Singing a Song of Thanksgiving and Praise

Good afternoon, my sweet cottage blog friends!!! I am just getting home from taking my momma to her Wednesday appointment for whirlpool therapy on her legs and I wanted to take time to blog a bit. I really miss sitting down on a regular basis to type a little bit about life around my dear old cottage. I also miss taking time to sit with a cuppa tea with time to leisurely read through all of your beautiful blogs and catch up a  bit. Well, here I am now and there are some really cool things that I wanted to share, so here we  go!!!

First of all, let me say that GOD is so GOOD!!! He never ceases to amaze me with His Providence or His timing! He is Faithful to supply all our needs whether Spiritual, mental, physical or, when most needed, material! Let me give you our latest example: we were getting ready to head out the door this past Friday to a Spring Dance being hosted for our local homeschool kids at a nearby Country Club when our phone rang. On the other end was my sweet cousin, mom's niece, and she wanted to talk to my hubby "about something important". She and he talk often as my whole family just adores that man and the way he takes care of us here. Anyway, I took the phone to him and continued to groom Caleb and myself a bit for the dance. All of a sudden I hear my husband exclaim, "You're kidding me!!!!". Well, I knew it had to be something REALLY good or REALLY bad; I was hoping for GOOD~lol. They continued to talk for a few more minutes and then I heard him make arrangements for us to go down to her house on Saturday. When they got off the phone, he says to me, "you're not going to believe this!!!". "What, come on tell me", I said. Get ready folks, here it comes......She wanted to buy us a VAN!!!! Can you believe that!!! I almost fainted!!! She had seen one at a dealership right down the road from her and wanted us to come down and look at it and take it out on a test drive on Saturday to make sure we wanted it. We were just THRILLED! Needless to say, the dance was great, but it kind of took a second seat to this news!!! PRAISE GOD, it was an answer to a long-time prayer! For those of you who have read my little old blog for the last couple of years you know a bit about my poor, rusty old van from some previous posts. It does still run but is getting close to needing some major work and lovin'~lol. This new one is a 2006 Chevy Uplander that is loaded with all kinds of cool amenities. It is a one-owner vehicle clear of any bad reports or problems which had previously belonged to a local florist shop and has right around 78,650 miles on it. Our poor old 1998 Ford Windstar had racked up a neat 286,350 miles over the past 15 years. We got to drive it home on Saturday as the dealership was able to do all of the insurance and title transfers right on the spot~COOL! We just LOVE it! God's timing and Providence are just wonderful! My cousin said that this was something that He had just laid  on her heart as she knew that all of the trips mom and I had been making back and forth to her PT and doctor appointments was placing a strain on our old van. I will have some pictures of the van and the dance and a fun nature trail hike we took on Saturday morning here for you tomorrow. For now I just wanted to post this latest news and Praise God for this blessing to us. Hoping that you are all having a beautiful day!!!

God bless and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook~April 18, 2013

FOR TODAY: Thursday, April 18, 2013

Outside my window...

Bright and beautiful sunshine!!! The temperature is a balmy 79 degrees and it is supposed to get up in the 80s before the day is over! YAY! My sweet hubby has just gone out to mow our grass (well dandelions, clover and violets, anyway~lol). We have a very natural landscape. :-) 

I am thinking...

That it seems good to feel like writing again. I am no longer going to compare myself or my little blog to anyone else's blog, I am only going to write from the heart and enjoy sharing those things which God lays on my heart to share. I have been very guilty of feeling that mine was somewhat less than important as I know that I am often not as eloquent as others. I have long struggled with feeling inadequate and inferior all of my life...something that I have had to hand to the Lord over and over again. I am now shaking my fist in the old devil's face and telling him to get out of my way. There is too much glory to give to God to allow old Satan to get in my way by lying to me. God is always greater and He is my courage and my confidence!!! 

I am thankful...

For every good blessing that the Lord has given me! I could not list them all on this page, even if I tried. I will say an extra BIG thank-you to Him for His love, for Jesus my Savior, for my beautiful family, for this sweet home and for His Providence and care each new day!

In the kitchen...

We just finished a fine breakfast of fried eggs, bacon and toast. I am not sure what we are having for our supper this evening, yet. 

I am wearing...

New little beige and pink striped cotton Capris pants that I bought the other day and a pink cotton tee shirt.

I love Capris! They are just so comfortable as they are not too long and not too short. I most always wear some kind of tee shirts now days as anything else is just too binding with my fibro.  

I am creating...

No crafts going on right now. I am creating a warm and loving home environment for my family; that is a constant. I really don't have a lot of time or energy for crafting at this time as I am busy taking my mom to and from her weekly physical therapy appointments and doctor's appointments. She loves to go shopping and out for lunch during her outings, as well. We are out and about 2-3 days a week. At 84, she can get around better than me most of the time~lol. 

I am going...

To my mother-in-laws later on this evening and then out with mom tomorrow. 

I am wondering...

Where the time goes....I know we all say this, but it just seems that the days fly by so much faster now than when I was younger. My dad used to always tell me that they would, he was so very wise. 

I am reading...

Various poetry and devotional books, my favorite magazines and other little books that are good to grab a quick glance at when I get a minute to sit down and read a bit. This is not the season of my life for War and Peace~LOL! 

I am hoping...

That mom is soon released from her Physical Therapy. We have been going for the past three months and it is starting to wear both of us out. She has issues with ulcers and a skin condition on her legs and they have been giving her whirlpool treatments and wrapping them. She is to go and see a vein specialist and a dermatologist soon to see if there is any other course of treatment for her. Please keep her in your prayers.

I am looking forward to...

The weekend and getting our front porch cleaned off for porch-sittin' season. That is what we are planning on getting done, anyway. 

I am learning

Once again to Let Go and Let GOD! Also learning my limitations and that I cannot do it all in one day. 

Around the house...

There are clothes drying in the dryer and my hubby is running the weed eater outside.Caleb is quietly working on building something on Mine Craft. 

I am pondering...

How hard I used to work when I was younger and how much has changed over the past 10 years.

A favorite quote for today...

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.  

~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

One of my favorite things...

The beautiful bloom of the Red Bud trees on the hills around my house!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Trips out with mom, cooking, cleaning, some much needed organizing in my office; the usual homely things that we do around our dear cottage.

Here is a little picture that I will share with you: 

My Narcissus blooming earlier this month.

Thank you for taking a minute to read my Daybook entry. If you would like to post an entry in The Simple Woman's Daybook visit the link here. I would like to take a minute to that Peggy for hosting the Daybook, she is a continuing inspiration and encouragement for me to keep on blogging. I would also like to thank all of my blog sisters and thank each of you for not giving up on me as I have gone through my recent "dry spell". You ladies are the BEST!!! 

Big Hugs and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte 

Gearing Up To Get A NEW Start

Hello sweet friends! Did you wonder if you were ever going to hear from me again~lol?!?! I am pulling myself up by my almost worn-out bootstraps to get back into this little old blog of mine. I have realized just how much I miss posting about my life and business events around here. I also miss keeping up with all of you and what is going on in your lives. So, I will be back here at least a couple of days each week to post something of interest whether it is just my daily events or a recipe or a little poem or whatever might come to my poor feeble mind~heehee. For now I am just getting ready to climb our little cottage stairway to get some much needed shut eye. I will be back online in the morning, so hope to see you here or on FB or Twitter. 

For now I am sending you love and hugs and wishes that you have nothing but sweet dreams. 

Hugs and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

New Year, New Start

Hello my dear ones, hope you are all having a beautiful Saturday! I am extra elated today as I have finally resolved some really pesky issues with my good old PC :-) It has been down since before the New Year and I have been a terribly grumpy old mom because of it~lol. To make a VERY L-O-N-G story short, I had picked up a pretty nasty virus and my older son had come by and cleared everything back to ZERO, but when he tried to re-load my version of XP he ran into some problem with one of the DLL files. WELL, don't ask me how but this morning I was able to download the Service Pack 3 update and then my Internet Explorer 8 update and now all is fine~YIPPEE!!! I am so VERY happy to be back online!
I am hoping to get back to doing some serious blogging this year as I am now back at home full time and am going to get back to my path of being a full-time WAHM and decorator! I have picked up some NEW lines of merchandise to offer my clients and customers~very pretty and all resonably priced, too.
I just wanted to stop by the old CHC Blog to say, "Hello" and give you all an update.

God Bless and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte <3 data-blogger-escaped-="data-blogger-escaped-" script="script" src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/sharethis.js#publisher=c543db06-822a-4e9c-acde-6227b557f1a7&type=website&buttonText=Share%20the%20Cozy&embeds=true&post_services=email%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cgbuzz%2Cmyspace%2Cdigg%2Csms%2Cwindows_live%2Cdelicious%2Cstumbleupon%2Creddit%2Cgoogle_bmarks%2Clinkedin%2Cbebo%2Cybuzz%2Cblogger%2Cyahoo_bmarks%2Cmixx%2Ctechnorati%2Cfriendfeed%2Cpropeller%2Cwordpress%2Cnewsvine&button=false" type="text/javascript">

-->

Another Late Night Post...(this could become a habit~lol)

Hello Dear Ones,

After a really good L-O-N-G nap on my reclining sofa this evening (causing me to miss Grey's Anatomy~grrr) I am now wide awake at 1:30AM. I have been doing this a LOT lately so I thought I would take advantage of my owl-like, late night alertness and hit the old blog for a minute to say, "hello" and do a little post. I have a bunch of pictures that I should be posting but that will just have to wait as they are still on my camera and not edited and formatted for the blog world :-) I am still working at Mr. Sewing Machine and have started taking in light mending in an effort to begin my way back to working completely at home by this time next year. I really miss being at home during the afternoon hours and working with Caleb on his schooling. I am also thinking of putting together a collection of wares for a booth at some of the spring and fall craft festivals during the upcoming year. More on this endeavor later. I am starting to get a bit drowsy again and my hubby just popped around the doorway and asked if I was ready to head upstairs for some shut-eye. I love the old cottage at night~so very peaceful here. Good night to all and I hope to be posting again in the next couple of days and include the photos I have taken.

Hugs to all and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte <3 data-blogger-escaped-="data-blogger-escaped-" script="script" src="http://w.sharethis.com/button/sharethis.js#publisher=c543db06-822a-4e9c-acde-6227b557f1a7&type=website&buttonText=Share%20the%20Cozy&embeds=true&post_services=email%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cgbuzz%2Cmyspace%2Cdigg%2Csms%2Cwindows_live%2Cdelicious%2Cstumbleupon%2Creddit%2Cgoogle_bmarks%2Clinkedin%2Cbebo%2Cybuzz%2Cblogger%2Cyahoo_bmarks%2Cmixx%2Ctechnorati%2Cfriendfeed%2Cpropeller%2Cwordpress%2Cnewsvine&button=false" type="text/javascript">

-->

A Late Night Note

Ever been tired, but it's a good tired? That is exactly how I am feeling right now. Today has been such a great day and I got so much accomplished around the old cottage. For starters I put together my first ever batch of homemade laundry detergent! I have been wanting to try this for at least a year or two but just hadn't gotten a round to it (oh, the ever elusive "round TUIT"~why can't we ever seem to find one of those when you need it~lol!) It was so much easier than I had thought it would be to make and I LOVE the way it cleaned our clothes! I also appreciate that the homemade version does not leave any chemical residue. I know my skin will thank me for that. I did four loads of clothes and was very pleased with the results, even on the really grungy stuff.

I also did more apples today and we now have another four containers in the freezer for use this winter. I have peppers to process tomorrow. We will also be going to visit with my brother-in-law at my mother in law's house tomorrow. It is the first time in three years that he has been able to make the trip in and we are really looking forward to getting in a good visit with him.

I am really tired and ready for a good night's rest, but just had to post a bit before I turned in. I will leave you with a few pictures of the apples and some shots of the little veggie garden beside our storage building. Hope that you all have a blessed Labor Day weekend!

HUGS and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

 

A Little Saturday Post

HAPPY Saturdy, blog friends! I hope that you have all had a truly sweet and blessed week! All this week I have been continuing to study a wonderful book by Donna Partow titled Becoming a Vessel God Can Use. WOW, what a powerful tool for coming to a deeper understanding of the way God moves in our lives and ways we can prepare our hearts and lives to receive God's direction for us. I am on Week 5: Being Emptied of Self to Make Room for What God Wants to Do In and Through Your Life. The focus verse for the week has been Philippians 2:3-4; Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conciet, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. In today's hustle and bustle, get it now world that is really hard to remember, sometimes and something I do struggle with, though it is hard for me to admit to it. I have really been praying that I will remember to pour out my selfish desires and wants so that I can be filled with a greater desire to do what God would have me to do for others. If you have a similar desire I will highly recommend this book for your study library.

Along with this study I have recently discovered the little book The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson. I (finally) got around to reading it last month and must admit to now knowing what all the excitement over it was all about when it first came out a number of years ago. I really got a blessing from it and have adopted that little prayer as part of my day along with all of the other prayers I pray as I communicate with God the Father. I love to spend time alone with God each day! Don't you? There is such a sweet peacefulness when we take time for Him.

Among other little books I have taken time to look at this week was the new decorating book I picked up last Sunday by Laurie Ann McMillin Ray entitiled At Home With Laurie Ann. It is FILLED with BEAUTIFUL photos and splendid ideas for decorating your home! I have just been drooling over all of the colorful pages!

From the home business stand point, I am now re-thinking things a bit and re-organizing my home business files and documents to better reflect the current direction of the way my business operates. I was once told that "a business is organic-it takes on a life of its own" by a very wise businessman who I have always admired and was privileged to have worked with for a while. It is true, and espeicially when you allow God to be your CEO. When I have tried to do things "My Way", things never seem to work out quite right. But, when I "Let Go and Let God", He whispers to my heart the directions for His plans for our business. I surrendered the attitude of doing things purely for financial gain many years ago in exchange for an "attitude of gratitude" for any way that God can use my little home decorating business for His devine purpose. God is always right! So I have been getting my day planner cleaned out and organized, started remembering to schedule time in for housework and internet time along with working at my new position at Mr. Sewing Machine (where I genuinely love assisting customers with their sewing needs), and, most importantly, remember to pray for direction early each morning. I feel more at peace with life than I have for months.

Well, for a short post, this got kind of "long winded", but I wanted to share all of this with you, sweet friends and hope that it will brighten your Saturday. God bless all during this next week. Sending you all ((HUGS)) from WV!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

What's New at CHC

Happy Saturday, sweet friends! Have ya missed me? Have you wondered what I have been up to lately? Well, there has been a lot happen since my last blog W-A-Y back in December. I am finding my way back to posting here after a real writing "dry spell". Whenever they hit me I have found that it is just best to go with it and take time to listen to the voice of my Heavenly Father and be quiet for a while. This keeps me from suffering the affects of "foot-in-mouth" disease~lol. I have been busy sorting out clutter from the cottage, preparing my kitchen for a major paint-fest (cabinets and all), finishing up Caleb's school year (we had our review on May 22nd) and working hard at Mr. Sewing Machine. What, didn't I tell you about my new little job? Are you sure? Oh, that's right, I haven't written about it yet, have I? All right, enough kidding with you; I did take a job with our friends and next door neighbors, Mr. Sewing Machine. I started the first week of March and am really having fun re-discovering my love of sewing and helping others with their sewing needs. Mr. Sewing Machine has been in business for 30 years. They carry Janome and Elna machines, but service ALL makes and models~including classic Singer treadle machines~WOW! I have seen some come in that I thought came over on the Mayflower and are still running. They have old models to sell as well as the brand new wonderful machines, too. I want to share a few pictures of the store with you today:


Our Janome Rep with John and Wendy



The "treasure chest"

AccuQuilt Cutters



Gifts by GANZ



Sergers

Sew many machines!

I am hoping to finally be back to at least weekly posts here; I have missed "chatting" with all of you. Thanks for checking in with me from time to time, you are all very dear to me!

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home: Obituaries

Good morning sweet blog friends. My heart is saddened this morning. I have just learned that my favorite Christian artist, Charles F. Humphrey passed away on November 19th. Mr. Humphrey was a watercolor artist that incoporated encouraging words as well as verses from the Holy Scriptures in his beautiful work. He became well known through the work he did for Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. Mary C. Crowely was his friend and fellow member of The First Church of Dallas, TX. I had always been told that Mr Humphrey, an architect by trade, had done some paintings for the Sunday School classes and that Mrs. Crowley approached him to do some for her company. The rest is history. I know that this brother in Christ is home with our Lord. His work reflected his love and devotion to our Lord. I have a link to Mr. Humphrey's obituary for you here:

Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home: Obituaries

I have several of his beautiful works of art bought from Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. all around my cozy home.

I smile every time that I see them. The beautiful scripture verses hold such meaning for my life and the colors that he used are so pleasant to behold. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person but have often thought of trying to find his address in order that I might write him a letter or send a card to let Mr. Humphrey know just how much his paintings mean to me.I wish that I had done this, alas, time gets away from me and I never did get that letter written. I wanted to share this with you along with a reminder to take time and write those cards and letters while you can. To the friends and family of this dear brother, I am sorry for your loss. I know that he will be greatly missed. From my heart I say, good-bye Mr. Humphrey, thank you for sharing your God-given talent with so many. To you my friends, God bless and hope you are having a beautiful day.

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Thanksgiving Day at Our Cottage

Good afternoon, dear blog friends! I hope that each of you enjoyed a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving's Day gathered in with your family and friends. We had a wonderful day here at the cottage! I got up around 6:15 to the sumptuous aroma of the turkey baking in the oven. We bake our turkey over night at 275 degrees in our good old covered roasting pan seasoned with seasoned salt, poultry seasoning and a stick of melted butter poured over the top~mmmmMMM!!! I got online for just a few minutes to wish everyone on Facebook a Happy Thanksgiving and then set about turning off the oven and starting the process of preparing the side dishes for our meal at 3:00. My sweet husband and son got up around 9:00 and I had coffee and breakfast ready for us to eat by 9:30, too. Caleb and I watched most of the Macy's parade and we called family and friends to wish them "Happy Thanksgiving" and Caleb added "Happy turkey day", as well~lol! My sweet hubby got the turkey out of the oven and placed the meat on two separate platters; one for light meat and one for dark~we had to sample it, of course...mmmm. My daughter and her family got here around 1:00 and she brought rolls and a delicious venison roast with carrots, potatoes and celery in gravy. I usually am not real fond of venison, but this was very good. My son-in-law's cousin came along with them and we were very happy to meet him and have him join us for our celebration. I had most of the side dishes finished by then with the exception of the mashed potatoes and the gravy which I had just started working on. Next came two of our sons and their families and everyone had a good time visiting as they waited for all the food. My daughter and daughters-in-law helped me finish the meal. My hubby asked the blessing and thanked our Heavenly Father for the wonderful blessings of food, family, home and His Grace in our lives. And then, it was time to eat! We had two tables set, one in the dining room and one in my office/learning room (yes, I had to take my computer down yesterday so that we could use this BIG old table in here~lol). After our meal my two dear cousins, Kay and Nancy stopped by to visit a while. I was so glad to see them!!! They brought some new books for our ever growing homeschool bookshelf and told my hubby that they wanted to make sure they took some of his famous stuffing home with them. They love his stuffing~it is really good! Our grandchildren had a great time playing together; watching movies, playing with their favorite toys, drawing and making paper frames for their pictures. Elizabeth brought her saxaphone and played some Christmas tunes for us after dinner. My brother stopped by later that evening with my niece and nephew and a sweet friend from NC and we had a great time visiting, too. Most of our kids were still here, as well and they were glad to get in a visit with their uncle and cousins. We had phone calls from our daughter in NC and other dear family members, too that added to our joy! Needless to say, everyone had plenty to eat and wore themselves out visiting and laughing and talking! It was a wonderful day! I didn't get photos as I have decided that the visit is sweeter without the camera being in our faces. I did get a picture of the dining tables BEFORE:

My house looked like a bomb had exploded AFTER~LOL, but it was a blessed mess and will remain dear in my memories always! Love to all and hope you have a great weekend.

Until later, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte :-)

A Brief History of Interior Design and Decoration (Part 4)

Greetings sweet friends!!! I am finally taking a minute to sit down at my faithful old computer and write a little bit on my blog today. I have been a busy momma this morning with a swirl of activity including working with Caleb on his lessons, helping my sweet hubby set up our little Winter Village on the living room shelves and working on getting our house ready for our family's Thanksgiving Day dinner!!! I can't wait to have everyone gathered in and enjoying a wonderful meal together! I didn't want to forget my Design History post today and hope that you are enjoying my little series. Today's slice of history includes a little bit of church history, as well. Grab a cup of tea and join me in a little travel back in time:

Early Church and Byzantine Period: A.D. 330-1453

During the time in history known as the Middle Ages, A.D. 330-1453, the focus in Rome turned from the civic order of the Roman Empire to an emphasis on spiritual awareness found in the newly recognized Christian church Before this time Christian followers had met in secret within the deep catacombs beneath the streets of Rome or in the modest homes of fellow believers. Since most of the parishioners of these secret congregations had no guiding example for the design of church structures, the challenge came with the question, “what should a church look like”?

The immediate answer was to look toward the temple buildings of ancient Greece and earlier Rome. The columns that once honored the gods of Greece and earlier Roman emperors would be resurrected to honor Christ the resurrected Son of God. Over time the descendants of the aristocratic families of the Roman Empire began to adopt the new faith and came to the church for protection from attacking barbarians that had spread through the empire. They were willing to give their wealth to the church in exchange for their assistance. The building of the old Church of St. Peter established the beginning of the Early Christian period in Rome. The building exhibited a style that was based on the Roman basilica and had a narthex area toward the front with five parallel aisles that opened onto a formal atrium area. The widest center aisle, or nave, featured a curved apse area at its end. Other building styles that were used for early ecclesiastical structures included the central plan that included round and polygon forms. These buildings styles were often used for mausoleums and baptisteries. Mausoleums held the large stone sarcophagus under the central dome built on columns.

During this period the principals of the Vitruvian School gave way to new passions in the interest of relating the gospel through art and architecture. The façade of early churches maintained a form that was minimal in ornamentation while the interiors boasted beautiful frescos and carved moldings developed by the Greek, Egyptian and Celtic cultures. Coptic designs from Egypt were seen in illuminated manuscripts, glass, ivory and sculpture. Intertwining designs of knot work from Celtic lands became a popular motif for church interiors combined with rinceau carvings. Mosaics that portrayed Christian saints and martyrs could be seen on walls of nave corridors.

The military appeal and grand scenery of the ancient city of Byzantium drew Constantine to relocate the capital of the Roman Empire to its location toward the end of his reign. He renamed his new capital Constantinople as this was the custom of the day. The styles of architecture and decorative techniques of this near Asian city became a large part of the new structures built by the Roman government. This is the period that is known as the Byzantine, although it coincides with what is referred to as the Early Church.

Much of the same outward ornamentation of the earlier religious buildings of the Christian churches was used in the buildings of Constantinople. The first buildings held true to the Basilica or the central plans, however, eventually many buildings took on the form of the Greek cross and were topped with domes that rested on corner structures of either squinches or pendentives. The interiors were often supported by piers crowned with intricately carved impost capitals.

Materials often used as ornamentation included mosaic work that had long been a Roman favorite. The examples found in Byzantine architecture became more detailed with even smaller tesserae and a very stylized appearance. They also adopted a technique similar to cloisonné using precious stones and hammered metals. These can be seen in many of the dome interiors designed with elaborate patterns.

Another form of art incorporated into decorative furnishings was carvings in ivory. The ivory was generally derived from the tusks of elephants and the pieces show a great level of detail. Ivory as a whole is small in nature and was often supported by a wooden base. The carved pieces were most frequently applied to thrones or hinged panels called diptychs, two, or triptychs, three. Because the focus of this new era concentrated primarily on ecclesiastical buildings, very little is known of the domestic structures of the day.

Because the Byzantine styles were eventually adapted by buildings in Rome as well the two periods of architecture began to blend together. The styles differ in their appearance and their approach in relating the world of the divine to their inhabitants.

Early Christian structures took on a serene simplicity that is basic in nature while overall monumental and powerful. The addition of later ornamentations seemed to demean their sense of order and logic.

The Byzantine approach had included an element of mystery from its beginning with the new idea of placing domes on a square structure. The use of the complicated patterns and new techniques added a great deal to this impression of wonder and awe.
 
Until next time, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Simple Woman's Daybook (November 16, 2011)

FOR TODAY (November 16, 2011)

Outside my window...
It is drizzeling rain and is dark and cloudy. A blustery sort of mid-autumn day.
I am thinking...
that it is so wonderful to have a nice, warm, cozy home to be in on a day like today!
I am thankful...
for every sweet blessing from the Lord in my life! I am so very blessed with dear family, wonderful friends, a warm home, good food to eat and the love and grace of my Lord! So very much to be thankful for!!!
From the learning rooms...
We are learning about the Space Race in the 1960s. We watched "The Right Stuff" the past 2 days and Caleb really enjoyed learning more about Chuck Yeager, Gordon Cooper, John Glen and all of the Mercury astronauts. We are still learning about Genetics for science and percentages in math! We will be making some of our ornament projects today!
In the kitchen...
I just finished having toast with apple butter and my cup of coffee for breakfast~mmmm! I think that today is the perfect day for homemade veggie soup for our supper!
I am wearing...
must confess, I haven't changed out of my good ol' floral nightgown yet. I will be putting on my favorite "mom jeans" and tee shirt in a bit to get started on my day.
I am creating...
several little crafts: light bulb ornaments, felt ornaments and some jar gifts in the kitchen. I had a blast this past week-end doing some craft clay mini sculptures with one of my sweet grand-girls! I have a box of FIMO and Sculpey clay that a friend gave me a couple of years ago that I have just never taken the time to work with. My creative granddaughter, Elizabeth and I got it out Sunday afternoon and made several items that could be turned into refrigerator magnets or holiday pins; a Christmas tree, a wreath, a turkey....it was SO much FUN! We are thinking of getting a toaster oven just for our FIMO crafts and making some things for a craft fair this summer!
I am going...
nowhere today, too icky outside. I think I will just make some good tea and stay in for the day!
I am reading...
Country Woman Christmas 2002, Country Woman Christmas 2004 and Better Homes and Gardens Christmas From the Heart! I love looking through books with great Christmas crafts and recipe ideas!
I am hoping...
that all of you will have a Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends next week. I still cannot believe that it is already time for Thanksgiving this year. The time has really just flown! I am also hoping to get all of my Christmas projects completed on time. With November this close to an end, December is just a blink away!
I am looking forward to...
having our family here for Thanksgiving dinner next Thursday!
I am hearing...
the comforting sound of warm air coming from the forced air vents! So thankful for a warm home!
Around the house...
things are a bit of a shambles with crafting and school projects. A lovely mess! :-)
I am pondering...
the many seasons of our lives. Some years are hectic, some are mellow, some are brimming with happy moments and some are consumed with sadness....and God is in each of them; standing beside us, arms embracing us with His love and mercy to enable us to face them all!
One of my favorite things...
warm fuzzy slippers on cold mornings!
A few plans for the rest of the week:
working on projects, writing some poetry, taking time to call friends and family.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Some front porch decorations
a couple of weeks ago

I hope you enjoyed a glance into my day through this Daybook post. A BIG thank you to Peggy for hosting the Simple Woman's Daybook! If you would like to post your very own Daybook entry, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook for complete instructions!

Have a wonderful week and Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

History of Interior Decoration and Design (Part 3)

Good morning sweet friends!!! I kind of got behind on my blog posts last week as we had quite a busy week here and then were blessed to have three of our granddaughters over on Thursday night with two of them remaining with us through the week-end. Our son, Caleb went to his brother's house to visit and the girls and I had fun doing all kinds of crafts and writing some poetry, too. I did not get any pictures as we were having so much fun just living in the moment that the camera just never came out. It was wonderful just spending time with them!!! I want to get back on track this week and so I am posting the third installment of my History of Design series for you. Hope you have a beautiful week!!!
Roman Civilization 753 BC – AD 550

The Roman culture was intrigued with constant change and finding new ways to express their creativity and political views. They would often adapt the architectural influences of cultures that they had conquered into their design of buildings and furnishings. This is exhibited greatly in the Greek influences seen in the culture. The Roman styles of architecture, furnishings and fine art pieces were manifest adaptations of previous Etruscan and Greek designs combined with innovative new materials and philosophies of the Roman world.

Builders of the Roman Empire used columns and entablatures found in the three previous Greek orders of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The Corinthian order ornamented with the profuse leaf pattern of the acanthus plant became a favorite among the builders in Rome and were later adapted and combined with features of the Ionic order to create a new Roman order called Composite. Another order of architectural structure created by the Romans was the Tuscan order. The columns and entablatures of this new order were artfully simple in line and ornamentation. The most identifying features were the lack of fluting on the shaft of columns and the smooth plane of the frieze. Buildings used for commerce known as basilicas, appeared to be inside-out versions of Greek temples with columns and ornamental frieze areas. Because Greek structure had many variations from builder to builder, the Romans explored methods that would unify and better define the orders. An official set of codified standards created in the first century AD and referred to as the Vitruvian Principals; which were the primary source used by Roman architects.

The use of arches in Roman buildings brought many innovations to architecture in this brave new world. The Roman arch was a masterpiece of mathematical balance and allowed architects to place weight over a broader expanse of space than any earlier culture. Arches were used for bridge construction as well as in buildings and were later adapted into the form of vaults. Vaulted ceilings used the concept of the arch over extended areas and created curves overhead. A single vault created a tunnel effect known and the barrel vault and where four vaults joined at right angles a groin vault was formed. The discovery of concrete by mixing together lime, pebbles, sand and water gave the architects of Rome a new and inexpensive material and new levels of creativity that had never been experienced in previous cultures. Columns, arches and vaults could be formed by concrete in molds for later use in less time than it would take to carve the structure from stone. Veneers of marble, alabaster, brick and stucco were added to further enhance the exteriors of concrete construction.

Interiors of Roman temples, buildings of commerce, and individual domiciles were far more elaborate than those seen in earlier Greek culture. While the citizens of Greece preferred plain white walls, the majority of Roman buildings boasted a number of ornate treatments for walls and floors. A new interest in art was expressed in the use of paintings on plaster walls called frescos. Divided into panels, the earliest forms of frescos resembled painted marble. The panels developed over time and later included a form of portraiture within the panels. Mosaic tile work on floors in Greece was brought to a new level in Roman times and further developed onto walls. Small pieces called tesserae made from shells, terra cotta, mother of pearl and other materials were used in wavy patterns to create emblemata of human likenesses and vistas. Patterns used for flooring became more complex and combined geometric shapes with curved patterns. Decorative carved motifs most often used on the interiors as well as the exteriors of Roman buildings included wreaths and garlands of laurel leaves, the popular acanthus leaf in varying patterns, and small cupid like angels called putti as well as griffins, humans and oxen.

Like the homes of Greece, Roman houses were also built around central opened areas. While the main function of a home in Greek culture was private and focused on family use and only used on occasion for entertaining male dinner guests, the Roman’s saw their homes as a place to conduct business, welcome political contacts and impress visitors with the family’s affluence. The Roman house was called a domus and contained a series of separate areas placed around an atrium area that led into a more formal outdoor garden area adorned with statuary called the peristyle. The atrium had a partial roof with a compluvian that was used to direct rain water into a basin, or impluvian, below. Doorways beginning at the entrance and continuing into the peristyle were aligned with each other and referred to as enfilades. Along the outer façade of the home were areas reserved for shops where the family conducted business in the community. The dining room, or triclinium, was an important space situated just off of the peristyle and used for entertaining guests. The room was furnished with small tables and three sofas that were larger variations of the earlier Greek klini called a lectus. The lectus used in the dining area was called a klinium but it was also used in bedroom, cubiculum, areas of the homes and was sometimes doubled or tripled in size and had a headboard, or fulcrum, and a footboard. Another important room in the Roman house was the tablinium located off of the atrium and leading to the peristyle that was used as a welcoming area for guests. Family records or awards and images of ancestors were placed in this area as a symbol of status. Accessories used throughout the home included small tables and candelabras with pedestal bases and tables that were the forerunners to the modern sideboard.

Through the course of time Roman architecture and furnishings would continue to change and include the influence of the tastes of their political leaders as well as other cultures that became part of the Empire. While Greek philosophies leaned toward an attitude of “Less is More”, the motto of the Roman Empire seemed to be “Bigger Is Better” in almost every area of their society. The evidence is seen in the innovative and exaggerated methods that they used to adapt and expand the styles of previous cultures to fit their ever changing needs.
You can see a sample floorplan of a Roman Domus by visiting this link!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook (November 4, 2011)

FOR TODAY


Outside my window...
it is overcast and looks like we might get some rain later today. This is typical weather around here for this time of the year. Most of the trees are now bare or left with only brown or dark golden leaves, the slendor of red, burgundy, bright gold and green are now, for the most part, gone for the year.
I am thinking...
about the coming Thanksgiving holiday and starting to plan our menu. I had tried a different sweet potato recipe last year and it was not a real hit with our kids. I guess I will go back to our usual favorite sweet potato casserole recipe for this year.
I am thankful...
for so many wonderful blessings!!! First of all for my Lord's saving grace and His steadfast love and care!!! I am so blessed to have a good husband and family, our sweet little cottage, good food, warm clothing and so much more! I will not say that I never complain, but am always so ashamed of myself when I do as I truly have everything I will ever need! God is so GOOD!
From the learning rooms...
we are getting ready to move from the 1950s to the 1960s in our history lessons, we will be making some Christmas ornaments from old light bulbs in November, math is still focused on percentages and we are continuing to learn so much about genetics and DNA for our science lessons. I have also started teaching Caleb some of the old time hymns and we focus on one Character trait a day as I feel that it is such an important part of growing. You can never be reminded enough the importance of having a good and honorable character. 
In the kitchen...
I have steaks laid out for our supper and we will be having baked sweet potatoes and mixed vegetables to go along with them~YUM!

I am wearing...
my favorite slacks and a good old tee shirt. Just being comfortable today!
I am creating...
some Christmas crafts: light bulb ornaments, felt ornaments, some pretty bookmarks and a little craft with Fimo clay. This time of year brings out my "crafty"~lol!
I am going...
to a HUGE rummage and hot dog sale at the annex building at our church tomorrow morning! It is being sponsored by the youth of the church and the proceeds will go toward some of their trips and projects. The building is loaded with all kinds of wonderful treasures offered at a good price and the hot dogs are always DE-LISH!!! They had a sale back in the spring and I found some wonderful little items, I am hoping to find some good stocking stuffer items at the sale tomorrow.

I am wondering...
what my sweet kids, my mom and my dear cousins are all up to today.  What are you doing today, dear blog friends?
I am reading...
lots of cookbooks right now, my favorite poetry books and a couple of really good devotional books, too.
I am hoping...
to get all of my goals accomplished this month and to have some added business for my web stores for the holidays, too.

I am looking forward to...
the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years celebrations that are coming up. I can't believe it is already that time of year, again. I do love seeing everyone and wishing them Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I relish our annual traditions and all of the good times with family and friends, not to mention all of the good food!

I am hearing...
Caleb as he plays a video game (he gets kind of vocal when he does good at them~"whoa, yeah!!!", and the hum of my computer and some favorite music playing, too.

Around the house...
LOTS of housework that still needs to be done for the day, but that will still be here until I am finished with my writing. Some days a girl just has to write~lol. I have some clothes that need to be carried upstairs and put away and some morning dishes to wash. The usual daily chores.

I am pondering...
the fact that this time last year my dad was still with us, though very weak. He still had his wonderful sense of humor and loved to talk to his friends and family daily on the phone. I can hardly believe that it is almost a whole year since he went to be with the Lord. I still miss him so!!!
One of my favorite things...
Warm Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
the rummage sale, Church on Sunday, visiting with our son and his family tomorrow. The rest is always open for whatever opportunities come our way!
Here is picture for thought I am sharing...


A little gift from me to you! Right click the image
and save as a photo. You can print this out on
card stock or fine stationary paper for framing. It
will print out at whatever size you choose from your
photo program.

 Hope that everyone is having a beautiful FRIDAY!

Stay Cozy,
Charlotte


______________________________

A Brief History of Interior Design and Decoration (Part 2)

Happy MONDAY again, sweet friends!!! I can't believe it is the last day of October! This month has really flown!!! We have had some warm and beautiful days this month as well as some really chilly, dark and drizzly ones. Today it is chilly and overcast and looks like we might be in for some rain later on this afternoon. I am still hoping that all of my friends that got snow this past week-end are doing well and staying warm. I have been working on my regular Monday household chores around our home this morning and decided to take a break while one load of laundry is washing and another load is drying to post this week's decorating and design history installment. I hope that you will like it and that you might learn a little something you may not have known before.

  Ancient Greece 2800-146 BC

Greek architecture and furnishings reflect a great understanding of the elements and principals of design that continue to be used by the architects and designers in the 21st century. In contrast to the use of symbolism in the Egyptian world, the Greeks emphasized the use of line, repetition, variety and form in their buildings, homes, furnishings and art work. This is most evident in the buildings that were used for worship, government and commerce and the fine arts and furnishings of the culture.

The monumental official buildings of Greece exhibit a grand scale with tall columns spaced in rhythmic rows and a variety of elaborate entablatures. The buildings were skillfully designed with precise symmetry and balance, generally rectangular in form and usually constructed of stone. The roof lines were supported by a system of trusses constructed in a triangular configuration that added strength to the roof and formed the pediment area of the building façade. The pediment was decorated with repetitive patterns and moldings. The various styles of these moldings and patterns are the origin of those seen in many modern structures. These include the egg and dart, bead and reel, dentil pattern treatments as well as cyma, fillet, fascia, torus and ovolo moldings. Under the Pediment was the entablature divided into three areas: a cornice, a frieze and an architrave with additional moldings and carvings of trigliphs and metopes in the frieze area. Perhaps the most identifiable element of all Greek architecture was the stately columns. These strong vertical columns were admired for their ornamental qualities rather than structural strength. The shaft of the columns were carved and fluted and given a slight curve, or entasis, perhaps as a method of aiding water shed. They were then topped with capitals that were indigenous to their particular architectural order. These three distinct orders of Greek culture were the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. Doric columns had capitals that were simple, Ionic columns were topped with scroll like capitals and Corinthian columns had profuse carved Acanthus leaf motifs at their crown The Corinthian order was a late historical category and not preferred by the architects of classic Greece. Rare substitutes for columns on buildings were tall female figures known as caryatids. The form was generally used as a chair or table leg design, but they were occasionally used to adorn Greek structures. Furnishings used in these stately structures included the highly decorated thronos and the diphros stool with legs that were either fixed or folding.

The homes of Greek citizens were much simpler compared to the impressive scale and magnificent ornamentation of ceremonial buildings. Nonetheless, their homes incorporated furnishings decorated with patterns that added contrast and interest to their every day lives. The central feature of these domiciles was the open courtyard areas with all other rooms placed around it, often in a radial balance. There were no windows in these early homes and the sun from the courtyard was used as the main light source. The interior walls were constructed of sun-dried bricks of mud and early examples had simple plaster or whitewash as the finish. In later periods color pigments were added to provide variety. Rooms in most homes included a living room focused around a hearth, called the oikos, a kitchen and a bath. The room most prized by the men of these homes was the andron. This was a covered room off of the courtyard with an alter to the family gods where men would meet to dine. The andron often had decorative mosaic floor treatments and would accommodate seven or more klini, or reclining couches, to be used by the guests with individual tables, called trapezas, with three legs. The legs of tables and klini were often designed with wooden legs ornamented with turnings. The most graceful form of furniture developed by the Greeks was the klismos chair. These chairs were used throughout houses and semi-public buildings. The klismos had a splat back and elegant outwardly curved legs and is frequently represented on painted pottery vases from the Hellenistic period of Greek history.
The pottery of ancient Greek vases was one of the crowning achievements of Greek culture. The vases in their varying shapes were created for functional uses but were also highly prized because of their painted surfaces. The two major styles of vase paintings were the black figured and red figured forms. The earlier black figured vase had a red clay background with images painted on in black ink while the later red figured versions used the opposite method of painting the background in black and leaving images in the red clay state. Greek artisans were also well known for their work in sculptures of stone and bronze. These sculptures developed over time from the simple work of the archaic period (600-480 B.C.) in early Greece to the highly detailed and animated work of sculptures during the Hellenistic period (323-146 B.C.). Among the pieces that best represent the work of the latter Hellenistic artists is the statue of The Laocoon Group that portrays the Trojan priest and his two sons as they strive to free themselves from snakes sent by Apollo to destroy them. The degree of agony expressed in the faces of the figures is great and lifelike as are their torsos represented in stone as writhing and twisted.
The architects and artisans of the ancient Greek world began to develop and better understand the elements that define strength in design. Throughout the course of Greek history a great number of designs that are used as standards for the development of modern buildings, furnishings and art forms came into being. The quest for quality and clarity of line and purpose pursued by the craftsmen and architects of ancient Greece is a attribute that is rare. As cultures continue to emulate the forms that made up the structures of this ancient civilization few come close to their simple perfection in design.

I have included a link to a site about Ancient Greek Art and Architecture. There are many wonderful resources and images there. I hope to post a Daybook entry sometime tomorrow. For now I will close and wish you a good day.  May your day go well and I hope that you will accomplish all you have on your "to-do" list! Sending you ((Hugs)) from WV!


Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

Reshuffling Stuff and Just Hanging Out

Greetings and good afternoon from my cottage to yours, sweet friends!!! We are having an ABSOLUTELY BEA-UTIFUL day here in good ol' Dunbar, WV!!! The sun is shining, our skies are blue and the temperature is cool, but not too cold! I have seen some wonderful photos of SNOWY-WEATHER from some of my dear friends in other parts of our country on Facebook! There is snow in the upper part of our state and in PA and some of my friends in the central states further west of us are having some pretty heavy snow, too. I like a good snow day, but am VERY glad that it has not come our way just yet. Hope that all of my friends in "white weather" territories are staying warm and have their power! Think of me as you sip on your hot chocolate or hot apple cider, it won't be long before that powdery white stuff will start falling around here, too. I am almost sure that we will have some before Thanksgiving as we did last year~Bbbbrrrrrr!

For now we are just enjoying the sunny skies and have been working on rearranging some of our closets. We have repurposed a couple of them as the way we use our home changes from time to time. We took ALL of our board games (we have about 30 of them) out of my dining room closet and have them now tucked away in the upper pantry cupboard in the little area between our kitchen and dining room. This was a breakfast nook area at one time and my washer and dryer now sit where a tressle table and benches once stood. It is much better than having them downstairs in the basement and we would not be apt to use a breakfast nook, anyway. I have been going through some of our belongings and am getting ready to donate some of the items in good and usable condition to the youth of our church for an upcoming rummage sale they are having. I love when they have these sales as they also have hot dogs for sale~and are they GOOD hot dogs~YUM!!! Anyway, that is what I have been doing today. I just had to take a little rest as I had been rushing around and got a little dizzy~whew!

I will have to take a few pictures to share of the newly organized game pantry and my decorating in our dining room. Wishing you all a great week-end and I will be posting another installment of my History of Interior Design/Decoration on Monday.

For Now, Stay Cozy,
Charlotte

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: October 25, 2011


Outside my window...
The sun is shining and the skies are clear blue! Simply a beautiful autumn afternoon!!! The temperature is in the 70s and the trees have some color still on them. There is a Maple tree on the next street that looks like a picture out of a travel guide with bright red and some yellow and a few green leaves left. Just GORGEOUS!
I am thinking...
that it is good to feel like writing again. I went through quite a dry spell this time, I was getting a bit concerned about whether or not I would ever start wanting to write again. So glad that God answered my prayer and gave me the desire to share my thoughts again.

I am thankful...
for this wonderful, beautiful time of the year and for all of the many blessings my Lord has given to me in my life. I am especially thankful for my family, our home, my sweet friends, and the dear brothers and sisters we have at our church.
I went to my weekly women's Bible study this morning and had the sweetest time in fellowship with those dear sisters in the Lord. I started attending last fall and couldn't wait to get back to the group after our summer break. I love to learn more about God's word and to stay after for lunch and just to have time to talk to the ladies about what they have been doing since our last visit. We all take turns at fixing items for the lunch and we have some pretty good cooks, too! Today we had soup and sandwiches. Next week we are having spaghetti and salads. The book that we are using for our study is called, "Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" and is written by Donna Partow. It is a wonderful study about the men and women of the Bible that could be considered "unlikely vessels" and how the Lord used them for His glory and purpose. I am really enjoying this study.

From the learning rooms...
Caleb and I are working on drawings of DNA, plant cells and animal cells. We are still working on our study of the 1950s and for math he is working on problems involving percentages.

In the kitchen...
There is a BIG beef roast with vegetables slowly roasting in the crock pot~MMmmmm! Just the right dinner for a cool fall evening. It is supposed to cool into the upper 40s by tonight.
I am wearing...
a pretty blue floral pullover shirt and my favorite pair of slacks. I am still dressed from Bible study this morning.

I am creating...
this blog post and happy memories for my family at home. I am thinking about going out on the front porch to rock a bit with Caleb in a bit. He is busy drawing some of his action characters right now. I love our life here at the cottage! I am thinking about making some embroidered felt ornaments for our Christmas tree and to give as gifts to friends.

I am going...
to my momma's tomorrow to take her for her weekly shopping trip. She was in the most wonderful mood today; laughing and talking about sweet memories of when she was a child. She was also happy that her next door neighbor had come over yesterday to help her with some fall chores around her house. She has wonderful neighbors and friends!
I am wondering...
what I might get into this coming week-end. I have several things that I need to be working on, but not sure where to start. Time will tell...
I am reading...
Becoming a Vessel God Can Use by Donna Partow and My Heart's in the Lowlands by Liz Curtis Higgs
I am hoping...
that my family will stay healthy this coming winter and no one will have to deal with any major illnesses. I would also love to see my children start thinking about returning to attending church services. Praying deeply over each of them~they are all so dear to me.
I am looking forward to...
a peaceful evening with my hubby and my son. Evenings are always the sweetest time of the day to me.
I am hearing...
my son's video game music, the sound of water running and my old computer humming along.
One of my favorite things...
The smell of smoke from a neighbor's fireplace on cool fall evenings~ahhh!

 Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Outside our town library only 2 weeks ago!

I hope that you will have a blessed week ahead. I would also like to thank Peggy for hosting this Daybook. It is always a blessing to me and a fun way to catch up with friends about what is going on in your day. If you would like to add a Daybook post to your blog, go to The Simple Woman's Daybook.