Waking Up

Good morning fellow bloggers and Happy Saturday!!! I am getting ready to go in and make some coffee, but I have just been enjoying a quiet morning of  internet fun: searching for old favorite decorating web sites, checking my email, catching up on FB and so on. Quietly reflecting on the sweet and simple life we have here at our little cottage in town. I simply love mornings like this!!!

I was hoping that we might be going for a little day trip somewhere today, but that was just not in our tiny budget right now, gas prices being what they are and all. We are hoping to make a long-over-due trip to North Carolina real soon to visit my family there, but I am really just needing a little excursion somewhere local; sight seeing if you will. I tend to choose places that are a bit quaint and county for our little trips; "keep it simple sweetie" is my motto. There are several places which are my favorites for such a trip. Our beautiful mountain state has many parks and historical landmarks to visit. One family favorite is Hawks Nest State Park where you can go white water rafting; if you are brave and so inclined. I just usually enjoy the gorgeous view from the overlook to Hawks Nest Canyon and maybe a bit of hiking if the old legs are up to it. I enjoy their good restaurant, too.

Another favorite is beautiful Black Water Falls! It is a bit farther away from us, but oh-so-gorgeous!!! The path down to the falls is a good stretch for the legs; a downward decent down by way of trails and walkways. There was some recent damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, but they are working hard to get everything repaired. The falls get their name from the tannic acid from fallen hemlocks and red spruce needles which color the water amber. Rushing over huge rocks, the falls make quite a dramatic display. The temperature in this area of our state stays refreshingly cool much longer than many other areas. This morning the weather tab on the BWF web page indicated a chilly 59 degrees. The humidity level is most usually high due to the mists created by the falls. If you love a wooded wonderland you really need to make a trip here. 

There are a couple of farm museums that are fun to visit here, as well. We have made a couple of trips to the WV Farm Museum  My mom and dad used to go here a lot and they introduced us to it. There are several old buildings on the site including a school house, a blacksmith shop, a log church and a saw mill. They also have a little country kitchen that is opened only on special event dates. A little closer to us, near Huntington, WV there is the Heritage Farm Museum, but I have never been to this one. It looks wonderful and I have had some homeschool friends tell me that it is a great place to spend the day! There is a charge for their tours but they do have some super Way Back Weekends events that look really special!  

I could go on for pages about the many other places that I love to visit around good ol' WV, but my coffee is ready and the morning is passing, and the front porch is calling my name. Hope you are all having a super Saturday whatever your plans. 

God bless and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

Loving the Online Business Life

Good afternoon to everyone of you, dear blog friends! I am really having a sweet day here at my little cottage. I woke up this morning to discover emails from Celebrating Home telling me that customers had placed online orders! That was a GREAT start to my day, I can tell you for sure! I went to my web page and printed them off so that I could send out "Thank You" cards to my online customers. One lady had ordered a Bean Pot and so I also mailed her a bunch of Bean Pot recipes to inspire her meals. Then I helped my sweet hubby to put away some groceries, got our lunch and then went outside to rock on my front porch for a bit. So relaxing! (sigh) 

I started thinking about the online direct sales experience. Have you ever looked into the window of a store and just fell in love with the displays and the products that were inside only to find that the service was just not your cup-of-tea? Maybe you just did not hit it off with the sales staff, or the manager was cold and inattentive to your questions? Maybe the prices were too high and there was no chance of a sale or some type of special which would allow you to purchase the items you wanted for half-price or maybe even get them for FREE! This is precisely I find the direct sales approach so inviting. My online store is opened 24 hours a day, the service is quick and, should you have questions, you can send me a quick email or even call me direct (my number is on my FB page) and I will be glad to help you with your questions. I try very hard to be available to my customers. When your order is $39.00 or more, you can choose selected BONUS Buy items for a really ridiculously low price of $9.99. When your personal order or combined sales order (you and some friends decide to order together) reaches $200.00 in retail merchandise, then you can choose your choice of 20% of the total (before taxes) in FREE merchandise! WOW!!! No other brick-and-mortar retail store has that kind of program running, at least none that I know of. 

Now this is the real beauty of it all, remember the above scenario about the lovely shop with the unfriendly shop staff? Well, friends, if for some unforeseen reason you are not happy with my customer service, then you can leave my little "shop" but still have access to the same beautiful wares I offer there through thousands of other Celebrating Home designers all across the USA. Though I will do my absolute best to keep you happy and coming back to my little "shop" online. 

I am sipping a cup of blueberry tea as I type to you and thinking it is about time to go and start our supper of chicken-with-dumplings. Remember to visit my page on FB for even more fun, product reviews and recipes, too. There are always many pretty things to see there and I love when everyone comments and has fun chatting together. I hope that you all have had a beautiful day and worked in some time for just relaxing and sitting on the porch for a bit. That is my favorite time of this season. 

God bless and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

How Does Your Garden Grow

Oh my, sweet friends; don't think I'm running a fever or anything, but here I am writing a second post for the day! Well, you know for me it's all or nuthin'~heehee. I am either in a writing frenzy (and that hasn't happened for the longest time) or completely dry of all words. We are having one of those GORGEOUS days today; not too hot, not too chilly and my sweet hubby is out mowing the grass for the little insurance business next door. He does it for them every-other-week and it is pleasant work for him. I have been on this old computer on and off during the day and have been having fun visiting friends and family on Facebook. In between FB visits I have been doing dishes and laundry and a bit of straightening up and decided to go out on my back porch for some fresh air and sunshine~ahhhh. I took my good old camera to capture some photos of the sweet little Annabelle Hydrangea given to me by my cousin late last summer. It had died down during the winter and I was really afraid that it would not come back, but here it is~growing and thriving and BLOOMING!!! Aren't those blooms just gorgeous! I can't wait until this little plant grows into a HUGE shrub at my back steps! I am on my way to having real "grandma" flowers around my home~YAY!!! I would love to get some roses out by next summer.

I also took time to snap some pictures of our various tomato plants. They are all growing well and starting to get some pretty nice 'maters on them.

Here is a shot of the potatoes that we have planted. This is our first year for growing potatoes and I think we might want to find a bigger place for them next year. My hubby bought a bag of mixed varieties including one that is blue! We will see how they turn out. 

So glad that we have things growing around our home. I am missing the good pepper plants we had last year. They were so good and produced so many yummy peppers. We planted some seeds but they did not come up for some reason. Oh well, there is always next year. Thank you friends for letting me share a little of our life with you through this little blog. You are all so sweet to stop by and read about us. 

Hugs and Stay Cozy,   

Charlotte

Our Home; Our Haven

Good morning, dear ones! I am having one of those sweet, quiet mornings that seem to be too few and far between as of late. To top things off, rather sweetly, I am not in any great amount of pain from my fibro this morning, either~YAY! I am just thankful for this sweet time of rest and my dear little cottage home. I am glad for this place to keep clean, to enjoy my family, to prepare good meals, to decorate and express myself. It feels so good to have this place that God has given us as a temporary nest for our family here on His earth. Just wanted to share a quick post about it this morning while I am sipping on my cup of coffee during a little break. Hoping that you are all having a day that is sweetly blessed. 

Hugs to all, 

Charlotte

A WAHM Day

Hello swee friends! Today I am blissfully working from home! I haven't had a chance to do this for a while and OH, how I have missed it. I have printed off flyers from the Celebrating Home news emails and called a couple of customers. I have posted some specials on my Facebook page and my personal profile page and now I am taking time to blog a bit to you. I have been giving some thought lately to closing down my little home business as time for it has been a bit sparse, what with my mom and my mother-in-law needing us more and more and my own health issues rearing their ugly little heads. Not to mention the fact that I am just not as organized or enthusiastic as I was in past years. I really don't make huge marginal amounts of money with it, but sometimes the earnings do come in handy and I really do love the freedom of working from home. I said a HUGE prayer over it yesterday and this morning my Lord has motivated me to get busy and try to do better. My plans and goals for the next few years include finally opening a small brick-and-mortar gift and home decorating shop~that would be my dream-come-true!!! I pray that the Lord will make a way for me to do that and that my little shop will honor Him and all that He has done for my life. For now I will continue to promote my humble web page with Celebrating Home and tell you that this little company has been such a blessing to me over the past 20 years~creatively, spiritually and financially. I have met so many wonderful friends and customers through them and learned so much about decorating and providing a valuable service to others, I am just so glad that I took the leap and joined (then) Home Interiors and Gifts, Inc. back in 1993. It was truly a step in the right direction. I would invite each of you to use the link at the top of my blog and visit my personal Celebrating Home web page and check out all of the GORGEOUS home and fashion accessories they offer! Remember, you can contact me via this blog, Facebook or email if you have any questions about the products or about decorating in general anytime you wish. I am here to serve you and love doing so.Well, back to my work day. Hope that you are having a very blessed day!!!

Hugs and Stay Cozy, 

Charlotte

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">

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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">

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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


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