I made dis.

Hi. I’ve been MIA. Honestly, I have no idea what to write these days. I’ve been all over the place with this that and the other thing. So much going on everywhere. I NEED TO FOCUS.

BUT, one thing I thought would be fun to share is that I made my Easter dress! I KNOW! Who even am I?!

My handsome son and me. Easter 2024

And, I made the little cardigan to go with it. I’m not new to crocheting cardigans, but I’m definitely new to sewing actual garments. The most I’ve ever made was an apron several Christmases ago. I’ve made curtains, etc., but never an actual garment. And in true Beth style, I made sure it was the most complicated NON-BEGINNER FRIENDLY pattern you could possibly pick for your first time out of the gate. But good news, I didn’t die and now I can probably sew just about anything. Heh. My mom helped me A LOT. Thanks, Mom! It’s far from perfect, but it’s not too shabby for a first go. Just don’t look too close. >.<

And now I want to go hoard fabric and make all the things. I’m going to need another armoire.

What have you made recently? Share with me in the comments!

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. 😊

Dirt Therapy

Spent about an hour today digging in the dirt and loving on my little plant friends. Harvested some lemon balm and chocolate mint leaves and am having myself a delicious little cuppa. With just a splash of honey.

This would be so good as an iced tea, too! Doesn’t look like much, I know. But the flavor packs just the right wallop!

Happy Little Homemaker

I loved this blog post from over at Heart’s Content Farmhouse. I find myself doing more and more of the things that people are turning away from. I feel fuller. Freer. Do you know that I haven’t had a dishwasher for doing on 5 years now? Honestly, I don’t miss it. I feel like it’s more work having a dishwasher! Dishes piled up way more when I had a dishwasher because we couldn’t be bothered to empty the clean and replace with the dirty. It was a ruthless cycle. Now very seldom do we have a mountain of dishes and the sink is almost always empty.

Making everything I can possibly make from scratch. Finding ways to DIY whatever I can. Reviving vintage recipes and decor. Making everything old new again. I’ve not ever been much of one to keep up with the Jones’, though they are lovely people, I’m sure. At least my favorite Jones family is for sure!

I’m always on the hunt for what I can learn to do old school next. I find much joy in learning new skills and new ways of doing things. I am definitely going to make one lucky man a darn good housewife, if I do say so myself. You lucky so and so! 😉

How YOU doin’?

How can you find more joy in the homemaking?