"Lucie ran on, and on... THE path ended under a big rock. The grass was short and green, and there were clothes-props cut from bracken stems, with lines of plaited rushes, and a heap of tiny clothes pins..." ~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle If you please'm! Dear Mrs. Tiggy-winkle has one more tutorial to share with you all on this "Fun Friday" spring series. She says this is a very versatile project that everyone can get involved in! They are her "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" clothespins. These darlings could also be used as "bag clips" in the kitchen. If you glue a magnet to the back, they can hold photos and papers on the refrigerator. If you string them on a line in the house, they can display your children's artwork. They would also make sweet party favors. But as for this author, she simply likes to use them the old fashioned way, on the clothesline! There are many ways to decorate your clothespins but the first thing you will need to do is paint them (if you choose). The easiest way to achieve this is on a clothesline or temporary string hung outdoors. Attach your clothespins (give them some distance apart so that you can get in the nooks and crannies and sides) and spray paint them the desired color. We weren't concerned about them being perfectly painted as it adds to the charm. Children may enjoy hand painting them themselves but it is more tedious. Once dried, they are now ready to embellish! You can use scrapbook paper (or magazine clippings, old maps, old book pages, music sheets, etc.) and cut pieces down to size (I measured out the dimensions and cut straight lines using a paper cutter). You could also use fancy scissors on the ends to give the paper a different pattern. Finally, affix your pretty paper with a glue stick (or craft glue) and once dried, apply a layer of decoupage glue or some clear spray paint to finish them off. Another way (and much simpler!) to decorate the painted clothespins is with stamps. My daughter has a large "Faded Text Background" stamp that I applied directly to the painted pin. With a final coat of decoupage glue or clear spray paint, the project was quickly done with no need for measuring, etc! The stamp even looked nice on the plain un-painted clothespins (shown in photo next to pink ones) and I am now eager to make a few sets of these for instant gratification and for gifts. You could also embellish with pretty beads and jewels if you want to make a designer clothespin (these are my daughter's creation). You can use tiny stickers or clip art. You can use permanent markers and draw designs. You could also custom paint each clothespin to make your own masterpieces if you are artistic (think chevron strips, polka dots, pinstripes and flowers). Just make sure to seal your finished product with the decoupage glue or clear spray paint. While mama prepares her "pretty pinny's", the children can decorate theirs with all their craft supplies (fearless mothers can even give finger paints to toddlers to decorate the pins with). I must admit that Mrs. Tiggy-winkle was right, my daughter and I really enjoyed making these together and fussing over them and exclaiming to one another how cute the other person's pins were! We had a delightful time! Summary of Steps: 1. Paint clothespin (if desired) and let dry. 2. Decorate clothespin. 3. Apply a layer of decoupage glue or clear spray paint to "seal" them. 4. Enjoy your finished "pretty-as-a-pinny" clothespin! Mrs. Tiggy-winkle suggests that these shouldn't be left on the clothesline overnight with the dew or during a storm as it will diminish the quality. "And she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes—small brown coats of mice; and one velvety black moleskin waist-coat; and a red tailcoat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin; and a very much shrunk blue jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit; and a petticoat, not marked, that had gone lost in the washing—and at last the basket was empty!" ~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" clothespins would also make a nice gift! You can prepare a laundry basket with some handmade detergent, stain remover, fabric softener and a clothespin apron. You might also want to include this "Wash Day Prayer". Visit here for more wash day inspiration or you may even want to view the complete Collection of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle Tutorials, if you please'm! This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Shabbilicious Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

This is my newest creation. An Adult bib or Pinny. Created using quality toweling and cotton fabric. Long enough to rest comfortably in the lap to protect clothing on the chest and legs. createdbycath.com

"Mother went to see Uncle S. J. May, and I was house-keeper. Gave my mind to it so energetically that I dreamed dip-toast, talked apple-sauce, thought pies, and wept drop-cakes..." ~ Louisa May Alcott, Her Life, Letters, and Journals Growing up in a home teaming with intellectual writers, philosophers, naturalists and poets, you may think that homemaking was the last thing on the mind of Louisa May Alcott. But "au contraire", her writing shows it was an important part of her life. Today we highlight five Titus-2 encouragements which are inspired by the nourishing novels of Ms. Alcott that will help you to love your home! 1. Be Serious About Homemaking "Housekeeping ain't no joke..." ~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women I have heard some say, "I am just a housewife" but that is not so if we put our whole heart into it! If we are serious about homemaking, it becomes a noble career. Be interested in all the little details around you. One way to become a serious homemaker is to read books on the subject! My favorite "professional" homemaking book is Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (Interestingly enough, it is written by a woman lawyer who had such a love for the nuts and bolts of homemaking that she wrote a thorough book on the subject! She too thought that "housekeeping ain't no joke!"). There is nothing like knowledge to show you are serious about your "work". Learn the proper order of things, the right way to clean, how to wisely maintain what you have and so forth. Make out old fashioned ledgers and record your household budget. Prepare meal plans, seasonal homemaking lists and chore charts. Organize your household and do monthly maintenances if you have the time. Ask other women how they do things and see if you can fine-tune your household, your finances, your systems. Talk to your mother, grandmother or other older women in your life about what they have learned along the way and glean their wisdom. You will be taken seriously once you seriously love what you do and investing your time and energy is the best way to show your devotion. "That they (the aged women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home..." ~ Titus 2:4-5 2. Housekeeping is an Accomplishment “Well, now there is a very excellent, necessary, and womanly accomplishment that my girl should not be without, for it is a help to rich and poor, and the comfort of families depends upon it. This fine talent is neglected nowadays and considered old-fashioned, which is a sad mistake and one that I don't mean to make in bringing up my girl. It should be part of every girl's eductation, and I know of a most accomplished lady who will teach you in the best and pleasantest manner." "Oh, what is it?" cried Rose eagerly, charmed to be met in this helpful and cordial way. "Housekeeping!" answered Dr. Alec. “Is that an accomplishment?” asked Rose, while her face fell, for she had indulged in all sorts of vague, delightful dreams. “Yes; it is one of the most beautiful as well as useful of all the arts a woman can learn. Not so romantic, perhaps, as singing, painting, writing, or teaching, even; but one that makes many happy and comfortable, and home the sweetest place in the world. Yes, you may open your big eyes; but it is a fact that I had rather see you a good housekeeper than the greatest belle in the city. It need not interfere with any talent you may possess, but it is a necessary part of your training.” “Who is the lady?” asked Rose, rather impressed by her uncle’s earnest speech. “Aunt Plenty.” “Is she accomplished?” began Rose in a wondering tone, for this great-aunt of hers had seemed the least cultivated of them all. “In the good old-fashioned way she is very accomplished, and has made this house a happy home to us all, ever since we can remember. She is not elegant, but genuinely good, and so beloved and respected that there will be universal mourning for her when her place is empty. No one can fill it, for the solid, homely virtues of the dear soul have gone out of fashion, as I say, and nothing new can be half so satisfactory, to me at least.” Let her teach you how to be what she has been a skillful, frugal, cheerful housewife; the maker and the keeper of a happy home, and by and by you will see what a valuable lesson it is.” ~ Louisa May Alcott, Eight Cousins I have met various women (many of whom were college graduates) that were taught many interesting things in their early education. Sadly, homemaking was not one of them and the poor souls struggle desperately to keep their household in order. Ironically, many of these same women are no longer in the professional work force and the one career they didn't train for was where they ended up -- in the home! The same women that can nurse patients in the sick ward, run the finances of a large corporation and teach multiple children in the classroom, may not know how to run an efficient home. What this shows is that housekeeping is certainly an accomplishment! Don't let anyone tell you different. "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." ~ Proverbs 31:27-31 3. Housework is Healing “Things worry me sometimes, but I just catch up a broom and sweep, or wash hard, or walk, or go at something with all my might, and I usually find that by the time I get through the worry is gone, or I’ve got courage enough to bear it without grumbling,” answered Polly, cutting the brown loaf energetically. “I can’t do those things, you know; there’s no need of it, and I don’t think they’d cure my worrying,” said Fanny, languidly feeding Ashputtel, who sat decorously beside her, at the table, winking at the cream pot. “A little poverty would do you good, Fan; just enough necessity to keep you busy till you find how good work is; and when you once learn that, you won’t complain of ennui any more,” returned Polly, who had taken kindly the hard lesson which twenty years of cheerful poverty had taught her." ~ Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl “Go on with your work as usual, for work is a blessed solace.” ~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women Ever since the fall, mankind has been given the responsibility of work to the sweat of our brow. This can be viewed as a negative experience or a positive one if you choose it to be. When we are faced with excess anxiety and stress, we can be like loaded cannons! What better place to divert that negative energy than into some old fashioned labor. By the time the floors have been scrubbed, the dishes have been washed and the house is sparkling and tidy, you can reflect at that moment that you do feel just a bit better! The nerves have been spent on something positive. A smile is now most likely to be given to those in the household instead of bottled up anger or wrath. Keeping busy can help us to rule our emotions! Housework can be healing. "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute." ~ Proverbs 12:24 4. Housework is "Good" "She smiled, said nothing, and with Hannah's help did their neglected work, keeping home pleasant and the domestic machinery running smoothly. It was astonishing what a peculiar and uncomfortable state of things was produced by the `resting and reveling' process. The days kept getting longer and longer, the weather was unusually variable and so were tempers, and unsettled feeling possessed everyone, and Satan found plenty of mischief for the idle hands to do." ~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women As the old adage goes, "idle time is the devil's workshop". With the modern day lifestyle, we are all set up for this ungodly craft. Though we stay at home, we can still keep busy in the laziest of ways. Social networking can be the biggest web to catch its prey. Instead of "keeping the home", we can spend our time tearing it down by focusing on the latest "news", learning gossip on you-know-who's FB page and/or browsing blogs of carefree lifestyles and wishing ours wasn't so burdened. Scripture warns us of slothful behavior. It all leads down a dark and dreary path. Old fashioned housework in the home cultivates a clean temple. When spending the time to love and raise our children, make healthy and nourishing meals, keep the house clean for when hubby enters at the end of a long day or when we decorate our little cottages with delight, we will be less likely to cause that spiritual mischief! Yes dear ladies, housework is a good thing. "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." ~ 1 Timothy 5:13-14 5. Homemaking Can Make You Happy "Very busy and very happy were Rose’s days now, for in the morning she went about the house with Aunt Plenty attending to linen-closets and store-rooms, pickling and preserving, exploring garret and cellar to see that all was right, and learning, in the good old-fashioned manner, to look well after the ways of the household. In the afternoon, after her walk or drive, she sat with Aunt Peace plying her needle, while Aunt Plenty, whose eyes were failing, knitted and chatted briskly, telling many a pleasant story of old times, till the three were moved to laugh and cry together, for the busy needles were embroidering all sorts of bright patterns on the lives of the workers, though they seemed to be only stitching cotton and darning hose. It was a pretty sight to see the rosy-faced little maid sitting between the two old ladies, listening dutifully to their instructions, and cheering the lessons with her lively chatter and blithe laugh." ~ Louisa May Alcott, Eight Cousins There is something so nourishing and noble in the making of a home! All of our senses are occupied in the matter when we truly love to follow the inspired urging to "keep the home". Here our creativity flourishes and our talents are magnified. There is such a variety in our life! The Almighty was generous to make seasons so each part of our lifestyle has a monthly rhythm. In the spring, we are preparing the earth and planting, airing out the linens, cleaning up the cobwebs. In the summer, we are harvesting, preserving and enjoying the warm days with BBQs and ice cream! In the autumn, we have a slower pace but a beautiful canvas to enjoy of falling leaves and plenty of apple and pumpkin treats. In the winter, we hibernate in our cozy homes like little cubs. We light the fireplace, bring out hot mugs of chocolate and read nourishing novels together. In between it all, we can be our best. If you love numbers, you are coordinating your finances, if you love art, you are embellishing your home, if you love nesting, you are building up your pantry and preparing all sorts of projects to make your home run smoothly. There is delight for all parts of us in the home and it can make you very happy if you realize you have much to offer it! "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." ~ Jeremiah 6:16 Thank you for joining us in the homemaking world of Louisa May Alcott! If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in Titus 2 Homemaking Lessons Inspired by Jane Austen and Frugal Homemaking Lessons from The Great Depression Inspired by Janette Oke. We will be sharing more in this inspirational literary series shortly. In the meantime, I leave you with a few more encouraging words by Ms. Alcott... "The homeliest tasks get beautiful if loving hands do them." ~ Louisa May Alcott All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, Awesome Life Friday Link Up and Create, Bake, Grow & Gather. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

You may remember I mentioned that I didn't want to tell you EXACTLY how to put a ruffle on your pinny strap because I don't want every single pinny out there to look the same. I want you to use your imagination and play a little rather than me telling you what to do! I won't provide exact measurements, but I will give you a few diagrams to help you figure out HOW to go about it! ** Illustrations show how to create 1 strap, so you will need to do everything shown twice ** 1. Add 2cm to the width of the strap measurement. 2. Cut each strap in half lengthways 3. Decide the style or shape of the ruffle you are going to add and cut it out! Here are some of the popular options: Rectangle: Cut a strip and then fold in half lengthways, the fold will create the 'finished edge' of the ruffle. Shaped: Ruffle is wider on the shoulder and narrower towards the waistband. Other: Add Ric Rac, or piping or lace, you are only limited by your imagination! How long should it be? I think a ratio of about x1.8 - x2.0 of the strap length works (e.g. if strap length is 10, then anywhere between 18 and 20 will look good)! Just have a play until you get a ruffle factor you are happy with and then write it down so you remember it for next time! How wide should it be? Entirely up to you, figuring this out will give you your own unique look! Take a look in the pattern club and see what others have done to figure out what you like, wide, narrow or somewhere in the middle! 4. Finish the edge of your ruffle if applicable with a rolled hem or narrow hem and then create gathering stitches on your straight/raw edge 5. Place the ruffle face down on one side of your strap and baste into place 6. Place the other side of the strap face down on top of the ruffle and stitch 7. Pull the strap pieces up away from the ruffle so the right sides are facing out and press between the ruffle and strap to create a nice crease. The next steps are a bit like creating a binding. 8. Fold the strap back to the previous position over the ruffle, then take one of the strap ends and fold to up to the raw edges, then press (try to move your ruffle out of the way in this step so you don't crush it)! 9. Open the strap back up and now align the raw edge with the fold line created in the previous step Repeat steps 8-9 for the other side of the strap. 10. Fold both sides of the strap away from the ruffle and press. You are done and ready to continue on with inserting the bodice! Good Luck!

i awoke with a giddy feeling today, as i ate my breakfast i pondered all the reasons for giddiness within my day. after which i went out, upon returning i had promptly forgotten all but one of the reasons to feel giddy. i think that is the story of my life these days. if i do not make a note of things, they vanish into the little black hole in my head, never to be seen or heard of again. whilst hoping for a bit of giddiness recall to happen, i waited for a break in the rain clouds, so i could photograph my one remaining reason for giddiness today. 'perfectly peachy pinnies' for the joyful shop update they make my inner granny soul giddy with a wave of nostalgia for days gone by. the time when one donned a pinny in the morning and took it off last thing at night. yes i like to think my 'perfectly peachy pinnies' would be most suited for any 'granny loving' soul worth her 'granny loving salt', spending her day happily wearing them. there is a front, a back and best of all, they are reversible, thus two pinnies in one, just like my granny wore. tomorrow we are off to my adopted auntie and her little grey cottage for bonfire night, this of course is the perfect reason to wake up all over again with giddiness... she is wishing you a weekend of giddy ~ Tif footynote: hurrah hooray! one giddy reason has been retrieved from the black hole. yes yes, how could i forget, i am all giddy over my new knitted wrist warmers which turned up in my mail box a few days back! do you see them in the photo, well they are handmade by the lovely Jane and her spiffy ancient knitting machine... i wonder what his name is, i imagine him to be quite the sturdy fellow and quite hard work some days when he is playing up. the stitches are itty bitty and there are 24,716 of them, in my one pair of gloves. can you imagine that many stitches in one pair of gloves? not me, because i am crappity crap at knitting itty bitty stitches. plus i suffer from 'second sock syndrome' so even if i wished to make some, i would only ever have one hand warm at a time. no, much better i wear a lovely pair that Jane made, that way i have two warm hands at the same time... i am looking forward to a whole nesting season with these sweeties on my hands without a doubt.

These are my favorite new pillows. They are fast and unbelievably easy to make…and I hope you love them as much as I do. I did my best to simplify the instructions/pattern so they are beginner friendly, and super fun to make. If you’ve never worked with a template or curves, and your nervous about...Read More

"Then she took something else off a clothes-horse— "That isn't my pinny?" said Lucie. "Oh no, if you please'm; that's a damask table-cloth belonging to Jenny Wren; look how it's stained with currant wine! It's very bad to wash!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle." ~ The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle by Beatrix Potter Ah, the sorrow of stains in the laundry! No one understands that better than our dear washer-woman, Mrs. Tiggy-winkle. However, she does not fret my friends, for she knows how to make her own frugal stain remover! If you please'm, all you need is some water, dish soap, liquid glycerin and essential oils (the essential oils are optional but helpful). Liquid glycerin can often be found in the health/body care aisle in most markets or it can be purchased online. Either lemon or eucalyptus oils are chosen specifically for this easy project because of their stain removing abilities. I often use lemon in our household recipes when acceptable because it is a less expensive oil. Simply mix together 1/4 cup of dish soap (Dawn is preferred), 1/4 cup of liquid glycerin, 1 1/2 cups of water and pour into a spray bottle. Optional: add 8 drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oil to the final product. Use like you would any stain remover spray. This recipe was adapted from Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan. Here is also a printable stain remover chart that may be helpful to have on hand (per Mrs. Tiggy-winkle of course). "If at all possible, it's best to treat spills and stains on washable garments immediately --while the stains are fresh and before they dry. The more quickly you treat a stain, the less likely it is to set... Blot liquid stains with a clean white, lint-free cloth or paper towel. Gently scrape or brush off excess solids, if there are any. Avoid excessive rubbing, as it may spread the stain or damage delicate fabrics... After pretreating and washing a stained item, always check to make sure the stain has been removed before putting the item in the dryer. Dryer heat can permanently set some stains. If the stain remains, pretreat and wash again." ~ Donna Smallin, Cleaning Plain and Simple "Lily-white and clean, oh! With little frills between, oh! Smooth and hot—red rusty spot Never here be seen, oh!" ~ Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's Wash Day Song by Beatrix Potter We are also sharing our label for the stain remover spray (feel free to copy). If you enjoyed this tutorial, you may be interested in making Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's spray starch or her handkerchief tutorial. For more Beatrix Potter inspired projects, visit here (if you please 'm)! Thank you for joining us for another week of "Fun Friday" this spring! Have a lovely day. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, Growing in Grace Thursdays, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. Illustrations are by Beatrix Potter.

The past week has been extremely hot & humid here, but we fought the heat & tackled our messy garage anyway! I'm so glad to say we can finally cross another item off our Summer Project List! Yay! Below is how the garage looked earlier this summer. It actually got worse, but I never took another "before" picture, so you'll just have to take my word for it! {Before} We didn't think our neighbors would appreciate it if we emptied the entire contents onto our driveway for a week, so we decided to take it one wall at a time. We would clear the clutter away from the wall, then paint, & finally put that section back together. By the time we were finished we had purged, organized, painted, & cleaned the entire garage! Whoo hoo! {After} This was the first section to get finished since there wasn't much resting against it. My husband just hung the camping chairs & ladder. He also added some shelves in the corner, by the door which leads to the mudroom. These will hold the kids play shoes & most of my husbands shoes, since they are too big to fit on most standard shoe racks. (Obviously, we haven't added all the shoes yet, just the ones that were in my way on the mud room floor!) {After} Next, Mark created an elaborate pulley system to hang the kayak & canoe on the ceiling. (I say "elaborate" because it took a couple of days for him to get it right! Thankfully, he got them raised high enough that he no longer hits his head on the canoe & both vehicles fit underneath!) He also rearranged how the bikes were hung. When we built our house, we had the option of extending the mudroom/laundry room into the bump out area of the garage. We knew we would need that space for garage storage, so we decided to keep it as such. It makes a great space for Mark's workshop & thanks to some clever organization (& the storage closet in the back) he now has plenty of room for all his tools and more! {Workshop After} This was my husband's area to organize & decorate, hence the rim & license plates. Sadly, we never even took the stickers off the storage cabinets once they were built! The ceiling in this area of the garage is at least ten feet tall. We decided to utilize that extra space & make a loft above it. This is where we store our camping equipment, golf clubs, & a few other items. We actually have plenty of space for more storage up there & it makes the attic very easy to access. {Loft-- the ladder is just 2x4s nailed to the studs} The next part was the most exciting for me! We used to store all of the kids sport equipment & outdoor toys in crates lined against the wall, which made it very hard to get out of the truck on the passenger side. One day, I had the bright idea to utilize the space between the studs. I took inventory of all the toys & equipment we needed to store & designed shelves, slats, & storage solutions to accommodate our needs. One of the best things about this idea is that it doesn't really take up any extra space in the garage (except the ball holder) since most of the equipment is stored between the studs. Anyway, without further adieu, here is what I came up with... {Stud Storage} Basically, I had Mark nail slats against the studs to store the fishing poles & boat oars. We just hung the tennis rackets up with nails. Next up, was the ball storage. To build this, Mark nailed wood to the studs on both sides and then added another piece to each of those to form a "U" shape. He did this at the bottom of the ball section & also four feet higher. He drilled holes into the "U" shape & then added three foot bungee cords. He put the hooks from the bungee cords into the drilled holes. We added a shelf on top to hold some cones & a couple of other toys. Now, when the kids need a ball, they just take them out from between the bungee cords. On the other side of the ball storage, we added a slat to hold the baseball bats. Above that, we added a shelf with a slat to hold some plastic bases & baseball gloves. On top of the gloves, we added two more shelves with a slat in front of it to hold baseballs. The final section of stud storage has a couple of shelves to hold bubbles and chalk. Below that is a shelf with a slat to hold Frisbees. We have one more shelf to hold some water balloons & water toys & finally, a slatted section for the much needed water guns! {The Final Product} This may not be a Garage Mahal, but it works so well for us! The kids can get to their toys, we can fit both vehicles in the garage again, & we have plenty of room for additional storage. I'm pretty sure the neighbors are happy we finally cleaned up this eyesore, since our garage door has been open a lot this summer! Well, what do you think? How have you made extra space in the garage? Sharing here: Organize It Party at Our Fifth House A Thoughtful Place

"Then she took something else off a clothes-horse— "That isn't my pinny?" said Lucie. "Oh no, if you please'm; that's a damask table-cloth belonging to Jenny Wren; look how it's stained with currant wine! It's very bad to wash!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle." ~ The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle by Beatrix Potter Ah, the sorrow of stains in the laundry! No one understands that better than our dear washer-woman, Mrs. Tiggy-winkle. However, she does not fret my friends, for she knows how to make her own frugal stain remover! If you please'm, all you need is some water, dish soap, liquid glycerin and essential oils (the essential oils are optional but helpful). Liquid glycerin can often be found in the health/body care aisle in most markets or it can be purchased online. Either lemon or eucalyptus oils are chosen specifically for this easy project because of their stain removing abilities. I often use lemon in our household recipes when acceptable because it is a less expensive oil. Simply mix together 1/4 cup of dish soap (Dawn is preferred), 1/4 cup of liquid glycerin, 1 1/2 cups of water and pour into a spray bottle. Optional: add 8 drops of lemon or eucalyptus essential oil to the final product. Use like you would any stain remover spray. This recipe was adapted from Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan. Here is also a printable stain remover chart that may be helpful to have on hand (per Mrs. Tiggy-winkle of course). "If at all possible, it's best to treat spills and stains on washable garments immediately --while the stains are fresh and before they dry. The more quickly you treat a stain, the less likely it is to set... Blot liquid stains with a clean white, lint-free cloth or paper towel. Gently scrape or brush off excess solids, if there are any. Avoid excessive rubbing, as it may spread the stain or damage delicate fabrics... After pretreating and washing a stained item, always check to make sure the stain has been removed before putting the item in the dryer. Dryer heat can permanently set some stains. If the stain remains, pretreat and wash again." ~ Donna Smallin, Cleaning Plain and Simple "Lily-white and clean, oh! With little frills between, oh! Smooth and hot—red rusty spot Never here be seen, oh!" ~ Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's Wash Day Song by Beatrix Potter We are also sharing our label for the stain remover spray (feel free to copy). If you enjoyed this tutorial, you may be interested in making Mrs. Tiggy-winkle's spray starch or her handkerchief tutorial. For more Beatrix Potter inspired projects, visit here (if you please 'm)! Thank you for joining us for another week of "Fun Friday" this spring! Have a lovely day. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, Growing in Grace Thursdays, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. Illustrations are by Beatrix Potter.

"Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees (I once bought a pair at a bazaar). She also sold herbs, and rosemary tea, and rabbit-tobacco (which is what we call lavender)." ~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny I suppose that as one blogs, layers of skin are slowly removed and people get to see how weird you are! Truth be known, I am weird. To be in my (early!) 40's and still enjoy playing in the world of Beatrix Potter! Perhaps it is because there is so much disturbing things going on today and it can be therapeutic to ponder and dwell on the "good things". Every spring, my heart falls in love (all over again) with the innocent world of rabbits, ducks and geese that Beatrix Potter created. Being a very theme-oriented person, I find it fun to prepare little projects of my own based on her books. It seems Mrs. Rabbit had her hand in much industry and we never know what she is going to share with us! But this I do know, it will be "baskets" of fun! Herbal remedies, printables, children's activities, homemaking DIY's and so forth will be posted every Friday during spring (if our schedule allows). We will deem it "Fun Friday" in this little web-world of ours. This is what has been shared thus far: Absorbable Un-Paper Towels ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial Bug-Be-Gone Spray ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial "Cottage Rose" Pantry Labels by Mrs. Tittlemouse ~ Free Printable DIY Easy Shabby Cottage Tea Napkins ~ A Pie and the Patty Pan Project DIY "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" Clothespins ~ A Tiggy-winkle Tutorial Gardening with Peter Rabbit ~ Precious Playtime Inspiration Handkerchiefs ~ Make Your Own ~ A Tiggy-winkle Tutorial Homemaker's Helper Herbal Tea ~ A Tiggy-winkle Blend Old Fashioned Furniture Polish ~ A Tittlemouse Tutorial Old Fashioned Pantry Pie Crust ~ A Patty-Pan Printable Recipe Kit Peter Rabbit's Bedtime Blend ~ Chamomile Bath Powders ~ DIY Peter Rabbit's Bookmarks ~ Free Printable Peter Rabbit's Gift Tags ~ Free Printable Peter Rabbit's Room Spray ~ Bedtime Blend ~ For the Nursery Peter Rabbit's Tummy Tincture ~ Make Your Own Chamomile Medicine Peter Rabbit's Vegetable Seed Packets ~ Free Printable Quaint Cottage Homemaking Musings and Music with Beatrix Potter Recipe Sheets ~ 3 Different Designs ~ A Patty-Pan Printable Spray Starch ~ Make Your Own ~ A Tiggy-winkle Tutorial Stain Remover Spray ~ Make Your Own ~ A Tiggy-winkle Tutorial The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan ~ Free Printable Gift Tags The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan Coloring Book ~ Free Printable Thomasina's "Cottage Rose" Recipe Cards ~ Free Printable Thomasina's Tip Sheet ~ Ways to Use Honey Thomasina's Weekly To-Do Lists and Practical Tips ~ Free Printable What about you, are you still delighted by the sweet stories of childhood? “The place is changed now, and many familiar faces are gone, but the greatest change is myself. I was a child then, I had no idea what the world would be like. I wished to trust myself on the waters and the sea. Everything was romantic in my imagination. The woods were peopled by the mysterious good folk. The Lords and Ladies of the last century walked with me along the overgrown paths, and picked the old fashioned flowers among the box and rose hedges of the garden.” ~ Beatrix Potter This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. All illustrations by Beatrix Potter.

"Lucie ran on, and on... THE path ended under a big rock. The grass was short and green, and there were clothes-props cut from bracken stems, with lines of plaited rushes, and a heap of tiny clothes pins..." ~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle If you please'm! Dear Mrs. Tiggy-winkle has one more tutorial to share with you all on this "Fun Friday" spring series. She says this is a very versatile project that everyone can get involved in! They are her "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" clothespins. These darlings could also be used as "bag clips" in the kitchen. If you glue a magnet to the back, they can hold photos and papers on the refrigerator. If you string them on a line in the house, they can display your children's artwork. They would also make sweet party favors. But as for this author, she simply likes to use them the old fashioned way, on the clothesline! There are many ways to decorate your clothespins but the first thing you will need to do is paint them (if you choose). The easiest way to achieve this is on a clothesline or temporary string hung outdoors. Attach your clothespins (give them some distance apart so that you can get in the nooks and crannies and sides) and spray paint them the desired color. We weren't concerned about them being perfectly painted as it adds to the charm. Children may enjoy hand painting them themselves but it is more tedious. Once dried, they are now ready to embellish! You can use scrapbook paper (or magazine clippings, old maps, old book pages, music sheets, etc.) and cut pieces down to size (I measured out the dimensions and cut straight lines using a paper cutter). You could also use fancy scissors on the ends to give the paper a different pattern. Finally, affix your pretty paper with a glue stick (or craft glue) and once dried, apply a layer of decoupage glue or some clear spray paint to finish them off. Another way (and much simpler!) to decorate the painted clothespins is with stamps. My daughter has a large "Faded Text Background" stamp that I applied directly to the painted pin. With a final coat of decoupage glue or clear spray paint, the project was quickly done with no need for measuring, etc! The stamp even looked nice on the plain un-painted clothespins (shown in photo next to pink ones) and I am now eager to make a few sets of these for instant gratification and for gifts. You could also embellish with pretty beads and jewels if you want to make a designer clothespin (these are my daughter's creation). You can use tiny stickers or clip art. You can use permanent markers and draw designs. You could also custom paint each clothespin to make your own masterpieces if you are artistic (think chevron strips, polka dots, pinstripes and flowers). Just make sure to seal your finished product with the decoupage glue or clear spray paint. While mama prepares her "pretty pinny's", the children can decorate theirs with all their craft supplies (fearless mothers can even give finger paints to toddlers to decorate the pins with). I must admit that Mrs. Tiggy-winkle was right, my daughter and I really enjoyed making these together and fussing over them and exclaiming to one another how cute the other person's pins were! We had a delightful time! Summary of Steps: 1. Paint clothespin (if desired) and let dry. 2. Decorate clothespin. 3. Apply a layer of decoupage glue or clear spray paint to "seal" them. 4. Enjoy your finished "pretty-as-a-pinny" clothespin! Mrs. Tiggy-winkle suggests that these shouldn't be left on the clothesline overnight with the dew or during a storm as it will diminish the quality. "And she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes—small brown coats of mice; and one velvety black moleskin waist-coat; and a red tailcoat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin; and a very much shrunk blue jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit; and a petticoat, not marked, that had gone lost in the washing—and at last the basket was empty!" ~ Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle "Pretty-as-a-Pinny" clothespins would also make a nice gift! You can prepare a laundry basket with some handmade detergent, stain remover, fabric softener and a clothespin apron. You might also want to include this "Wash Day Prayer". Visit here for more wash day inspiration or you may even want to view the complete Collection of Mrs. Tiggy-winkle Tutorials, if you please'm! This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Shabbilicious Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.

Embroidery on linen (16x20) see more of my work at abfarina.com

Flapper Apron