Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Pictures in the Fire

"Winter is the time for comfort,
for good food and warmth, for the
touch of a friendly hand and for
talk beside the fire: it is the 
time for home."

~ Edith Sitwell ~ 
 
8"x10"

8"x10"

5"x7"

5"x7"

8.5"x11"

Years ago, while antique shopping
with my mom, I bought a book:
"Dutton's Holiday Annual - 1890."
It was already brittle & falling apart.
This image has always been a personal
favorite. Happy to save it & share here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, September 16, 2016

Love the Light


"I will love the light
for it shows me the way,
yet I will endure the darkness
for it shows me the stars."


~ Og Mandino ~






Morning light casts such pretty shadows
on my living room curtains.


This book's cover was in rough shape.
Looks much better without it.









Until next time... thanks for stopping by!





Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Rewards of the simple life...

"To find the universal elements
enough; to find the air and the
water exhilarating; to be refreshed by
a morning walk or an evening saunter;
to be thrilled by the stars at night;
to be elated over a bird’s nest or
a wildflower in spring: these are some
of the rewards of the simple life." 

~ John Burroughs ~


Journal card ~ approx. 3 x 3 inches



Printable ~ journal cards & 2.5" round graphics


Journal card ~ approx. 4 x 5 inches

 
Journal card ~ approx. 3 x 5 inches


Here are the  free graphics &
sources used in my artwork:


*TuckDB postcards*
English cottage scene
Catherine Klein roses


*The Sum of All Crafts*
Delicate rectangular frame

*The Graphics Fairy*
Round apothecary label

*Lilac & Lavender*
"Antiqued" lined paper


Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Home is where the Heart is...


Our home is where our heart is,
    be it palace or cot,
A place where with loved ones,
    all cares are forgot.
Sweet memories, they cheer us,
    wherever we may roam,
As our minds dwell with pleasure,
    on the dear ones at home.

The father comes in from
    the dry and hot dusty street,
And he hears the soft patter
    of dear little feet.
How love lights his features
    as they run thro' the hall,
"My pa-pa is coming!"
    sweet child voices call.

Then thro' the door they come
    a shouting, out on the street,
Two sweet little darlings,
    their papa to greet.
His strong arms 'round his
    loved ones, 'tis their safest place,
And sweet kisses are placed
    on his rough, bearded face.

The fond mother stands
    in the wide open door,
While the rays of the sun
    fall on the white floor.
They paint the sweet picture,
    with their last parting gleam,
Like radiance from Heaven,
    to bless this home scene.

This dear wife and mother,
    speaks kind words of cheer,
This home is sweet home,
    for his loved ones are near.
His heart is at peace,
    in his dear sheltered nest,
And gives thanks to his God,
    for the wife on his breast.

Yes, every home has pleasures,
    and its sorrows and joys,
But our greatest home-treasures
    are our girls and boys.
God grant that wherever
    on this earth they may roam,
Their hearts may find rest,
    in memories of home.

Our home is where our heart is,
    be it palace or cot,
A place where with loved ones,
    all cares are forgot.
Sweet memories, they cheer us,
    wherever we may roam,
As our minds dwell with pleasure,
    on the dear ones at home.


words by Aurelia Hammond
music by W.W. Cameron
copyright 1894

Found this sheet music today in the
NYPL digital collection. The image at the
top is sized to be a Facebook cover photo.



Monday, June 4, 2012

Box of Treasures

The kids and I stopped
by for a visit with our
neighbors, and came home
with a box of treasures...


Was thinking we should stop by for a visit
with our neighbors. Driving by, Glenna
smiled and waved to us from the garden.

It was my sign to take
the kids down for a visit!

We walked down the strip of grass
between the pasture and road connecting our
properties. Soon we heard their dogs barking.
Glenna swung open the screen door. She stood
there smiling, arms open & ready to give hugs!
We sat on her glider and talked as the
kids played with their dogs.

 Soon everyone was thirsty, so we made
our way inside to the big farmhouse kitchen.
Olivia motioned to a small cardboard box,
and Glenna told her it was full of old recipes.  

She looked at me and asked, "Do you want
them? I was going to bring them to you,
but since you're here..."  She told me they
were from one of her longtime friends,
and neither had use for them now.

She seemed a mixture of surprised and
pleased as I so happily accepted her offer.

Later we said our goodbyes and walked
back home. Me with my treasures, the kids
with their candy.   Once in the kitchen, I
began sifting through the hundreds of recipes.
A labor of love... much like the effort it
took to create them in the first place. 

Here are a few:



 The back...

Scanned a plain lined recipe card,
I made with an image from
The Graphics Fairy:


Added a collage I made a while back:
French script & white roses...



... and a yellow Catherine Klein rose.





Saturday, January 28, 2012

Our Collections...

All it takes to start a
collection is 3 of one thing...

So what do you collect?


I collect quite a few things, 
under criteria mentioned above...

cookie cutters, wooden boxes,
baskets, old chairs, glass, quilts,
postcards, books, canning jars,
candles, little white bowls, crocks...

I even have a collection of tarnished spoons,
which was inspired by this photograph.  



By wisdom a house is built, and through
understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

Proverbs 24:3-4


Sunday, November 13, 2011

Grandma's Apron

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.
For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.
 
The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;
the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.
 
She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she'd found. 
Or to hide a crying child's face when a stranger came around. 
 
Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth. 
Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.
 
She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire. 
To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.
 
When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow. 
You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.
 
She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside. 
Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.
 
When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest. 
I'm sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.
 
~ Tina Trivett ~



"Aprons don’t hold us back, they take us back."
 ~ EllynAnne Geisel ~

 
Did you know November 23rd is  
National Tie One On Day?  
I hope you'll join me in wearing an apron to celebrate!



Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Relax... Simple Candle Idea

 
 Finding time to relax can be difficult, especially during a hectic day... but with this simple candle idea, anyone can have a little 'me time.'  Cup of tea and cozy blanket optional...


Last evening, after clearing the dishes and sending the kids outside with their Dad, I had a little time to myself.  So, taking advantage of the situation... I gathered a few odds & ends pieces of glassware and some white candles, and brought them in to the living room to create a little mood lighting for Mommy.

Here's how you can do it too...  You don't have to use (or buy!) anything elaborate or expensive.  The display only takes minutes to put together.  When you're finished you can put everything back as if it never existed, although it's pretty enough to keep around for awhile if you like...

Candy dish, sundae glass, vase...

Add a votive to show off details. 

 Try turning the glassware over
and displaying candles on the bases.
Just make sure everything is steady
and there's room for the candle on top.




Why not find a little 'me time' for yourself today?
Just sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

There's no place like...




 Home Sweet Home

Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home;
A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there,
Which, seek through the world, is ne'er met with elsewhere.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

An exile from home, splendor dazzles in vain;
Oh, give me my lowly thatched cottage again!
The birds singing gayly, that come at my call --
Give me them -- and the peace of mind, dearer than all!
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

I gaze on the moon as I tread the drear wild,
And feel that my mother now thinks of her child,
As she looks on that moon from our own cottage door
Thro' the woodbine, whose fragrance shall cheer me no more.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

How sweet 'tis to sit 'neath a fond father's smile,
And the caress of a mother to soothe and beguile!
Let others delight mid new pleasures to roam,
But give me, oh, give me, the pleasures of home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home!

To thee I'll return, overburdened with care;
The heart's dearest solace will smile on me there;
No more from that cottage again will I roam;
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet, home!
There's no place like home, oh, there's no place like home! 

~poem and ballad written by J.H. Payne in 1822 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

"Tea" lights

I love simple decorating ideas.  I love them even more when they're inexpensive... like this one.  All you need are two items: an old teacup, and a votive or tea light candle... and the match to light it I suppose.  Place the candle inside, and there you have it!


It's nice to be able to move them around if you want a little more accent lighting.


Here I moved one to highlight a photograph of my Grandma Leasure.


Gather them together as a table centerpiece...


These are just a few of my suggestions... have fun displaying your own "tea" lights! 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Clutter is Poetry

"Clutter is the poetry of our homes.
It is an intimate view that is not always perfect ~ a few dishes in the sink, books piled next to the bed.  Everything in its place may give a certain satisfaction, but a lived-in room exudes comfort and warmth." 

~ Mary Randolph Carter ~

I'll be the first to admit that my home will never be completely perfect.  There's always something, somewhere that is in need of washing, sorting, folding, sweeping... I could go on, but you know what I mean.

Odds are, your home is like mine.  You might not have small children or a husband, but that really doesn't matter.  Every day brings new challenges to face, and messes to clean.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed... if you're striving toward the wrong goal.  How important is achieving and maintaining perfection?  What sacrifices are you willing to make to get there?  Oh, and the quote at the top?  It came from a book with the title:  A Perfectly Kept House Is the Sign of a Misspent Life.

A misspent life.  You've probably heard the saying, time is money.  Time is priceless.  You can't pay anyone to go back in time, not even for an instant.  Don't let precious time with the ones you love and care about slip away because you 'need' to clean.  I'm not saying give up cleaning, just do it when it doesn't take away from your time with others.

Don't worry, the dishes and laundry will wait for you...
    

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Home Sweet Home

Making a house a home should be much like preparing and enjoying a wonderful slow-cooked meal.  Love goes in to preparing that meal for your loved ones, and so love should go in to preparing a home for them as well.  Season your home to reflect your unique tastes.  A home, and the ones in it, should develop over time; their flavors mingling to yield a rewarding combined result.  Remember it's going to be awhile until it's done, so be patient... and enjoy it while it's bubbling to perfection.  Just don't rush a good thing.


"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest."
~Robert Montgomery
  

So, how do we make our home a dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest?  By focusing on loving one another, and doing everything in love.  Nothing is insignificant.  Sometimes I've wondered, what difference did I make today?  I stayed home, took care of the kids, and got the usual housework done.  What was so great about that?  Well, I helped to make a house a home by singing and dancing in the kitchen with my kids, reading them a favorite book before nap time, getting the dishes done and putting supper on the table.  Love is shown in our daily interactions with one another.


Let all you do be done in love. -1 Corinthians 16:14


Let your home be a unique reflection of you and your family.  Don't worry what others might think.  It is your home, and if something strikes your fancy, go with it.  I often thumb through magazines for inspiration in decorating my home.  At some point I usually find myself thinking: what were they thinking?  The point is, who cares?  It's their home, and if we all were the same, imagine how mundane life would be.  So, just surround yourself with what makes you happy.  


"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness.  Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."  ~H. Jackson Browne


Nurture your family relationships by spending time together.  When you spend time together, you grow together.  This can be as simple as taking a walk down the road and back, or sharing a cup of coffee with your spouse before work.  It doesn't take much, except action.  The result is a close-knit family, where everyone knows they are loved, no matter what.


"The smallest deed is better than the best of intentions." ~unknown

Patience... it all takes time.  It's fun to watch the kids when I'm baking cookies, and they're almost done.  The kids just can't wait for that first taste.  They have their noses to the glass, and when the buzzer sounds, they jump up with a, "They're done Mom!  Can we have one now?"  I respond with a "Not yet, you'll burn your mouth!"  Some things just take time.  Like a batch of cookies, or that delicious home-cooked meal bubbling in the oven...  Making a house a home takes time.  So take it slow... and don't rush your good thing.