like the soft towel is only smearing the moisture around and not absorbing much at all.

 

Another argument that some people have is that it takes too much time to hang clothes out. It really doesn’t take much longer than tossing them in the dryer. The more you hang laundry on the line, the faster you’ll get.  I prefer to fold the clothes as I take them off of the clothesline so all I have to do is put them away when I bring them inside. If the laundry is already folded, I will put it away quicker than if I have a pile of laundry looming on the couch waiting to be folded.

Growing up we hung everything outside, but since I’m in the city with neighbors on both sides, I hang out everything except underwear and socks. I do use my dryer for those things and anything small.

Benefits of line-dried  clothes:

~Hanging your clothes outside to dry will help cut down on your utility bill, whether you have an electric or gas dryer. Especially if you hang out items that take a long time to dry in a dryer such as towels, blankets, and blue jeans.

~Hanging clothes in the sun is an effective way to get rid of stains. My mom has used this method with great success over the years, simply hanging the stained garment outside in the sun for a few days. This works very well for baby garments which are easily soiled and stained.

~In the same vein, hanging whites outside is a great way to keep them white without having to bleach them very often.

~The sun is a great way to disinfect and kill germs. Many years ago hospitals would periodically take all of the bedding, linens, beds, etc., outside and let them sit in the sunshine. The UV rays in the sun did away with all sorts of germs. I learned this from a nurse friend of mine and she said that an older nurse told her of this practice and also that staph infections started going rampant after the hospitals discontinued this practice.

After learning this, I always try to take bedding and pillows outside to air and soak up sunshine after we’ve been sick.

My mom noticed that when she didn’t hang my siblings’ cloth diapers outside in the sun, but dried them in the dryer, they were more prone to diaper rashes and other irritations.

~You can use less starch on shirts, denim skirts and blue jeans if they are dried on a line rather than in a dryer. Sometimes you can get away with not ironing at all if you make sure all of the hems, collars, and pocket flaps are straight when you first put them on the line.

~It’s a great way to make sure you are getting plenty of vitamin D. My mood and spirits are much improved when I get a little sunshine every day and hanging out my laundry is a wonderful way to accomplish this.

Hurray for clotheslines!

Overwhelmed

Morning sickness has hit me hard. It is actually all day sickness and no amount of crackers or protein or you-name-it will make it go away. Wearing Seabands has helped some, but most days it doesn’t matter. I’ve been spending a lot of time in bed or on the couch, looking at my bare walls that need decorating and house that needs cleaning. It is hard not to get really blue and have a pity party about it. There is a wonderful little reason that I going through all of this, and I am SO blessed to be a homemaker so that I can be at home during this time of nausea instead of having to go to work and suffer like many of my friends have.

Feeling overwhelmed has been my state of mind over the last several weeks. I have so many things that I’d like to get accomplished and things that desperately need to be done. Sadly however, most days I’m glad if I can get up and be dressed and have a few things done before my husband comes home. I’ve been sick a lot over the last several weeks and I tire easily. I feel like I am barely getting by, struggling to keep up running our home and all the things that go with it. I have felt like I’ve been neglecting my husband, he’s had to fend for himself and care for me so much lately. This a hard place for someone who likes to take care of everything herself to be in.

  Having just moved into our new home, it makes me even more eager to get things how I want them. I was battling with morning/all day sickness while we were moving so only the bare essentials were unpacked.

Jacob has been such a trooper through all of this and I know he is looking forward to the end of the first trimester as much as I am. He has taken such good care of me and treated me like a queen and looked past all of the unfinished, untidy things around the house. I am very blessed to have him.

My mother has come to see me a few times and made me sit while she cleaned my house and cooked for me. That was such a blessing to me and to Jacob—I didn’t want her to leave! ;)

It is days (and weeks) like these that make me remember I can’t do it alone, that I must draw my strength from Him. I cling to verses like the ones below and encourage myself that this will pass and soon I’ll have a clean house again and eventually a baby in my arms and it will be all worth it.

Matthew11:28 (KJV)

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Psalm 61:1-2 (KJV)

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Blessed and Privileged

   Last Sunday, after the evening service we went out with some friends (this is a pretty common occurrence). In the course of conversation it came up that the following day was Monday. This brought sighs and  groans from nearly everyone at the table. The ladies that were present made comments like “Oh I’m not ready to go back to work yet!” and several more in that vein. The following morning I got on Facebook and saw posts along the lines of “Back to work….sure missing baby girl” and  “So ready to be home already.”

   We ladies who are privileged to stay at home are blessed beyond measure. We don’t live in dread of the workdays and the office and we only have to concern ourselves with our husbands and families. We have been spared a lot of stress and anxiety.

    I am so blessed to have a husband who allows and wants me to line up with God’s plan.  He works very hard so that I can stay at home. The Lord has blessed us so many times over the last 18-19 months. People have been amazed at how He has provided for our every need.

   When we first married there was some resistance to me staying at home. Some couldn’t understand why I didn’t just get a job for a little while to help out and get us in a better position financially. They thought we were being foolish and irresponsible. Whenever you are in the Lord’s will, there will always be naysayers and ones who discourage you.

   But as we tried our best to stay in His will and live according to His word, He has never let us be in need. He has provided for every need, right on time, sometimes in ways that we never dreamed possible.

     I have to stop and give honor to my husband for a minute. It was huge step of faith for him to let me stay at home. He grew up in a two-income family that had trouble making ends meet at times. If it had not been for his mother’s jobs, they wouldn’t have made it, I’ve been told. So with these memories and knowing the difficulties of making ends meet with two incomes, it was a huge step for him to keep his wife at home. He has told me that he honestly in the beginning didn’t know how we could do it on just his income, but we have. He gives all credit to the Lord for making things work and providing for us. We are now in a considerably better financial position than when we married and are almost completely out of debt. Not only has the Lord provided what we needed, but He has gone above and beyond and allowed us to get out from under some burdens.  

I don’t want to give the impression that life is all chocolates and roses because I’m a stay at home wife. Being a stay at home wife does not magically double or triple what is in your bank account. We still have to live by faith on a daily basis and trust the Lord to provide for us. There are times when it gets pretty close and scary and we wonder if we are going to come out alright—but He ALWAYS comes through and NEVER FAILS. He rewards and responds to our faith and obedience—every time.

24 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 9

Today I am thankful that I am able to be a homemaker. It was always a desire and a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I always just wanted to be a wife and mommy. I am so thankful that that dream was able to become a reality from day one of our marriage.
  I love being at home and making our little place a home. The home is such an important place for a family. For too many people and families their home is just a place to eat and sleep. They live most of their lives away from their home. I can't imagine how that would be.

 I am so glad that Jacob loves me being a homemaker. Honestly, at first, he wasn't too sure about the idea. Most of the ladies he knows work outside of their home. And he was concerned about how tight our finances would be on only one income--a very valid point. But I expressed my desire to stay at home to him and he consented. Now he loves that I stay home. And since we have started out on only one income, I won't be quitting a job when the day comes that we have children, so it won't feel like are getting a pay cut.
 But as I have said before, God has always provided--He is honoring that we chose for me to stay at home and to trust Him. He always comes through for us :)
  Another plus to staying at home, right now I have lots of time to sew and make things. I have a way to generate income from my home, which is great :) I am learning lots of new skills that make my products better.
 And perhaps the best thing about being a stay-at-home wife right now is that I am able to jump up and go with my husband wherever he goes. This upcoming move would be at lot more difficult if I had a job. Some of my girlfriends' husbands work away for a few weeks at time, and they aren't able to with them. I can't imagine that!
  I am so blessed!

Carpet Cleaner--from your pantry

Earlier today I found a recipe for carpet cleaner (on Pinterest, where else?!). I had been needing to buy some carpet cleaner for a few coffee spots and a place or two by the front door.
 I saw the recipe and decided to try it before I bought any from the store. I'm always open to expirements :)
 Guess what? It really worked! And it was so inexpensive and easy--barely any elbow grease and it was quick.
I am completely sold on it and never have to worry about running out of cleaner again. Yippee!

CARPET CLEANER:

First, sprinkle the stain(s) with BAKING SODA and rub it in a little. Let set for 10 or so minutes. Vacuum up the baking soda, then mix:

2 cups of warm water
1 T. white vinegar
1 T. dishwashing liquid (I used Dawn)

Sponge onto stain generously and scrub. Let dry and say goodbye to stains :)

Note: I haven't noticed any vinegary smell--which was really the only concern I had with the mix.



Also check out the following recipe for Homemade Fabric Softener

Vintage 8 Point Star Motif Pattern and Wisdom

Years ago my mom found an awesome old crochet patterns book for me at a resale shop. It was from 1946 and some of the things in it are just awesome. It has everything from sweaters, gloves, hats, baby things, bedspreads, edgings and of course many, many doily patterns. I love it because all of the patterns are authentically vintage.
  Another reason I love this book is for the chapter introductions. It was written for homemakers and it is full of wisdom and inspiration for making a house a home. It was written in a time where women took much pride in filling and making their homes lovely and homey with things that they had made.
 Here is the introduction to the Dress-for-Dinner Tablecloths chapter, where the following pattern is taken from:

  "The dinner hour is one of the most pleasant interludes of the day. Work done, problems temporarily forgotten, the family gathered in a circle...it's an hour for sociability and relaxation, for hearing the day's news and telling it...for sharing fun and making plans...and hour which plays an important part in strengthening the ties of affection and friendship that weld a family into a close-knit corporation.

  It deserves the most attractive setting you can give it. There's no excuse for a nondescript looking table--inexpensive dishes come in so many pretty colorful patterns. Make a habit of arranging the table as attractively as possible, bright silver at each setting, a pretty cloth, a gay centerpiece--a bowl of fruit, and amusing pair of pottery figures...bright decorations lend a festive note to the dinner table.

  Naturally when you have guests for dinner you want your table to look its best...your best crystal, sparkling silver, flowers...and one of your loveliest, laciest, dressed-for-dinner cloths...take you choice of the eight beauties in this chapter, making a handsome background for a table that looks "just like a picture". "

 The pattern I have shared today is one of my favorites. I haven't made a tablecloth from it yet, but who knows, maybe one day I will. I love the motifs and use them for mini-doilies and coasters. They work up very quickly and not much skill or experience in crochet is needed to make them. Enjoy and please let me know if you download the pattern.

Click Here to Download Pattern

EOA Link up 

October already!

I can't believe October is here! Where has this year gone? It feels like it should still be in July or August.
 A cool front blew in last weekend and has made the temperature more bearable. Not quite hot chocolate weather, but at least now we don't have to worry about heat stroke. I can't wait to sit on the porch in the evenings with my honey and enjoy the weather.
 I've been busy with dress fittings, music practices and company the last week. The bridesmaid dresses are almost finished, though it is a little difficult since all the bridesmaids but one live about an hour away and work strange hours. Some of my creativity has been squelched by only working on one project at a time. I have probably close to fifteen (well, that may be an exaggeration) projects I'm dying to try, but I am going to finish the dresses first.
  My mom and sisters came to see me Friday. Faith says my name now and will take one or two steps by herself now. We all went to a few of the many resale shops that are close to my apartment and came home with some bargains :).
One of my finds was a very pretty king-size pillow case that I want to make into a little girl's nightgown. I found this tutorial and free pdf pattern and I can't wait to do it. I have never really cared for the pajamas that they make for little girls these days. I prefer old fashioned, modest and feminine little gowns :) And if they are made from pretty pillowcases, how much cuter can they get?
 After my mom and sisters left, my oldest little brother came and stayed most of the weekend with us. He has been wanting to get into bow hunting so this weekend Jacob helped him get set up. We spent several hours at the Bass Pro Shop on Saturday. I'd never been to that store before and all I can say is "wow". It's like a Gander Mountain, Cracker Barrell and Buccee's all rolled into one.
 And last but not least, a somewhat amusing story for you:
 The last several weeks I've been threatening to make gumbo again. After the disaster last time I made gumbo, I've been a little reluctant to try it again. But it sounded great to Jacob for supper last night so I summoned up the courage to go at it again, this time vowing not to leave the stove at all.
  Jacob requested okra again (yikes!) and shrimp this time. I am clueless when it comes to shrimp. I don't eat shrimp so I do not know anything about it. My mom had always bought the shrimp and taken care of it. Jacob suggested just getting some frozen cocktail shrimp and using them. So I did. They worked out great.
  Well, supper was almost finished, the cornbread muffins were almost out of the oven and I was setting the table. I went to stir the gumbo one more time and heard Jacob's truck pull in. I started dishing up the gumbo and something just didn't look right. Then to my dismay, I realized that I'd forgotten the okra AGAIN! All I could was laugh. Jacob came in the door and I told him what happened and he started laughing (thank heavens!). So we just delayed supper until the okra I added was finished.
Wait, there's more. Look at this picture:

 

 Yes, guess who left the TAILS ON THE SHRIMP? As I said, I don't know anything about shrimp. Jacob popped one in his mouth and about 3 seconds later out came the tail. Thankfully, he laughed again.

  What is really funny is that he almost sent me a text to remind me to put okra in the gumbo, but decided not to because "surely she'll remember it this time."

 Oh the joys of domestic bliss!

More Ideas than Time

or: Confessions of a Side-tracked Homemaker
This is to dispel any notion that some people have that I am almost SuperWoman. Most of the time I feel like a little kid who is playing house. Honesty Alert!!!!

My fall 2011 flowerbed :) Maybe I can keep these alive...

I'm finding out lately that I am easily distracted and sidetracked. I think it comes from feeling that I have all the time in the world to get things done, then reality sets in and I am scurrying to get the most important things finished at the last minute. I think it is because I do have more time than I used to before I was married. It doesn't take long to take care of things around here and I feel like I've got all the time in the world. Procrastination is a problem of mine.
 I get my best ideas and inspirations while I'm at church, or while I'm in the shower. I'm at church and in the shower a lot so I get lots of ideas ;) I am the type of person who gets an idea and wants to begin RIGHT NOW!!!!!! Hurry before the inspiration leaves me!
   I have menu plans for four weeks all typed up that I rarely follow. Unfortunately, right now we live our life at the speed of light and at the spur of the moment, so any concrete plans can be difficult to follow. This adds to my hesitation to try and make any sort of a concrete schedule--why do it if it won't work?
   I have a tendency to focus solely on the project at hand and let everything else go.
 I do my best work at the last minute. I have been known on many an occasion to be up into the wee hours of the morning trying to get something finished on time. My wedding dress is the exception :)
  And I'm always starting new projects. I think I have maybe four in the works right now....Sometimes I get bored in the middle of a project and just quit and never finish it. A nine-patch quilt, a baby blanket, a dress for myself, just to name a few.
 Is there any hope for me? Well, I have been trying to do better.
I've been forcing myself to finish a project before I begin a new one.
I have been stopping at a certain time each day and making sure other, more important things get done.
I make LOTS of lists. It helps me tremendously to see items checked off of a list.
I am forcing myself to prioritize things and order my day.
I'm trying balance my crafty side with my housekeeper side and not let the crafty side win as many times. I have to make the grown-up me control the little kid me and not let it run wild.
  I've also read and been told that an organized home is a peaceful home. I know this to be true. Things are much more peaceful and smooth when I am on top of my game and know exactly where everything is and have things done. It makes for a happier husband. When I know what is for supper, and he has plenty of socks in his sock drawer ( I DETEST matching socks, by the way), things go smoother.
  Hopefully one day I'll get this down. Until then, I have a lots of work cut out for me.

The Mrs. and the Quilt

I've been a Mrs. for eight months today. It has been the most wonderful eight months of my entire life. I still catch myself wondering if I am dreaming and when I'll wake up.
 Our little home is finally getting where I want it. I've been told that it is cozy and homey, something I've been striving for. I have to admit though, my first few months here I wondered if it would ever feel like home. Its bare, waiting-to-be-decorated walls were depressing and I didn't know where to start. I felt like we would never get anything up on the walls except deer heads and clocks.
  I wanted (and still want) our home to be comfortable and peaceful and for Jacob to love it and be proud of it. I wanted him to be happy and relaxed here and not feel out of place. It's his castle--I'm just the one in charge of decor and atmosphere. (And he lets me have my way in everything concerning the castle :-) )
  I can't pinpoint the moment when it began happening, but I do know the moment when I realized that it felt like home. I'd been making doilies and pillows and having photos I'd taken around the farm developed and framed. I'd been pulling heirlooms out of my hopechest, setting them out and using them. These actions helped a lot--they added personality and really made it feel like it was "mine".
 What really completed it for me was a quilt. Jacob bought me a quilt for our bed--an eight-pointed star pattern on a light tan and white floral background. Even though it was cheater's piecing (for all you non-quilters, cheater's piecing is fabric that is printed to look like a patchwork quilt), I fell in love with the colors. It looks like it was made from feed sacks.
 Feedsacks?! What?! A lot of people don't know this, but at one time feed sacks were made from cotton fabric printed with lovely calico designs. I've been told stories by my great-grandmother about ladies sending their husbands to the feed store with a piece of material and instructions to match the pattern so they could finish a dress.
 I put the quilt on the bed and raised the window blind, turned and left the room. A few minutes later I came into the room and it dawned on me--this was home, really home.
  Who knew what a quilt could do?

The quilt that made it feel like home.

Neat Ideas...one day...

I've been on a home decor/houseplanning/remodeling kick lately. I'm really starting to wish for a house and I am finding all sorts of neat ideas to incorporate into it. Enjoy :)

Old-fashioned looking drawer pulls for a dishtowel rack. I love this idea. It makes me think of my great grandmother's house--she had drawer pulls just like that.

Produce baskets on the wall. Not only is it functional, it's downright pretty, too.  I love wire baskets.

As afar as sinks go, it doesn't get much lovelier than this. I'm still not sure though if I would like a single sink--I'm pretty spoiled to a double sink. I love the wicker baskets used as drawers and the gingham curtain used instead of cabinet doors. Realistically speaking though, it would be much easier to keep a baby out of a cabinet with doors than one with a curtian. :) So I'll just keep dreaming....

And last but not least, the ESSENTIAL accessory for every fashion-conscious milk-maid on her way out to the milking parlour:

One day....

 I will have an organized pantry...maybe not like this, but one can hope! :)

And last but not least.....this what I call a "lovely" pantry....sigh.....you could almost have a tea party in it! :)

Febreze and Charcoal

It is probably a good thing that we don't have any little ones yet, as my latest smoke smell battling strategy is a tad messy: charcoal.
 Last night after church Jacob and I made a Walmart run for charcoal and more Febreze and a few more candles. We took the couch all apart and I'm airing the cushions out on the porch today, and I've been saturating his recliner with Febreze every time I think about it.
 Things are getting better and you can only smell the smoke when you first walk in the door--it nearly knocks you off your feet, but it only takes a minute to get used to it.
Hopefully the charcoal will help absorb more of the smell. We have about 6 aluminum pans full of charcoal scattered throughout the apartment and Jacob place some in the return air vent of our A/C. So we shall see.
 We are having the in-laws over for supper tonight and I'm going to fry chicken. Hopefully it will lessen the smell, not multiply it :)

Help! I’m out of fabric softener!

That is never a pleasant realization, especially on laundry day. It’s even worse if laundry day falls before grocery day. I don’t especially like having to drop everything that I’m doing and make a run to the store.
My mom has used plain white vinegar before for fabric softener. In fact, that is what she uses for fabric softener on cloth diapers. So that will work in a pinch, though the only drawback is that your laundry doesn’t smell as sweet and there is a slight fragrance of vinegar left on the wash.
I wanted to share what one of my friends shared with me. She has begun mixing up her own fabric softener and loves it and has started using it all the time instead of buying fabric softener. She said that the conditioner hides any traces of vinegar scent.
Here’s the recipe:

Homemade Fabric Softener

6 cups hot water

2cups hair conditioner (any kind)

  3 cups white vinegar

Mix well.  Makes a little over 1/2gallon. Use approx. 2T per wash.