The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

No.554: A Little Garden Cross-Stitch Pillow

My first finish for the Beautiful Things Project was a little garden cross-stitch pillow for my bedroom rocking chair!  I found a sweet little pattern on the DMC website for free.  I wanted to do this as inexpensively as possible, so I changed the colors to fit the ones I already owned.  (I did have to buy two skeins of thread after I ran out, so my grand total for this project was $5.56.)  I finished the back using the envelope method.  The fabric I used isn’t a perfect match to the front colors, but it’s one that I’ve had in my stash for a decade and this seemed like a good time to use it!

DETAILS

+ Pattern: Point de Marque 3.15
+ Linen, fabric and thread: from my stash
+ Pillow form: 12″x16″ Basic Insert (also from my stash)
+ Tutorial for finishing the pillow: Envelope Method Tutorial from Sew Crafty Me
+ Skeins of thread: Amy Rose Jewelry Supply
TOTAL FOR PROJECT: $5.56

No.553: The Beautiful Things Project // An Introduction

I am so excited to introduce a new project that encompasses a lot of thoughts I’ve been mulling over the past year, including:

  • A question I’ve been asking myself quite a bit is, “Am I a creator or just a consumer?”  Since completing my 1,000 Item Declutter Project, I’ve become so disillusioned to the materialism we see just about everywhere. From social media to blogs to your neighborhood shopping center, we are constantly bombarded with ads and sales and more and more stuff.  I want less of that in my life.
  • I’ve also been reflecting on how much the Frugal Accomplishment series has increased my confidence.  Instead of the knee-jerk reaction to purchase something new or find someone to fix it, I am much more likely to do a little research and try to figure it out myself.  This confidence has even spilled over to many areas in my life!
  • Lastly, I’ve been blogging for over ten years now and back in the early days, I loved the ones that shared what they had made: a pillow, a new dress, a delicious meal.  No one was selling anything, they were just sharing their excitement for their creation.  It was inspiring.

So.  I’m calling my new endeavor The Beautiful Things Project.  My vision is to intentionally bring beautiful things into my home, created with my own hands. I want my grandchildren to say someday, “My Grammie made this quilt by hand” or “She taught me the art of candlemaking” or “When her garden was overflowing with flowers, she showed me how to arrange them for the table.” In full disclosure, my skills are small and sparse, but I’d like to challenge myself to learn and expand. A simple, beautiful life doesn’t have to require a lot of money and I hope to fill our home with many unique things, one piece at a time.

Just a few of my brainstormed ideas:
+ bouquet arranging with flowers from my garden
+ cross-stitched pieces finished in different ways: a pillow, framed, Christmas ornaments, etc.
+ goat’s milk soap, either from our own goats someday or purchased from our friends’ farm
+ a crocheted blanket
+ beeswax candles
+ a doll sewn entirely by hand
+ evergreen wreaths for the doors for Christmas
+ cloth napkins
+ rug hooking

I’ll share my very first finished project here tomorrow!

No.552: My Mother Culture Plans for 2021-2022

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My monthly Mother Culture plans were quite hit or miss last year.  As I reflected on it, I think my biggest issue was that I over-anticipated my free time.  In reality, with the small pockets of “me” time I currently have, there was just no way I could read an entire book, see a new handicraft through from start to finish, research and enjoy new music and start a new skill all in thirty days.  (DUH.)

So for this year, I’m back to the drawing board.  I tried to pick topics that fit with my children’s school subjects, both for my own knowledge and so I can sprinkle in a few extra facts along the way.  I used Ambleside Online as a jumping off point for the artist and composer studies.  Handicrafts will also be included, but I have a separate idea for that.  (Details coming next week!)  My plan is to work steadily through the list, focusing on quality versus quantity.  We’ll see how it goes.

American History

My elementary school children are learning about Early American history this year, so I chose two books that fit:

Artist Study // John Singleton Copley

We will also be studying this colonial-era artist as a family.  I’m really interested to read more about him!

  • A Book to Buy //A Revolution in Color: The World of John Singleton Copley by Jane Kamensky
  • Noteworthy Pieces of Art (and many more are also found here) //
    1. Paul Revere, 1768-70, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
    2. The Nativity, 1777, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
    3. Watson and the Shark, 1778, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.
    4. The Death of the Earl of Chatham, 1779-81, National Portrait Gallery London
    5. The Defeat of the Floating Batteries at Gibraltar, September 1782, 1783-91, Guildhall Art Gallery London
    6. The Red Cross Knight, 1793, National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.
    7. Saul Reproved by Samuel for Not Obeying the Commandments of the Lord, 1798, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Biology and Nature Study 

My natural history choices are all over the place.  I am eager to start reading from this list and I could probably write five more posts with interesting books I’m dying to get my hands on!  For now, I chose one new-to-me title and one that I’ve had on my shelf for awhile.  I also stumbled upon an herbal studies course that sounds fascinating.

Composer Study // Antonin Dvorák 

After reading this short description of Antonin Dvorak, I knew he was a composer I wanted to learn more about!

  • Books to Read // Antonin Dvorak, My Father by Otaker Dvorak and Dvorak: His Life and Music by Gervaise Hughes
  • Noteworthy Pieces of Music (links for all can be found here) //
    • Symphony 9 in E minor Op. 95 B.178 “From the New World”
    • Slavonic Dances Op. 46 and Op. 72
    • Carnival Overture Op. 92 B.169
    • Humoresques for piano Op. 101 no. 1-8 (especially no 7 in G flat)
    • String Quartet No. 12 in F maj Op. 96 (“American”)
    • Trio no. 4 in E minor Op. 90 “Dumky”
Classic Literature // Don Quixote

This darn book.  I start and stop and start and stop.  I’m not making any promises, but hoping for at least a little forward progress!

No.551: The Wednesday Five #20

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Happy Wednesday!

A QUOTE

No matter what’s happening in the world, have your tea, make your list, plan your food preparation, read to your children, wash the clothes, do something creative for everyone and be a light for your home. – Lydia Sherman

I found this quote on Pinterest and it really resonated.  Life seems to be changing minute by minute at this point and when I think too much about the future, I get anxious.  This was the reminder I needed to slow down and focus on my vocation right in front of me.  One day at a time.

TABS OPEN IN MY BROSWER RIGHT NOW
A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART

“Homeward with Mother” by Hugh Cameron (found here)

A RECOMMENDATION

Have you seen this home tour of Rejiv Surendra’s NYC apartment?  His home is filled with handmade things and so inspiring!  Our taste is different, but I immediately starting thinking of projects I could make to add unique beauty to our home.  I feel a new challenge coming on…

A HOMEMAKER CHECK-IN

How are you, my dear reader?  Some of us are struggling with the rising cost of food, uncertain job security, even whispers of another lockdown.  Some of us are working hard toward debt freedom or business creation.  The future has so many unknowns and it’s a lot for anyone, but especially for us as homemakers and caregivers in charge of the purse strings.  I’m brainstorming a way for us to “talk shop” and share tips, recommendations and encouragement as we dive into these challenging economic times – maybe through these Wednesday Five posts? I hope you’ll comment and share your thoughts as well!

  • What do things costs around you right now?  Our gas is $2.95/gallon.  A few grocery staples: a gallon of whole milk is $2.81, a loaf of bread is $2.48, and a dozen eggs are $1.28.
  • I usually make one carb-heavy dinner each week and one we recently tried was this recipe for Chili Mac.  I liked that it only called for one pound of ground beef and the rest of the ingredients were all shelf staples.  Add a big salad and garlic bread on the side and it’s a decently cheap, well-rounded meal.
  • I have been browsing ThredUp every so often for deals on fall/winter wear.  Another website I sometimes browse is called Swap.  It’s a little hit or miss, but there are some great deals to be found if you dig.
  • A tip I just learned and can’t wait to try: You can re-crisp stale cookies, crackers, cereal or chips by placing them in a single layer and dehydrating them at 145° for 1-2 hours.
  • Another new find: this website to create and print your own handwriting practice sheets.  Really easy to do and could help with homeschool costs!

Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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