Hoosier Cabinet

For a while now I have been on the lookout for a Hoosier Cabinet for our kitchen.  I wanted one that was in good shape so I could actually use it for a baking center.  So many of them have peeling paint or doors missing so I was very pleased to find this one on craigslist recently!  The enamel table top pulls out so I can roll out pizza crusts or cinnamon rolls easily. 

 My mixer stores in the large cupboard on the bottom and although it does have a flour storage bin inside I am not using it because it's a little rusty inside.  I haven't decided if I will buy a new one or not yet.

Of course it's fun to decorate the top, I used some of my Grandma's vintage kitchen utensils and an Albert Anker print and nesting chickens.

Here are a few interesting ads for Hoosier cabinets from about 100 years ago.  I think it's funny how they claimed to save steps for women, to give them health, youth, good looks, strength and time, and nowadays the trend is to wear a step counter to try and take as many steps as possible!

I guess my life should just be one big holiday now that I have a Hoosier too!  Haha! (:

I'm joining No Place Like Home

De-stressing Christmas

 

I'm writing this post to remind myself next year not to make Christmas so complicated.

It doesn't have to be liked 100 times on Pinterest or featured on someone's blog.

All it has to do is bring glory to the One whose birthday we are celebrating and provide a sense of security and good memories for our children.  If Mom is stressed nobody's happy, and this mom seems to be fairly easily stressed these days...

 

Maybe I'll try these ideas next year--

(I'm writing them here so I'll remember)

 

No shopping for gifts online, spending hours researching reviews and trying to get something "just perfect".   Just go to town with Andy one evening and buy everyone something.

 

The decorations do not need to be trendy or photo worthy.  Just warm and welcoming.

 

Store bought snacks are fine.  Don't stress about making 5 types of Christmas cookies.

 

Play lots of music- Christmas music always puts me in a better mood, and playing it myself on the piano is even better.

 

Spend some extra time in Bible study, this month our pastor has been doing a series of sermons on Christmas from Mary's point of view and I have really appreciated them, maybe look them up and listen again online?

Comfort and Joy

The day after Thanksgiving we had a beautiful ice storm come through,

which set the mood perfectly for lots of Christmas decorating.

So come around and take a look at our home, all decked out for Christmas!

This morning on the radio I heard the Christmas carol, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" and it got me wondering, what does that title even mean, and where does that song come from?

A little quick research showed me that the song is one of our oldest Christmas carols, dating back to the 1500s.  The word rest back then meant "to keep or cause to remain" and the word merry meant "pleasant, bountiful or prosperous".  So you could rephrase the first line to: God cause you to remain pleasant, gentlemen.

Really, resting and remaining in God is the only way to have genuine long lasting happiness. Complete trust in Him is the only way!

(Someone was helping me decorate- he wanted the village to be safe, I guess!)

"God rest ye merry, Gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Savior

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O Tidings of comfort and joy

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy!"

I hope you all have the comfort and joy that comes from knowing Jesus!

I am joining http://sandimyyellowdoor.BlogSpot.com for No Place Like Home and Home and Garden Thursday

Harvest Time Decorating

 

Even though temperatures are in the 90s all week,

corn harvest is in full swing around here.  So I decided

it was time to do a little harvest decorating.

Come on, and I'll show you around!

 

My mom found me this amazing large Thanksgiving platter

in the Historical America pattern.  I can't wait to serve turkey on it!

 

And speaking of turkey, this glass turkey candy dish looks

great with our red transferware collection, doesn't he?

 

I love how the sun shines in through the punched tin of

my Great Grandma's pie safe in the mornings.

 

I always enjoy decorating our mantel behind the wood stove

for the different seasons.  This year I used the harvest theme,

with the different crops that we raise around here displayed.

 

The milo in the enamel pitcher is from last year,

ours isn't quite ripe yet.  The old canning jars are filled

with wheat and corn.

 

 

Although we do not raise corn, the fields around our house

are all corn this year.  After harvest, our kids like to go out

and find the ears the combine missed!

 

This beautiful fall arrangement was made by my Mom.

She's great at floral arranging!  I found the old sewing

machine drawer at a garage sale when I was in high school,

and it makes a perfect table centerpiece.

Fall is such a cozy time of year!  So burn a harvest scented

candle and enjoy a cup of hot tea and maybe a caramel or two!

 

 

Peacemakers who sow in peace

raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:18

 

I am joining Home and Garden Thursday today.

Redecorating

It was high time for me to do some redecorating at our house- the Easter décor was gone and everything was looking a little sad and dusty.  So after finishing up I decided to share some of my favorite areas with you.  Sorry about the lighting, our house has very little natural light so it's hard to take great indoor photos.  But anyways, here's the mantle Andy made over our woodstove.  I used a farming theme for the summertime.  The wheat and milo are from our fields.

 



 

I love Paul Detlefsen artwork and was fortunate to find this one at an auction a few years ago.

Now on to the dining room and the pie safe.  This originally belonged to my great-grandparents and was painted green, I painted it red about 10 years ago and it is a great place to keep my red transferware collection.

 

This beautiful secretary desk was a gift from my parents in high school.  I love it!

 

I am joining A Return to Loveliness today.

I hope you are enjoying springtime wherever you are!

A Cup of Rest

 

I just had to show you my new Christmas present-

Our kitchen has very cheap cabinets in it, and they

are falling apart.  So I have a plan to replace them

slowly, and hopefully eventually to have a kitchen

I really love!  Below are the cabinets that were

there before.  Sorry, I didn't clean them off before

I took the picture.  But, you get the idea.

 

 

After several months of watching Craigslist,

I was able to find this pretty solid oak china hutch,

that is just the right size, for only $130!  I was

so excited!  My husband and son were less excited,

since they had to go pick it up and haul it in,

but they love me so they did it.

 

It makes the perfect place to set out our tea service

for this afternoon!  I am looking forward to having

a little tea and fun with Miss E when she wakes up

from her nap.  We are using these "Romantic England"

tea cups by J and G Meakin.

 

 

After several Christmas programs last week,

we have a quieter week this week thankfully.

I do enjoy all the Christmas activities, but it's

also nice to stop for a little while and rest with

a cup of tea, don't you think?

 

 

I hope you can find time to rest

with a cup of tea this week too!

And remember these words of Jesus-

the one whose birth we are celebrating.

 

"Come to me, all you who are weary

and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

 

I am joining Tea Time Tuesday today.

An Old Fashioned Christmas

A couple years ago I took you on a Christmas tour of my

parent's house, (you can check it out here) and I thought

you might enjoy seeing what she has done again.

This year she used the theme, An Old Fashioned Christmas,

so come on in and enjoy!

This is the old farmhouse I grew up in.

In the living room she has her grandparents

German feather tree up this year, with many

of the same ornaments that were on it 50 years ago

when she was a child.

Old cardboard nativities from the family~

A beautiful table~

So many pretty vignettes all over the house!

Edelweiss and Roses~

The family room tree~

This is the manger scene we used as I was growing up,

and we kids spent lots of time playing with it.

The tree in their bedroom is covered

with pretty pink vintage ornaments.

And the angels, singing~

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Luke 2:14

I hope you enjoyed the tour!  And I pray that you will each

find the peace of God this Christmas. 

I am joining A Return to Loveliness.