Category Archive

I love this PlayFoam stuff. Papa and Mama gave me some for my birthday last year, and I love it. I’ve kept it hidden away from children, not wanting to share my toys, so their first experience with the stuff was at Silver Dollar City.

I have been a long time reader of Alison’s blog, Brocante Home Chronicles. She is a big proponent of what she calls the Puttery Treat, an idea which I find very enticing.

Then, today I was glancing over Sense and Sensibility (a message forum geared toward historical sewing), an off-topic thread entitled: Taking Care of Yourself as a Mum… got me started thinking.

The train of thought went something like this:

I have a moment every now and then to relax, and when that time comes, I’m usually so overwhelmed that I don’t know what to do, and so waste that moment staring blankly at the computer screen (sad, but true). So, if I wrote down some of the great ideas which the lovely ladies at the S&S forum had given, as well as some of my favorite puttery treats, along with a few of my very own ideas, I could put them all in a pretty jar on my window sill and draw a slip of paper out when I had the time. But next I thought that I could also keep the list right here on Gentlewood Cottage, where I could refer back to it, and add or subtract to the master list as I see fit. Then, the thought struck me, that if I had a copy of the list online anyway, I could copy and paste it into Random.org’s list randomizer, and come up with a single treat that way as well.

So, that’s the long explanation for the list which you will find below.

:: Find a pretty water glass to help motivate me to drink plenty. Add mint leaf or a slice of lemon, lime, or orange in it for prettiness and taste.

:: Go for a walk. Attempt to indulge all five senses on the walk. Watch the clouds, keep an eye out for little critters, new wildflowers, and birds, stop and breathe in the smells, touch the various barks and leaves, listen to the music of the birds and insects, pluck some of the wild raspberries along the pathway.

:: Do a workout video

:: Listen to some classical music with the girls while stretching.

:: Fold a pretty tea towel in half and sew together. Make half inch hems either end and thread elastic through, before adding a ribbon loop and feeling virtuous because now you have a pretty place to store those plastic bags which seem to multiply in our home.

:: Demote a blanket to garden duty and leave it folded in a basket near the back door for chilly Spring evenings outside. Allocate a garden pinny and hang it from a ribbon tied laundry peg on your doorknob.

:: Chill fruit tea in the fridge as you do your housework, then sit down with a pretty little cup and the morning paper as reward for scrubbing the bath so wonderfully well you can see your reflection in it.

:: Make a drama out of lunchtime…select a beautiful tray and the bestest china you own, add a napkin and a tiny bud vase, and sit quietly, meditatively, as you eat…

:: Use white vinegar and a cotton bud to clean the crevices of your phone. (The blasted things get soooo grubby don’t they?) Then give the whole thing a gentle swipe with a cloth scented with lavender or orange blossom.

:: Clean out the girls dresser drawers and add a cotton ball soaked in lavender

:: Hunt out an old fashioned enamel coffee pot and use it to water your houseplants while you wait for the kettle to boil in the morning…

:: Dust your light bulbs with a cloth infused with aromatherapy oil for a gentle scent when you switch them on…

:: Choose a pretty teacup and use it to scoop washing powder into the machine.

“The atmospheric conditions have been very unfavourable lately,” said Owl.
“The what?”
“It has been raining,” explained Owl.
“Yes,” said Christopher Robin. “It has.”
“The flood-level has reached an unprecedented height.”
“The who?”
“There’s a lot of water about,” explained Owl.

Rainy day things:

1. Read.

2. Work on one’s beauty routine. Don’t worry Papa, I watched over the whole activity, very carefully.

3. Plan and organize.

4. Snack on fruit in pretty vintage dishes.

5. Fluff bedding in the dryer, scented with April Fresh Bounty sheets, in preperation for a warm and cozy nap.

6. Snuggle with a heated rice bag to cure heartburn, real or imaginary.

7. Abandon heat bag for a romp in Papa’s recliner.

8. Allow Frances to snuggle with the rice bag.

9. Explore contents of toy box.

10. Nap.

11. Wrap Marme’s birthday presents.

12. Tackle Mount Laundry.

13. And, finally - snuggle up in my chair with coffee and Agatha Christie.

The first of two new spring nightgowns. Made from a thrifted vintage sheet which has the nicest feel to it. It’s the sort of thing which always feels cool against your skin. I have enough fabric in the two sheets ($.25) to make the girls each a nightie and shorts, and myself a nightgown, and lounge pants.

Kinsley has adopted this cloche. I actually crocheted it for myself, and it really does fit my head well. However, the head of our two year old is something to behold. Majestic, in fact. Surely disproportionate to her tiny frame.

Something about this photo reminds me of any one of the female cast of characters in the Jeeves and Wooster Series, which, by the way is wonderful. In fact, we’ve recently been enthralled by the stories written by P.G. Wodehouse. Dan reads them to me in the bathtub, and I often read them while putting some child or other to sleep at the computer. Did you know you can read the entire book online? This is a new and exciting development for me.

I think that white on white - on a one year old - may very well be the most difficult thing I’ve ever tried to photograph.

Kinsley also got a new white blouse, but I didn’t get it photographed at all. And it’s even slightly different, which is huge for me!

This dress set was inspired by a vintage pattern in a size much too large for my girls. I pieced some other patterns together and came up with this version.

I actually finished these in early march, and the fabric was a little too light for the snowy weather which we were enduring during the particular event for which these were made, so I re-did some flannel pantaloons which I made for the girls last fall, to coordinate with the outfit.

The fabric was a serendipitous find. I found the white print before I ever had children and stowed it away, influenced by my belief that all of my children would be of the male variety. After I had Kinsley, I had dreams of sewing a darling vintage dress out of it, but never got around to it. Then came Sophie, and I decided that I always had to make them matching dresses. When I got ready to use that fabric, I was saddened to see that there wasn’t enough for what I had in mind. I put the fabric back on the shelf with a sigh, thinking that someday I would have to make a cute little jumpsuit for some baby boy. That same afternoon, my Grandma brought by a bag of goodies from the thrift shop. In it was just enough of the blue version of that same print to make it work with creative cutting! I had only the smallest threads left, when I was done.

The button came from a family friend’s estate. The lady had passed away, and the husband gave much of her lifetime collection of sewing notions away. She had collected things from her mother, so I have no idea how old this button is, but I thought it very quaint and unusual.

Another version of the yellow ruffles.

With another side of belly button.

Kinsley really got into the posing for this one.

I made two (I make two of everything, these days).

The ham-y-ness just kept coming…

Even with snot encrusted on her face, it’s pretty darn charming, if you ask me.

I’ve made several sets of these ruffly skirts using the wonderful tutorial written by Tanya, of Grand Revival. This set wasn’t the first, it was just the first one photographed.

Check out that belly button! It’s Kinsley’s favorite feature.

Sophie also like hers, but we can all agree that it’s simply not quite as remarkable.

And, just to prove that the girls do own shirts (and even wear them on occasion) here’s a photo which was taken at the event for which the skirts were sewn: my siblings Awana games. They were the yellow team, and the girls had nothing yellow in their wardrobes.

The Easter Bunny
M. Josephine Todd, 1909

There’s a story quite funny,
About a toy bunny,
And the wonderful things she can do;
Every bright Easter morning,

Without warning,
She colors eggs, red, green, or blue.

Some she covers with spots,
Some with quaint little dots,
And some with strange mixed colors, too

– Red and green, blue and yellow,
But each unlike its fellow
Are eggs of every hue.

And it’s odd, as folks say,
That on no other day
In all of the whole year through,

Does this wonderful bunny,
So busy and funny,
Color eggs of every hue.

If this story you doubt
She will soon find you out,
And what do you think she will do?

On the next Easter morning
She’ll bring you without warning,
Those eggs of every hue.

Kinsley recently found Dan’s childhood “tater head” set, and has had loads of fun with it. It makes a great distraction while I try to get through part of my morning routine.

She is frustrated by it’s lack of eyebrows. Eyebrows are such a prominant part of our family, you know. The lack of eyes in general, doesn’t seem to bother her.

The goal:

The plan:

And the progress:

*Finished product still to come.

Dan’s brother Mark sent us a box of some of the loveliest pears we’ve ever seen. The delicate combination of red and green begged to be photographed. The bowl of pecans in the background were one of many gifts bestowed on us recently by my grandparents.

And his sister, Holly sent us this amazing little nativity set. It was handmade in Spain, and picked up on their travels there.

I think it may be one of my favorite nativity sets of all time. It’s simple, and yet elegant. And to think of all the tiny details, all added by an attentive someone’s hand, instead of a machine, or factory line!

The above painting is of a bee on grass with circle letters.

This one has a butterfly with grass and circle letters. Can you see it?

We are finally getting around to decorating. We really wanted to put of getting a tree until the week of Christmas, but we started getting worried when the selection was getting obviously picked over at our local grocery. So, last night we set out to purchase the tree. Kinsley was sooo excited. We had already set up a small table top tree in her room, and decorated it with vintage pink glass Christmas ornaments, so she was beginning to get an idea of what a Christmas tree was. Anyway, when we got to the store, Dan and Kinsley checked out the trees. Kinsley was running up and down the small row of trees, feeling each one and squealing with delight.

Unfortunately, all the trees available were so dry that they were already browning around the edges. So we decided to drive over to the next small town about ten miles away, and check their Walmart. They had already sold out of trees - before December 13th! So we drove to the grocery store in this town and were able to snag the very last lone tree.

It’s actually a very nice tree.

It reminds me of the trees of my childhood.

This morning, I walked into the living room just in time to see the tree slowly starting to fall. I don’t know if the girls and the dog had anything to do with this, or if it just happened - but right now the tree is being held up by three adorandak chairs. Try as I might, I simply was not able to hold the tree up, fight off the three female vandals and tighten all the screws on the Christmas tree stand. So, Dan will have to tend to that when he gets home. Our Christmas Tree stories are never very ordinary, for some reason.

Oh, and here’s one more random photo of the decor at our house. The “mantle” is one of my most favorite things to decorate!

Western Christian liturgical calendars are based on the cycle of the Roman or Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, including Lutheran, Anglican, and Protestant calendars since this cycle pre-dates the Reformation.

Generally, the liturgical seasons in western Christianity are Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time.

Thinking of the advent season and on creating memories, as well as incorporating new and old traditions from both of our families, I have come up with this list of ideas and projects:

Advent::
From the Latin adventus, “arrival” or “coming”, the first season of the liturgical year begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.

Advent in a box

Advent Candles to light and enjoy on Sunday evenings with cookies and tea.

I think it would be fun to decorate just a bit every night, in the spirit of preparation (what is advent for anyway?) and maybe to get a tree somewhere in the middle of the season.

Christmastide::
Christmastide begins the evening of Christmas Eve (December 24) and ends on (or, in some Anglican traditions, the day before) the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6.

The Twelve Days of Christmas and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide), are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day (December 25) through the morning of Epiphany on (January 6). The associated evenings of the twelve days begin on the evening before the specified day. Thus, the first night of Christmas is December 25–26, and Twelfth Night is January 5–6. This period is also known as Christmastide.

The twelve days have special significance to us as this is a tradition we have observed in some way since our first Christmas. Sophie’s birthday is on Epiphany, (which means, appropriately enough, appearance” or “manifestation”). So, you can imagine the possible celebrations to arise here.

Some possible ways to observe these days::

Christmas
Boxing Day - sorting through toys with the girls and taking some extra to a needy family.
King Cake
Sophie’s first birthday
12 Candles
And of course, re-reading the 12 Days Poem to the girls.

Inspired by Amanda, I began thinking of the small traditions that make Christmas such a magical affair. Really, the whole winter season should be a cozy celebration of the many blessings which we usually don’t take the time to notice. For some reason, that special breathtaking joy which is the Christmas spirit has eluded me in recent years as an adult. Am I the only one to miss the feeling of Christmas from when I was a kid? What made it so special?

I think one thing that went in to the excitement was the bringing out of things that were only seen once a year - which I think is the point of Amanda’s winter book list. I picked up her idea and ran with it. I imagine a small rubber made tote filled with special cozy books (as my girls get older, maybe some familiar read-aloud chapter type books. The tote should smell magical when it is cracked open at the beginning of Christmas. Sprinkle the books with some scrumptious Christmas Potpourri. Maybe you could include a surprise letter written to your children and tied with a beautiful ribbon. Maybe a beloved but nearly forgotten game, and some Christmas music to be played as the books are looked at and placed in a prominent basket near appropriately sized reading chairs with lap quilts a puffy pillows. Anything to create sweet memories and the anticipation of opening the box next year…

Below is a list of several winter/Christmas books, which I would love to include in such a tote. I bet one could find many such books in a post-Christmas trip the thrift shop!

Letters from Father Christmas - J.R.R. Tolkien

Lucia and the Light - Phyllis Root

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey - Susan Wojciechowski

The Night of Las Posadas - Tomie dePaola

The Snowman Raymond Briggs

The Real Santa Claus: Legends of Saint Nicholas - Marianna Mayer

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas - Emma Kragen

On Christmas Eve - Margaret Wise Brown

The Night Tree by Eve Bunting

The Snow Bear by Miriam Moss

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! - Dr. Seuss

Trees of the Dancing Goats - Patricia Polacco

An Orange for Frankie - Patricia Polacco

Uncle Vova’s Tree - Patricia Polacco

Welcome Comfort - Patricia Polacco

Cranberry Christmas - Wende Devlin

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Peef The Christmas Bear - Tom Hegg

A Silent Night For Peef - Tom Hegg

The Other Wise Man - Pamela Kennedy

Twas the Night Before Christmas - Clement Clarke Moore

An Early American Christmas - Tomie dePaola

A Tale of Three Trees - Angela Elwell Hunt

Snow - Uri Shulevitz

Father Christmas and the Donkey by Elizabeth Clark

One Winter’s Night - John Herman

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus - L. Frank Baum

A Cold Snap: Frosty Poems - Audrey B. Baird

The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg

Lost! A Story in String - Paul Fleischman

The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol

The Legend of the Candy Cane - Lori Walburg

The Story of The Nativity - Elizabeth Winthrop

Who Is Coming to Our House? (Board Book) - Joseph Slate

Mary’s First Christmas - Walker Wangerin

The Crippled Lamb - Max Lucado

The Tiny Star - Art Ginolfi

Winter Lullaby - Barbara Seuling

Snowflake Bentley - Jacqueline Briggs Martin

I’ve mentioned Epossumondas a couple of times recently. I think it may be the all-time favorite book which we’ve ever checked out of the library. One of these days, I think we’re going to have to break down and actually purchase it ourselves. Remember Kinsley telling Dan that he didn’t have the sense he was born with? Yeah, it’s from Epossumondas.

Well, we finally captured the quote on video. It’s a hum-dinger, I think.

The girls and I had a fun day shopping at the local thrift shops on Friday.

Almost as soon as we were in the car, Kinsley said that she was hungry. As a treat, we stopped into the local greasy spoon to snack on cheese balls and ice water. Nothing has changed in that small town restaurant since I had eaten breakfasts there with my grandpa when I wasn’t much older than Kinsley. It has a “round table” and the same old men sit at that table, who were sitting there when I would go there 20 some years ago. There are a few faces missing now, and maybe a few new faces, but mostly it’s the same old guys, eating the same food served by the same waitress, just all looking a little older than they used to.

Kinsley was looking at the wall behind me and said “Look at that! I wonder how they got that goat on the ceiling?” I turned and saw what she was talking about - a mounted deer head.

Finishing up our snack, we headed out to the thrift shop next door, where we found the sweetest little retro toy iron. It even had a working plug (a thought which sends shivers of terror down my spine, actually). We purchased it for twenty five cents. Dan was able to remove the cord, and Kinsley absolutely loves it!

The video below is of her and her new iron. She thinks she’s “sewing”. The voice she’s doing, is how she says the gator in Epossumondas talks. She’s still a baby - she just talks a lot!

A good friend of mine recently told me about these amazing little tea flowers. I had no idea that such things even existed.

The other day when we were driving up my parents long driveway, I let the front seat. Kinsley leaned forward and grabbed her lower back, exclaiming “Oh, Mama! A tickle got my back and made a bruise!”

Oh, and yes, that is another pretty much unrelated photo.

For Kinsley’s second birthday. I sort of used Martha Stewart’s birthday party hat tutorial, and sort of winged it… Here are the results!

There’s so much to tackle today that I barely know where to begin! I’m going to try to list my goals in order of priority and see how far I get today…

Upload and edit sling pictures

Revamp sling auction and relist

Relist doll sling

List two or three other auctions

Sew, pack and ship sling

Take duck and bug photos and list on etsy

Fold and put away all laundry

Clean out fridge

Clean bathroom

Water plants

Re-clean/organize my studio

Take out all trash

Plant the azaleas

There’s so much more to do, but I think I’ll try to keep it realistic and stop there. Here goes!

I’ve been imagining this shirt for some time now, and finally got around to creating it. It’s kinda big and blousey (my husband thinks maternity - what do you think?) but I do need the extra fabric to disguise all my post-baby pounds. It’s a soft and comfy cotton and it stretches in all the right places. The long tunic length is great for covering the unsightly rear side. I’ll be making more for sure!

Isn’t this pattern fun? I love the idea of making one for each month of the year, with the darling embroidery patterns for each month, but alas, I am no good at embroidery, and I suspect that even if I were, it’s something I’d just never get around to. Somehow my wee ladies keep me too busy! So, on to eBay it has gone…

It’s a half apron, with a cumberbund style waistband. The pattern is on unmarked tissue. Included were detailed instructions, and twelve iron on embroidery patterns, one for each month of the year.

I even found the envelope interesting. It is marked with a stamped two-cent stamp, and says “PARADE” “Patterns by Pauline” in the return address. In the address slot, is a newspaper clipping which the addressee apparently clipped, filled out, and mailed to the company, in order to request this pattern. The vintage way of life just seems utterly charming and interesting to me!

Springtime
Oh, spring came to my garden
And caught it unaware
Wearing just a few old leaves
And a dejected air.

But when spring left my garden,
Its work so deftly done,
Many, many Daffodils
Were dancing in the sun.
-Velma D. BATES.

I am joining Julie of Handmaid this week in her Colour Week. Won’t you come and play?

I am joining Julie of Handmaid this week in her Colour Week. Won’t you come and play?

My newest, most favorite color in the world! Especially when combines with red. Red and turquoise, an unbeatable combination!

I have the hardest time passing up cute printed t-shirts at thrift shops - even though I don’t care to wear prints myself. I have had these two t-shirts in my “thrifted for fabric” stash for months now and was finally inspired by a skirt in Garnet Hill.

My only regret is that the orange stripey t-shirt wasn’t big enough to get shorts out of it too - I’d love to have added built in shorts under the skirts.

My little brother is growing up. I was just telling Dan that you know you’re getting old when someone who’s diapers you changed is driving and starting his own business.

I’m so proud of Jared. He’s doing a wonderful job in the fine woodworking industry. He has been apprenticing with a local craftsman and family friend for a while now and is starting to deviate into his own forte a little bit. This is the first chair which we have had the honor of modeling for Uncle Jared and putting in our Etsy Shop.

OK, so I’m probably the last person in the world to have an Etsy shop. But now I have my very own! Remember that Vintage Picnic Basket? It is the first (and so far only) item in my new shop, but that will be changing soon…

Before (View a.)

After (View a.)

Before (View b.)

After (View b.)

You’re not going to believe this amazing thrift shop score… the Twin Fit Dress Form for only one dollar! I couldn’t believe my eyes. This is the kind of find I have dreamed of - but never thought possible!

And these buttons. All for only fifty cents.

Kinsley and Sophie have new outfits! I’m thinking that these will be their Easter ensembles.

The tops are made from thrifted curtains using the pillowcase dress tutorial from Jen at RedInstead.

The bottoms are made from oh-so-soft batiste and trimmed with the remains of a thrifted but stained dresser scarf using this wonderful pattern for baby pants from “Bee’s Nest”.

Sophie had a rough day yesterday, and so is not pictures in her new outfit. Maybe on Easter…

Click here to view the auction…

Give the gift of an island of calm serenity in the ocean of chaotic daily life.

This kit has been lovingly assembled with careful attention to details.

Items included:

Basket has a very cottage chic feel to it. The embellishments look to be from the 40s or 50s.

Plate is a warm ivory with silver edging and has a floral design featuring the colors turquoise, mint green, rose pink, and golden yellow. The back of the plate (pictured) says “Crown Potteries Co. Made in the USA 4 47″. Family tradition says that the plate survived the San Fransisco Earthquake, but I have no idea if this is accurate.

Vintage Tablecloth is the perfect size for a solitary picnic. It is white with turquoise stripes on two ends. The cloth is in great shape, except for a small spot (the size of a quarter) which has worn through, and a tiny ink spot. It measures 31 1/2″ x 34″.

Antique Napkin is a warm ivory color with a tone on tone rose and lattice work design with heirloom entredeux on the edges. The napkin is made of a very sturdy and quality material.

Knife and Fork are authentic antique weighted silver flatware. They have been polished.

Thermos brand vintage thermos. We thought this was a truly unique item. It is a single serving size (one cup). The color is cream, with a turquoise inset on the cap.

Vintage Stoneware Mug has a very retro feel. It also echoes the color scheme of cream and turquoise, though the turquoise band at the bottom of the mug is of a lighter shade.

As I mentioned before, tiny aesthetic details are becoming more and more important to me as the birth looms nearer. I think the “birth room” is as perfect as I can get it. Exept for two things…

1. The view out the double window isn’t exactly cheery. Well, really neither window has a cheery view, but I can controll the one out the double window.

And

2. There’s a mysterious dirty sock smell in the bedroom, and I cannot seem to locate it’s source.

I admit that I was hesitant to decorate for Christmas at all this year. I thought that I wanted to focus all my energy on nesting and having a baby. Through an interesting series of events we ended up with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. And, it’s grown on us!

The Christmas Mantle

Soft Trees

Candle