It’s been a minute

Thanksgiving was the last time I posted? Dang. I’ve had a few things going on since, but mostly, just haven’t felt like it. It’s kind of a hassle to get on to post when you don’t have internet at home. Sure, I could post from my phone, but that’s a pain in the ass, too. My phone is older and not at all functioning optimally. It’s really time for a new one. Alas, my rich uncle is still in the poor house.

Here’s a bullet list of the goings on as of late:

1. Since I last wrote, I left my previous company for another one and have been thrilled with that shift.
2. Engagement and interaction, as well as sales, have been up for the bakery, even though sales haven’t caught up. It’s just a matter of time.
3. I’ve been busy with my civic obligations which included planning our organization’s biggest event of the year.
4. That’s pretty much it. lol

I’m itching to get gardening. I need to pull out my seeds and take inventory. I’m also itching to get my coop built so we can finally get our chickens. I may end up buying one I saw at Menard’s. It looks to be perfect for what we need. While many of these pre-fab coops aren’t built for longevity, I think it will be perfect for us in the here and now. When we ‘grow up’ into our farm, we can think about building a bigger one , you know, for more chimkens. We can only have 6 here in town and we intend to have 6. We will have chickens, dang it.

Ok, enough talking about it, time to get up and do it. Until next time.

Hello, November!

Look at me! Posting twice in one week. I honestly should be doing anything else right now. But I happened to have my laptop open for another task I had to do and decided, might as well, since I’m here!

November is here! And I am shooketh. I have so much that I * want* to do, so much I *need* to do. There are lists every where. But you wouldn’t know….

This is my ‘office’. This is the only space I have for anything. Except my baking of course. So from about July/August through December, this is what my living room looks like on any given day. My notebooks fill of lists are under there somewhere. One of these days, I’ll be like the cool kids and either have a dedicated room or a she-shed. A she-shed would be preferable. This is real maker life, friends. I’m not an influencer (nor do I ever want to be). I am a real, small town, God-fearing, God-loving girl. Who would much rather be buried under a pile of yarn, or in the kitchen covered in flour, than be anywhere, or do anything, else.

While in the midst of preparing for next week’s craft show, I went and set up shop! I finally got it set up and somewhat loaded. I have a few items listed and will list a few more once the show is over. Go on over and check it out! I’m super excited to have found this great platform that aligns with my beliefs and values. They are super helpful and go out of their way to support their vendors. Plus, I love that my small business is helping their small business. Win/Win! I hope you will check them out, and if you are a maker with the same values, I hope you will give them a try!

It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year and it’s taking all I have to not drop everything and put the tree up. We would typically be decking the halls this week, but I am so far behind on my prep that I really need to focus on that. I may take a day off (or at least a few hours) on Sunday and do some hall decking then. It’s a busy season already. I want to be able to enjoy my decor for a while! Not just two weeks. I mean, obviously, we’re already watching the movies and listening to the music. And yes, I did in fact, buy some eggnog last night. Merry Christmas! And no, we aren’t skipping Thanksgiving. Silly. Truly the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. Literally no one skips Thanksgiving. We just enjoy our Thanksgiving and give thanks under the glow of Christmas lights. It’s really quite lovely. Maybe you should try it sometime.

PSA: While we’re on the subject… LET PEOPLE DECORATE EARLY AND STOP GIVING THEM GRIEF OVER IT. Let them have their joy, people! It doesn’t affect your life in any way. If you don’t want to decorate early, then don’t. What someone does in THEIR home, with THEIR stuff is NONE of your dang business and absolutely does NOT affect what goes on in YOUR home. You really ought to do some soul searching and figure out why it bothers you so much. Bless your heart.

But, I digress.

I’ve had to really discipline myself to not take on any other social commitments until after the craft show is done. It’s been hard. But I’m standing strong! This isn’t to say that I don’t already have a calendar full of commitments, I’m just not taking on any new ones. I even kind of wish I could back out of some the ones I’ve already made, but…integrity, and all. It’s important to me.

Me and all my delusions of grandeur have decided to try to make a display wall to set atop my table for the craft show. I will try to document the process. If it’s any good, I’ll share it. If it sucks, I’ll probably share that, too. Stay tuned for that.

I’ll leave you with that. And this Scripture.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 ESV

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I suck at this. It’s been 3 months since I last blogged. I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to sit down and write, only to be sidelined or distracted by something else. It’s been a busy 3 months! And the next 3 months will be just as busy.

Next week will be November. I’m sorry. WHAT? I am so not ready! It was literally just July. I blinked. Next week. November. Sigh. Somewhere along the line, I’ve lost 2 months. I’m not sure what happened.

Every single year I think next year will be better and I’ll be more on top of things. And every single year, November sneaks up behind me and clubs me in the head. Anyone else? No? Just me? Carry on, then.

I have SO MANY IDEAS and things I want to implement. They only cost time & money. Time, I’ve got. Resources, not so much. Although, I could be a better steward of my time. It’s something I am constantly striving to improve. I’m light years better than I once was, so let’s call that a win.

I can write my ideas down in a brain dump all day long, but that’s as far as many of them get. I need a better system. I’m open to suggestions! What works well for you? How do you organize your brain dumps/ideas/brainstorms? I have notebooks all over and they get all mixed up and used for other things. This might be a focus for the new year.

It’s fall. Last time I wrote, it was the heat of the summer and I was melting. It’s been a gorgeous fall so far. We’ve had it for a few weeks. I would like for it to last a little longer. But next week, we drop down into the 40s for the high for a few days. I don’t mind it. I’d mind it even less if I had a fireplace. Then Ozarks fall returns for another week or so. Temps should be falling pretty soon. I have a Farmer’s Almanac this year. I’m eager to see how accurate it is.

The annual craft fair is in just a couple of weeks and I am no where near ready for that. I’ll be spending my days with hook and yarn in hand. If you see me with gnarled hands, mind your business.

The bakery has been in a moderately slow period over the last couple of months. I’m hoping that, too, picks up soon with the holidays approaching. I have a bajillion ideas where that is concerned, too.

I started my own apple cider vinegar the other day and will be doing a blog post about that soon, too. I may have to schedule it for after the craft show. It’s terribly late now but had to strike while the iron was hot. I should either be sleeping or crocheting. It has to be one or the other for the next 16 days. It’s that dire. Food? What’s that? Sleep? Meh. I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Crafters gonna craft. Makers gonna make. Hookers gonna hook. *wink wink*

And with that, I shall bid you adieu. Until next time, friends!

My how time flies!

How in the fig is it already July?? How did we already have July 4th? Did you enjoy yours as much as we did? We are super low-key and do things at home with a simple cookout. We hang out in the backyard or driveway and watch the neighbors burn their hard earned cash.

We had hamburgers with fresh baked hamburger buns, homemade coleslaw and potato salad, deviled eggs, a red white and blue salad (strawberries, fresh-picked blueberries, feta, and greens), potato chips, homemade blueberry lavender lemonade, and fresh homemade no-churn strawberry ice cream for dessert. Now, if you’ve known me for any length of time, you know summer isn’t my jam, but I do love it for gardens and cookouts!

Speaking of gardens, I haven’t taken a pic but we finally got ours put in mid-June. Super late, but better than never. Lots of squash (hopefully the evil squash bugs don’t annihilate them), green beans, carrot…literally one carrot is coming up, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, green peppers, herbs: mint, lemon balm, chamomile, sage, and whatever else. I had planted them in my wheelbarrow and apparently it was under the gutter during a downpour and it dumped all down in the wheelbarrow, washing things amiss. So it will be interesting to see what grows where. I did have to reseed several things in both places because I think I had some duds. This garden will be super interesting for sure. We also have 4 elderberry shrubs and a blackberry bush growing and doing well. I’m already planning ahead for my fall garden. I did have some luck with our ‘salad bar’ and hope to replant some for the fall. There are some things I will need to start planting in a few weeks! Eek! One of these days I’ll get the hang of it.

And with July starting off a bang, that also means it’s time to start prepping for fall/holiday markets! Specifically, the craft show we have at our church. Not to mention, gifts! It’s also time to start planning fall/holiday bakes for the bakery. Oh man. It’s almost the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Who else is watching Christmas in July on GAC? No? Just me? DOUBTFUL. Tee hee.

Things to note:

I want a blueberry farm. We went to one a few weeks ago and picked blueberries and had the best time. I learned that I never had blueberries until I picked them and ate them fresh off the bush. UNREAL. Add a lavender field, too. It was a whole experience. I want to offer that.

I still very much can’t wait for our future homestead property. I will keep asking the Lord. 😉

I’ve found that this new endeavor with the Wellness Store is so up my alley and I’m super happy to have taken the leap. You can learn more about it on my Insta!

And as of last night, I am an official Ambassador for Ever.American apparel. You can shop and save 10% with that link. I do earn commissions, but I would (and have) share this shop anyway. I just love their tees! Below is my first tee. I wear it pretty much all the time.

¹⁴ For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Perhaps YOU were made for such a time as this?

THIS SONG is probably my new favorite. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Be a Good Steward

Anyone else looking for other shopping alternatives? No? Just me? 👀

Over the last few years, things have shifted, in a big way, for me.

I’ve been more conscious of what we consume, in every way. I’m having to make my dollars stretch a LOT farther. I’ve had to let go a lot of things. I’m reusing and repurposing anything I can. I’m cooking and baking from scratch, gardening, getting chickens, etc. It’s a whole thing! 🌱🐓💐

Since I’m an America First 🇺🇸 kind of girl, I’ve been really conscious of spending my dollars with like minded shops/stores/people, as well as local.

It’s super important to me. God has bestowed upon me blessing after blessing and I must be a good steward of those blessings.

Thankfully, I’ve found one such place that checks many of my boxes.

• Made in the USA
• Clean & non-toxic
• Affordable
  …just to name a few

I am now working to swap all the gross toxic crap with healthier options. Under my kitchen and bathroom sink, in my medicine cabinet, including supplements! I’m really excited to get everything swapped over and share with you my thoughts on it. It’s all part of our journey in going from cottage to farmhouse!

A Simple Saturday

I thought today would be more like, ahhh yes, crochet and TV.

It ended up being more like, AHHH, fidgeting with printing things, a little bit of crochet, slow cooking a chicken for the week, making chili for dinner, visiting with a lovely friend & talking all things homesteading, running to the store, eating dinner, cutting up said chicken, saving bones for chicken stock, baking a cake, making frosting, frosting said cake, and making pie dough for tomorrow’s birthday dinner for my dad. AND doing all the dishes.

I am exhausted and my back hurts. But I’m happy. I got to do ALL the things I love to do. Except dishes. Those I don’t love to do. But, it gives me time to think on things, say little prayers, and just be thankful that I had a reason to dirty those dishes in the first place.

All in all, today turned out just like I’d hoped it would. Feeling accomplished and thankful.

Birthday cake for my daddy. 😊

Garden Update! 🌱

Garden update!

Brought the babies out to harden them off and give them some suns and some warms. My gifted basil along with the seeds I started indoors. 3-4 of which are lavender! There are tiny little growths in there! I hope they keep growing. My lavender didn’t make it back for a 3rd year, unfortunately. Tomatoes, green beans (‼️), green peppers, sage, savory, dill, chamomile, and parsley.

My ‘salad bar’ is growing nicely! I wasn’t sure the red lettuce made it, but it’s growing! And I have baby spinaches!

My gifted elderberry are starting to leaf out!

Elderberry row & ‘salad bar’ (far left(

My gifted oregano in the large pot on the table will much enjoy this. It can probably stay out there since it’s already a fairly established

And this week we will be out there foraging in our own backyard for dandelion, violet, clover, and purple nettle (the good kind).

There is a lot of work to be done, but it’s finally warming up enough to be able to get out and get busy. After Easter, though.

This week I will be a busy baker as I prepare 5 cakes (plus our own!) and 4 dozen bunny buns (bunny shaped rolls.) plus our own!) for Easter orders. Plus I have a crochet order to get finished before Easter.

It’s fine! I’m fine! Everything is just fine! Because I GET to do what I love!

Plus, it’s Holy Week! 🙌🏻🌿✝️

So thankful for His amazing grace!

Season of Change

Just remember that when you grow, the things you once rocked don’t fit you quite the same anymore and it’s ok.

It’s ok to move on and try something new. Think of it as a caterpillar transitioning into a butterfly. We all go through seasons of change.

Some times it’s hard to let go of the familiar to make room for the new. Why? Because change is HARD. Change is scary. But when you hand it off to God and let Him have the reigns, you can rest assured and have peace that everything will be just fine.

So let go of what was and embrace what is to come. Because God’s gotchoo!

Out of Touch

This past Friday my phone just up and died. Out of nowhere, zero warning. It just so happens that it was the same day a big white balloon was spotted floating over our state. Coincidence? Who knows. But I digress. At first, I thought it was the battery, so I took it in to have the battery replaced. That wasn’t it. So that was a waste of fifty bucks. So I ordered a ‘new’ one and it should be here by Thursday. Let me just tell you it’s been a really long 3 days already. I am not ok. 

What this period of darkness has taught me is that we have become grossly dependent upon our devices. I can do NOTHING without my phone. I don’t wear a watch, so unless I’m home or in my car I have no idea what time it is. I can’t just shoot a text to let so and so I’m on my way or look up an address. I can’t look up that recipe I saved for dinner or research that thing I thought of the other day. I can’t just check my email or see how my friends are doing on the socials or watch TV on my Amazon FireTV. Because not only is that thing glued to my hand, it is the source of internet for my entire household when we are home. I have also realized that I can’t even listen to music because my iTunes library hasn’t been synced properly and all I have access to is Christmas music. I can’t even write a blog post! I’m currently using the TextEdit ‘app’ on my MacBook Air. And let’s not even get started on trying to get into websites and apps on your computer because they need to confirm your identity by sending you a code on, you guessed it, your phone. So I can’t even check my bank accounts. That’s pretty scary. Of course, I could call, but…. I don’t have a phone. 

Yes, of course, I could go to the library, my mom’s, or a handful of other places to use their Wi-Fi, but that’s not always convenient when you have other things to do at home, like testing some recipes or working on crochet orders. It’s in between batches or hand/wrist breaks that I catch up on emails, socials, etc.  Quite the conundrum.

I feel like the Lord allowed this to happen for me to come to a deeper realization of the deception and dependency to help encourage others to maybe step back and take a look and see just how dependent they are on their devices and to encourage everyone to take some time unplugged as often as possible.

It’s time to get back to basics, friends. Remember those? Many of you reading this will not. But people my age and older will remember the days of going to the library to research all the things, going to the video store to rent a movie (sadly those are gone, but save a few), calling your friend on the phone to catch up (which sounds really weird going from an introvert who would much rather just send a text), sending a handwritten letter, going out to the movies, reading physical books, taking classes for painting, pottery, knitting or crochet, etc. Meeting friends face to face for lunch or dinner, or even just a coffee. Have people over in your homes to enjoy each other’s company.

We really don’t need ALL the apps and to have the news smack us in the face every time we open it up. There is so much more joy and peace to be had without it. The enemy wants us to be dependent upon these things, upon him. He prowls around looking for whom he can kill and destroy (John 10:10). He has a done a splendid job thus far. Just look around you! 

Perhaps I will only use my cell phone as a modem for the internet for business purposes and remove all social media apps and other time wasters from the device and leave them strictly desktop access only. I don’t know. But I do know that something has to change and I am mad as hell about how dependent they have made us on these things.  

My advice to you: 

Unplug. Often. 

Read The Word. Daily.

Buy chickens. 

Plant a garden.

Buy local, USA made. 

Support your local farmers. 

Avoid big box stores. 

Buy & read out of print history books. 😉 

**Update: I have my ‘new’ phone and am back online. It was a long week!

Thoughtful Thursday

Just a few thoughts this Thursday:

•I am too blessed to be stressed. Repeat.

•I get to bake cupcakes today. Something I LOVE to do.

•The Lord is my Great Provider and will provide ALL my NEEDS according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (and some of my wants, too!)

•I have some of the best and sweetest friends in the world.

•I want a dog. And a cow. And a donkey. And chickens. And ducks. And 20 acres.

•I have a new dream on my heart and mind. More research is needed. And prayer. It may help get the previous bullet point.

•I have a good life. It’s far from perfect, it can be messy, but it’s mine. And I’m thankful for it.

Blessed Thursday, friends. I want to hear what’s on your mind. Share with me in the comments below!

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