Homemaking Mondays: Rise and Shine!

Hello!
Rise and Shine!

this is what I tell my children when I get them up in the morning.

This particular morning (10:15ish)

long after we were up the sky turned into this amazing

show of vibrant colour as the sun was coming up.

It lasted only a few minutes before being swallowed up in the cloud 

and the day turned grey with heavy cloud.

What a blessing it was to watch the Lord greet us with a cheerful day! 

How do you greet your family? 

The first words we speak to our family need to be loving and cheerful.

It really does set the stage for the entire day. 

No matter the weather, or the circumstances

let us as the keepers of our home

start each day with pleasantness and joy.

This week I've enjoyed a new combination of 

my favourite carnivore foods.

Smash burgers with crispy oven bacon

topped with crispy fried eggs. 

I could have this for any meal.  

Nutritious and Delicious!

This week I found this beautiful puzzle at Walmart.

I really enjoy some of Thomas Kincade's artwork.

This morning I just put in the last piece...it was the last of 1000 pieces.

It was challenging with all the similar colours 

but that is one of the things that makes puzzles so enjoyable.

Puzzles in the home helps to challenge, engages problem solving and fine motor skills.

Plus time spent around the puzzle board is wonderful 

for sweet conversation with all who come for a look or to put in a piece.

Also just a note I use a cork board to put puzzles together on

as they are solid and can easily be moved (slid under a couch) 

when that space is needed for other things.

I do have lots of other projects still on the go.

More socks, the afghan, and the quilt

that is taking shape as time allows.

What wonderful things have your fingers found to do

this lovely new day?

Thank you for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Each Day is a Piece in Your Life's Quilt

 

Hello! 
Are you enjoying a cup of tea today?

I made some green tea for myself. 

Well it's matcha powder (culinary grade)

but I'm not adding cream or milk to it at this point. 

Still delicious on a cold day.

Winter is deepening here in the Yukon and I woke to -25C.

It's dark and overcast and the snow 

is starting to filter down from the clouds.

The truck is plugged in so it starts nicely later. 

A couple of days ago the sun came out

and I went for a walk on the lake.

The snow was glittering like diamonds

and you could feel the sun's warmth.

Inside is warm and cozy.

This week I've been working 

on putting some pieces together.

I found them started and decided to 

create a pinwheel patter with them.

Next is some more ironing seams 

and then I'll stitch them together. 

I'll need to pick up some quilt batting 

in town this week.

I've also been finding new things to enjoy 

on my new way of eating. 

I fried up some beef fat trimmings and then saved 

the tallow for other things.

The crispy bits were delicious!  

I also have enjoyed having quail eggs.  

They are perfect boiled up for a quick little snack

or to go along with lunch.

 

 

The snow is brightening up the outside world 

even when not much light is available. 

With the cold the birds are delightfully fluffed.

They come out as the day lightens up 

looking for food and some company. 

Sometimes we have a bunch of chickadees, grey jays,

grosbeaks, and a squirrel 

all sharing at the feeder chattering 

amongst themselves. 

It can be very entertaining to fill the feeder

and then watch from the kitchen window.

My camera zoom isn't so great but below you 

can see the grey jays all fluffy on the branch.

 

 

So you could say this past week has been

a quiet and gentle week.

Not a lot of things going on but having a nice gentle rhythm.

The daily tasks being done around the home.

 I did up-pot a couple plants.

Not because the plants were growing too big

but because I'd killed the bigger plants. 

So I am just giving another plant a chance to try to survive in it. 

I have noticed once again the difference of cleaning the floors

when the house is more closed up. 

The freshness of the cleaners lingers.

This week I've used rose castile soap to mop with and it's so nice! 

A couple drops of essential oil (lavender) in the bathroom

after scrubbing the tub.

Little things of note that were sometimes missed

when the windows could be flung open to let in the fresh breeze.

 

Taking notice of the little things in our days

wondering what the bigger picture looks like.

The older I get and look back at time passed

I am noticing the quilt that is coming together. 

Just like the one I'm sewing. 

Each little piece has a place to match or contrast. 

I hope you have a lovely week! 

 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Organizing Projects and a Pile of Yarn

 

Hello!
I hope you are having a lovely

homemaking day.

It's still a bit dark out here and we're waiting 

for the sun to come up over the mountain.

It's an interesting thing to wake with the stars shining bright.

As the light fills the sky I start

to ponder on the needs of the day.

One thing on my mind today is all the projects 

that I have ideas for.

Things I've gathered together to begin 

or have perhaps started already.

Do you do one project at a time?

or do you have multiple ones on the go 

at any given time? 
I am the multiple projects kinda person.

These are the projects 

on top of the regular homemaking needs you 

need to accomplish.

A lady I know brought up an idea to me

where she had heard of some people

organizing their days 

according to their projects.

She mentioned that some organized their time 

by hours...if of course you had no other commitments.

It made me wonder if this would be 

a beneficial habit for me to try.

To organize the day in such a way

as to give attention to each project. 

Perhaps that would enable me to accomplish more?

So I have decided that it would be good to 

take the spare time I have in the morning 

between working with my homeschool boys lessons

for yarn work.

I already to this most days.

At the moment I have a pair of socks I'm knitting,

some darning to do and a new blanket I've begun.

I could do some on each if it suited me that day.

That will be morning work.

Then in the afternoon if I find spare time I 

will go to the sewing room and work on the next 

needed sewing project.

I've a quilt that I'm starting.

I have a stack of sewing projects

that I have ideas for.

One thing at a time.

So not a detailed plan, but a more focused one.

I have decided to write in my planner 

what projects I need to focus on in order.

So I hope to be able to accomplish more.

There are always other projects,

like shovelling snow, making jerky, baking bread,

organizing books, planning lessons and appointments

that will always just be thrown in 

wherever they are needed. 

For me the idea of some of the other creative things

I should be more intentional about.

So...after I get the jerky in the oven I'll sit myself down 

and play with some yarn.

This past week I walked into the yarn section 

of Walmart to be surprised by 

a fully stocked light blue (storm blue) yarn.

Most of the yarn was cleaned out due to 

the season of making gifts.

So I quickly scooped up a few balls.

I've been looking for this shade of blue for a long time.

I'm going to make a throw blanket for my bedroom to match 

my blue and white quilt. 

I've picked a beautiful shell pattern that has a bit 

of a lacy feel to it.

It's a simple pattern as it's just two alternating rows.

So a peaceful relaxing project.

I have looked at some of the other amazing patterns

out there...but honestly it would take so much more effort

to make something intricate.

So simple does the job for me.

Also for me I've decided to simplify my work baskets.

To just having what I'm actually doing 

and not all the ones I want to do as it makes me a bit overwhelmed.

Sometimes it's nice to exchange a crochet hook from knitting needles.

SO just a few thoughts today.

How do you get through projects?

Do you just take them as they come or do you plan them out?

I hope you have a wonderful day! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer 

Homemaking Mondays: Rising In The Darkness

 

Hello!
What would you do on a dark winter morning?

Do you turn on all the lights and music to bring your 

home to life? or do you slowly ease into the day

with softness and quiet?

Perhaps with some tea or coffee?

Well...this morning 

I have picked up some new yarn my daughter gave me

and asked me to make her something.

It's a cowl and I am doing a couple rows

of knit and a couple of pearl to make it ribbed.

The colours remind me of coral in the ocean

with it's at times bright colours and others darker.

I was doing this as the day started today.

Not too many lights other then those that were needed.

Sometimes mornings are lovely when they 

are slowly started. 

No bright lights or loud sounds.

Just a gentle way to start the day.

Delightful with a cup of tea.

One little detail I added to the house this week

was this cute little mirror I found

at the free store.

I hung it above my yarn stash and it reflects 

a nice little touch of light in that darker corner.

I also found a couple baskets at the free store.

They were a bit dirty so I washed them up.

The one basket is a hamper size.

It's lovely and had some mold in the bottom.

SO...peroxide to the rescue. 

I just soaked it in the tub with peroxide and water.

Once it was dry I put it into our room.

It's a tad smaller then my regular basket

and that might be a good thing.

It'll prompt me to do it before it becomes 

too big for one load.

Do you overload your washer sometimes?

I am guilty of that. 

The other basket is a nice size with a handle...and 

it's going in my craft room to hold my current sewing projects. 

Do you have sewing work baskets? 

I find this helpful so that I don't pull out more then I can 

focus on and accomplish. 

It's easy for me to get overwhelmed with ideas 

and then get to where they don't get completed in a timely manner.

I spread out this handmade crocheted table cloth

(it's just for a small table).

I found it at the free store as well and it's lovely!

One day I dream of being able to make something like that.

Well the day is getting away from me.

So I'm off to get some lunch on for the family.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer