A Lovely Day at Home

3 Jan posted by

“Peace—that was the other name for home.”
—Kathleen Norris

Today was such a lovely home day. The girls and I got up earlier than we had been (due to the holidays and being sick) and got a lot done. We had our devotions first, and then got our chores done. I cleaned my bathroom sink and mirror, and worked on our hall closet, which is also my sewing room. It is the closet for my oldest daughters, who do not have a closet upstairs in their loft bedroom. There is a full-length mirror there where they do their hair and makeup. There is also a built-in cabinet where I keep extra linens, our towels and washcloths, and my fabric and sewing notions. There is enough room for my mama’s antique desk on which I keep my sewing machine. Above this desk, my dad installed a light so that I could see better as I sew. Above the light is a solid wood, handcrafted cabinet that was built for me when I graduated from high school. I use it to house all my candles. The desk was covered with clothes, makeup, Christmas wrapping supplies, and other things dumped there. I got the hall looking so good, and I’ve gone back to it several times today to see how nice it looks. I’ve also almost got all the laundry caught up. I have done at least 30 loads since Friday. This includes stripping all the covers off all the sick beds. My middle daughter usually handles the laundry, but I have been doing it to get us caught back up.

We are not officially starting back school until next week. This week, my younger girls are catching up on some school work they are behind on, while we also have home projects to catch up on. We need to get the Christmas tree and decorations put away, and I would really like to finish the curtains I cut out and started sewing about a year ago! There are also yearly checkups for the girls this week. I will feel more peaceful knowing these things are already completed when we start back on our lessons.

I’m still struggling with energy and other symptoms from being sick, so I took a nice long nap today. I normally take a daily nap, but not for this long. For supper we had ham steaks cooked with crushed pineapples (my go-to for quick suppers!), baked potatoes, and leftover biscuits from Popeyes. It was a good, simple supper with good comfort foods after so much juice and soup and sandwiches during our illness.

I’ve written down all my Christmas gifts so that I can detail them in my journal soon. I have encouraged my daughters to write down everything they received. It will be a joy for them to read years down the road. It is important to document the history of your life and family.

Right now there is a fire in the fireplace, and the dining room and kitchen are clean except for the dishes being washed. Two daughters are working on online guitar lessons. The girls found a nice student guitar at a consignment shop. They’ve wanted to learn for so long! I’m working on getting my desk cleaned off so that I can work better here at my computer. Receipts, Post-it notes, and other papers pile up so fast on my desk! I use Microsoft OneNote
for my notes, but I need to input them more often! I have a beautiful new Susan Branch calendar up on my wall beside my desk. I was delighted when I found it at our Big Lot’s. I need to order a 2011 engagement planner soon to keep myself organized.

I hope your 2011 has started out to be lovely!

*Quote found at ButtonWillowCottage.

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Filed Under: Encouraging Quotes, Homemaking, Life at Hidden Pines, Sewing, Simple Living

Sewing at Our House

18 Jul posted by
Last year, I received a new sewing machine for my birthday from my sweetheart. The girls and I can’t believe that there are actually sewing machines that don’t break down! Slowly I’ve been making curtains, because I hate the dust that collects on mini blinds. I say slowly, because I love to sew, but don’t have time like I want, and also I need to be in the mood to sew. Fabric cost is also a factor. Sometimes we have a “Homemaking Week” and put aside our normal homeschooling and spend time cooking, baking, and sewing together.

Here are the curtains in my bedroom/office. All curtains that I make are very basic, without ruffles and lace; I don’t like complications.:) I make tie backs with button holes to fit over the cup hooks to hold them back.

Rose Curtains
Here are the curtains and fabric that I used to make my curtains for my daughters’ room, which my 2 oldest share. They chose a brown fabric with pretty colored flowers. They made much of the curtains themselves.

Brown Floral Curtains

Brown Floral Fabric

Here are my youngest daughter’s curtains. She chose a pink calico. She helped me tremendously by ironing and doing small things for me.

Pink Calico Curtains

My oldest made a circle skirt using Anna’s instructions, How to Sew a Simple Girly Skirt. We had to adjust it a bit to make it work for us, and we used elastic instead of drawstring. This skirt is beautiful, and I want me one like it!

Blue Floral Skirt

Blue Floral Fabric

My middle daughter and I made a ruffled apron using ladybug fabric, but the pattern was so complicated that we said we’d never use it again. The apron is pretty, but way too big. We may end up taking it apart and making it into something else.

I purchased these fabrics recently to make curtains for my bathroom and then a skirt for my middle daughter. It may be several weeks before I get to it though!

Cream Floral Fabric

Pink and Orange Paisley Fabric

My youngest is still waiting on me to make her Raggedy Ann a dress out of some Raggedy Ann and Andy fabric. I’ve put it off because I’m not sure how to go about it. I was blessed to have taken Home Ec. in high school, but there is much about sewing that frustrates me and that I avoid. I’ve often wished I had someone that sewed to help me. Either most women don’t sew, or they are so busy that I hate to ask.

Lady Lydia of Living at Home (formerly Home Living) has been posting wonderful entries on sewing dresses. Her posts and pictures, and the comments, have inspired me greatly! We have a hard time finding appropriate, modest dresses for my teen girls. Perhaps we can try to make dresses using a very simple pattern. I’ve fallen in love with the pretty fabrics at RJR Fabrics, especially the retro fabrics, and at Connecting Threads.
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Filed Under: Homemaking, Sewing