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!

So You Want to Homestead, eh?

Homesteading. It’s quite the buzzword these days, isn’t it? But what exactly is homesteading?

Never mind what Merriam-Webster says. Of course, that’s a true definition of the word. But let’s look at it in the 21st century’s lens.

Homesteading today is as much a way of life as it is a place. Homesteading is more about becoming self-sustaining and self-reliant. Learning ‘old timey’ skills, going back to our roots and living a more peaceful life.

Here is what homesteading means to this nostalgic old soul:

*Learning skills that seem to have died with our grandmothers: crocheting, knitting, quilting, embroidery, sewing, cooking and baking everything from scratch, re-using and re-purposing everything –yes, maybe even cleaning off the perfectly good piece of tinfoil, because waste not want not, amiright? Growing and raising our own food, and on and on.

*Homeschooling our kids. I’m done having small children, but my young adult son is already on board with homeschooling his children–good Lord willing he should be so blessed.

*Trading and bartering with neighbors and brothers and sisters in Christ. You know how to do something they don’t and they know how to do something you don’t, so do what you know how to do well and share the love, mmkay? Yes. Let’s do that.

*Keeping money local. Buy, sell, trade in your own community, amongst like-minded folks. Keeping money in your own community is the best way to ensure stability in your community.

*Teach others how to do what you know how to do. Share the wealth and the love.

*Bring back ‘barn raisings”. The Amish still do it to this day. It’s economical and often faster than hiring out help. It also builds community.

*Bring back Sunday/family dinners. Ideally, you’re already eating together as a family at the table, but if your work schedule doesn’t allow for that, at least make sure you can gather for a family meal at the end of the week.

*Plant a garden and have chickens. Planting a garden is soooo therapeutic and rewarding. Raising chickens for fresh eggs should be on your list, too. Check with your local ordinances to see if that is allowable for you before you run off and build your coop and get your chicks. 😉 Plant some herbs especially for your chickens. It will help them stay healthy and enrich your eggs!

*Learn to bake fresh bread. I promise, it’s not as a hard as it looks and it is so cathartic and therapeutic. Also rewarding. And, bonus feature, it’s a natural room freshener. You’ll thank me later.

Live in an apartment? No sweat. You can do a small container garden on your patio or balcony, or even in a sunny kitchen window. You can grow tomatoes, green beans, herbs, and yes, even a dwarf lemon tree! Pinterest is a gold mine for how to start a container garden.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. As I learn more about how I can homestead where I am, I will share with you on how you can homestead where YOU are. It can be done anywhere! It’s more of a way of living than a physical place.

Stay tuned for more homesteading posts, tips, and ideas!