"On the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take interest in the things that are and are to be, and not in the things that were and are past." ~ Henry Ward Beecher And here we are, in the final months of winter and with another monthly newsletter in which we chat about books read, things watched, homemaking projects and any other ponderings which really don't fit into its own post! Welcome to another edition of old-fashioned, womanly chit-chat. Do brew a pot of coffee and sit a spell... "Every man should be born again on the first of January. Start with a fresh page." ~ Henry Ward Beecher To be truly honest, when I reflect on January, I think of pies. In the first week I made three! Chocolate cream pie is our family favorite and would be considered a celebratory food in our household. Though there was some heaviness and sorrow, the time around the table with a delicious dessert helped to heal the broken-hearted... When the world is a tumultuous storm, you can moderate the weather in your own home. You can turn on the oven and bake your way into a warm and cozy atmosphere. What potential power hath the maker-of-the-home. “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest...” ~ Isaiah 32:18 I also used up the last of our homegrown butternut squash for soup making with two large batches. The concept is simple, peel and cut the gourd into chunks, add a bit of broth into a pot and cook the squash in the broth with some sautéed onions until tender (I sauté my onions in coconut oil first)... when vegetables are soft, blend them til thickly smooth (adding more broth to achieve the desired consistency). Place the mixture back into the pot and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a dash of garlic powder. Heat through and stir in some heavy cream for the crowning glory. Such a soothing dinner on a cold, winter day. 🧡 I have a goodly supply of tablecloths which don’t fit my tables (long story 🤦‍♀️ but it may have something to do with "someone" shrinking them). I do love all of the fabrics (that’s the reason we choose them in the first place isn’t it?) so now I have a pretty pile of repurposing projects to complete. I refashioned one part of the tablecloth into these homespun potholders... I liked the idea of making potholders as the fabric coordinates with my dishes and would look nice on the dinner table. They certainly didn’t come out as planned with my humble sewing skills. So, when all else fails you label it “homespun” and declare it a success. To make them, I cut the fabric to my desired size and placed a piece of a cast-off bath towel in the middle for more thickness. Then I stitched around the whole thing with a machine and hand stitched around the edge with contrasting embroidery thread. No money was spent. I have a few more projects to share with this tablecloth (I will share them together in a separate post) and then it shall be no more. From one unused item to many makes me very pleased! “Industry, perseverance, and frugality make fortune yield.” ~ Benjamin Franklin What about you? Do you like to repurpose old linens? What do you make with them? I also pressure canned a batch of chicken based vegetable stock for 25 minutes at 10 pounds pressure to make it shelf stable. 🤎 The satisfying ritual of preserving nourishing stocks... The slow art of pressure canning in the winter has been a seasonal comfort... the ladling of the hot bubbling broth into the clear glass jars is satisfying to the senses... in the frigid weather the full force of the flames under the large pot is welcome as it introduces warmth into the cozy kitchen... the humming and sputtering rhythm of the canner soothes and serenades the heart of the homemaker... And the knowledge that you are adding to your pantry provisions is priceless. That you are ensuring another season of plenty for your loved ones is contentment. It is a gentle though productive day. January was also a time for organizing... no drawer was safe! A few bags were donated which completes the thrifting cycle of goods coming in, goods coming out. "Order is the shape upon which beauty depends." ~ Pearl Buck I think that a big part of being feminine is the desire to bring beauty and order to everything you come in contact with... I really enjoyed working with my closet. It isn’t big but I tried to maximize the space with thrifted basket storage. I am very pleased with how it came out! I have put aside some monetary gifts which I love to use for pretty but practical things that add a special element to my home (items I wouldn’t normally buy with the general household funds). My last purchase was a set of lovely hand-poured candles from a romantic prairie collection. They even came with a “back-story” and were both beautiful and useful in these chilly months. They brought a warm cozy feeling to our little home and I found great pleasure in that investment. The next gift was transformed into these creamy-colored luxuriously velvet hangers. The slim style is functional (as they take up less space in my small closet) and the uniformity brings pleasure to my order-loving heart. And then I took it to the next level and coordinated the closet by colors! I really love the way it looked every time I opened it! However, it was not to last long. I ended up going back to the original format which is divided by sweaters, long sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts, sleeveless shirts and finally skirts. It just makes more sense for me when I am selecting my clothing for the day. My little laundry area apothecary has been reorganized and is open for business once again. I call it an apothecary because I have out all my little natural “preparations“ to help me tackle the wash. There is baking soda, borax, Oxy-clean, stain remover and homemade fabric softener all decanted into glass like a little laboratory! It adds an old world charm to the laundry process as I look around and decide what is the best substance to add to each load. I feel like a homemaking chemist as I concoct the washing machine solutions. I've also re-organized my herbs, pantry, kitchen cupboards, under the bathroom sink areas and anything else I could get my little hands on. It really felt good to go through everything! November and December was a bit topsy-turvy for me so to be able to bring back order in the home gave me the "everything situated nicely" feeling that I crave. (Note: Waterproof laundry labels and apothecary labels are from my Etsy Shop.) "All people need a place where their roots can grow deep and they always feel like they belong and have a loving refuge. And all people need a place that gives wings to their dreams, nurturing possibilities of who they might become." Creating such a place does not require building a mansion as Vanderbilt did. We are all capable of creating a lasting legacy in the form of a home that gives life to others who come under its roof. A home that serves all who enter. A home that reflects our own tastes and the values we treasure. A home that meets the needs of family and visitors alike, that fosters beauty and creativity. A home where the atmosphere, traditions, and celebrations give life to the hearts, minds, and souls of those inside its walls. A home that provides a lifegiving legacy that will last for generations to come. I believe God has designed us to do just that." ~ The Life Giving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson As I mentioned earlier in my Beloved Homemaking Book List, The Life-Giving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging & Becoming by Sally & Sarah Clarkson was a beautiful and inspiring read for me this last month! I felt as if I could have written half of the volume as it mirrored my thoughts in so many ways! It actually made me quite giddy! As far as movies go, I did watch something on our travels which was quite amusing, poignant and overall "clean". It is called The Hundred-Foot Journey. It is basically about two restaurants with two different cultures clashing and what becomes of them. I loved the food photography scenes... So pretty as they show images of eggs slowly being whisked and spices artfully added to pots (just the kind of beauty a homemaker notices). It was also a bit of a romance and quite sweet for a secular movie (though Amazon shows it as PG-13 it is actually PG rated). Have you watched it? “Ma roused herself with a little shake... "Come, Laura. Let's get the work done. Then we can sit by the fire with an easy conscience."’ ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Long Winter Isn’t this so with the homemaker, we first look to what’s necessary in the home and then we have the luxury of indulging in happy pursuits... It’s a good, fulfilling, noble life (don’t let anyone convince you otherwise). What winter hobbies, projects, books, etc., have you been enjoying? But before I finish, I also have a question for you all in light of the new year and I would really appreciate your input!... What type of content is your favorite here? Is it the homemaking, DIY's, encouragement, self-sufficiency, pantry, homeschooling? Is there any other areas that interest you? Please feel free to be specific! It would be mighty helpful when putting together content. 📩 Just a last bit of reminder... During sadness, sorrow, trials and pain... When it feels dark, the homemaker must draw closer to the light. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." ~ Psalm 119:105 📖🕯🤍 And once you have been renewed, you will illuminate your home ever so beautifully. Happily homemaking, ♡ JES