Cottage Life - Signs of Spring

The crocuses in my garden testify that our long, bitterly cold winter is nearing its end. I hesitate to say it's over, for just as Mark Twain said, "In the Spring I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."

“And the Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.” 

― Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Complete Poems

“Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.” 

― Victor Kraft

My latest rug is finished and waiting removal from the loom. It reminds me of a spring garden.

“Despite the forecast, live like it's spring.” 

― Lilly Pulitzer

Thank you to Kris of Junk Chic Cottage for hosting the Hello Spring Giveaway. The tote I won expresses perfectly my sentiments this morning (even if it's not yet officially spring).

Cottage Life - A Lenox Vase, An Empty Inbox and Chocolate

On Monday my friend Mary and I went thrifting and had lunch.

Since I've been on my decluttering mission there wasn't much at our Soroptomist thrift store that tempted me. That is, until I saw this pristine little bud vase.

I love anything with pink roses, and it was only $1. When I turned it over and saw "Lenox" on the bottom my mind was made up. It came home with me.


I like the way the roses twine around the base.

This vase "sparks joy". Which, if you've been following my decluttering journey, you know is now a criterium for having something in our cottage.  Well, that's not true in every case. I'm not sure Bandaids and laundry detergent spark joy, yet I do have those in our home out of necessity.

Since my last decluttering update I did dive into my paper pile. 

Ugh. 

Let's face it, going through clothes and books is a lot easier than dealing with paper. (At least it is for me.) I took a break from the ugh job one afternoon and attacked my email inbox, eliminating over 2,000 emails. (I am not kidding.) When I reached the point where there were zero emails in my inbox I made a cup of hot chocolate and celebrated my achievement. 

For me this was a big deal, my friends, and I can't tell you how good it feels to now open up my email every morning and see only a handful of new notices in my inbox instead of hundreds of old ones. I'm determined to keep on top of this because somehow this one simple task has freed my mind for more joyful pursuits.

Now if I can just get through those pesky papers. I'm afraid that undertaking is going to require more than the reward of a hot chocolate upon completion. 

It just might be a two cupper job.

Cottage Life - Welcoming March

March has arrived after February's major mood swing. I snapped this photo yesterday of a little boy hitchhiking a ride on his dad's shoulders during a snowstorm. 

After several inches of snow fell, the temperatures rose and the melting commenced once more.

This is my garden this morning, which is pretty much the way it looked before two snowstorms passed through the last two days of February.

I noticed a couple of days ago that crocuses and daffodils are peeking through the snow, and that makes me happy.

My decluttering adventure continues with periodic breaks for rug making and normal life activities, like grocery shopping and running errands.

Here's my rug so far.

I really want to get it finished and off the loom so I can start on some collages for the Spring Fling 2017 I'm organizing. It will take place on April 8. This is an artisan/craft fair, similar to the Holiday Bazaar I participated in last December. Since there are no spring events like this in our community, I decided to start one. Fortunately, I've received lots of support from others who have planned similar affairs, and their shared experience is a big help.

As I mentioned, I have managed to get more decluttering done. I went through all my magazines and gave away about 30 to friends who will enjoy them and pass them along. I saved only a few of my favorites, which are kept by my chair in the sitting room. 

Next on my list is papers, a suspected time-consuming chore. I skipped over that and went to my makeup bag, which I knew would be an altogether easier, albeit much needed, task.

I dumped out everything in the bag.

Honestly, I was kind of shocked at what I found in there. Just keeping it real here, but there were old broken compacts and stray mirrors, lots of makeup I purchased years ago and didn't like, brushes I never use, and even an old rubber band (good grief!).

After sorting through it all I came to realize I have 7 makeup essentials.

Mascara, eyebrow pencil (and sharpener), concealer, liquid foundation, bronzer (I mix a little with my foundation in the summer), blush stick and lip gloss.

That's it!

I don't need all that other paraphenalia. These are products that work for me and I can let go of all that other stuff knowing that from here on out I'll use up what I already have, and I'll buy only what I need, when I need it.

This is what I discarded.

Everything else fits into a clear bag my dentist gave me at my last visit. (I like that I can see what's inside.)

This fits easily into our bathroom cabinet and when packing for a trip I can just throw it into my carrying bag. Easy peasy. 

I really believe I kept all that other makeup out of guilt; feeling if I had made the purchase, I needed to hold on to it. That's just silly. I've learned from my mistakes and I can move on knowing I'll make wiser decisions going forward.

Oh, I did find in my before pile a nail file and comb that will go to homes of their own within our cottage. This is part of organizing like items in one place.

I am feeling so good about even the smallest decluttering I accomplish. Somehow it's energizing and it inspires me to do more. It's actually a joyful undertaking.

Cottage Life - The Decluttering Continues

A few weeks ago I took my first step toward seriously decluttering our cottage. I wrote about the closet purging and living intentionally here, and shared Mandi Ehman's quote:

"Living intentionally means defining your values 

and making choices that reflect those values."

The wardrobe purge inspired me to get rid of more stuff, and that's when I ordered Marie Kondo's book from the library. (I wrote about that here.)

I've now finished the book, and I have to say there are some things she advocates that make sense to me. There are also some things that just seem plain silly, such as her insistence that we fold our clothes a certain way so that they will be happy (as if cotton and wool have feelings), and thanking them outloud for meeting our needs (which builds up their self-esteem). She repeats herself frequently, which made me want to chastise her editor. And at times I felt a serious case of OCD was the impetus for her career. (Actually, as I think about it, OCD is probably a plus for a consultant that helps people organize their homes and offices.) There's more, but let's get to what I found helpful.

1. Tidy by category and not  by location. 

      Don't tidy by room, tidy by categories:

         Clothes first, then books, papers, miscellany, and lastly

         mementos. 

       This means gathering all items from a category from all the rooms and closets into one spot before deciding what to keep and what to discard. Using this method nothing gets overlooked and it's a do-it-once and it's done approach.

She leaves mementos for last because by the time you plow through all the other more practical categories, your decision-making skills will have been perfected and it'll be easier to make decisions about sentimental items.

2. Take each item in your hand and ask yourself "Does this spark joy?" If it does, keep it. If it doesn't, dispose of it.

At first I thought her claim that one must actually touch the item and not simply look at it and decide its fate seemed odd. But then I tried it with my books. I was sure I could tell just by looking at my bookcase which books I wanted to keep, and that's what I did a couple of months ago. But yesterday when I actually took one of my remaining books off the shelf and held it (not read it! She is sure to say not to do that!), I realized I could let it go because it didn't "spark joy". After doing this with all my other books I ended up with 3 additional boxes of books to give away. 

If I find later I want to read a particular title again, I can get it from the library or discount bookseller. In the meantime, I've cleared off three shelves, and that makes me feel really good.

3. What to do when you can't throw something away.

    Think carefully about its true purpose in your life and ask if  it has fulfilled its role. Kondo believes there are only two reasons why we can't let something go: an attachment to the past or a fear of the future (desire for stability in the 

future).

    

"To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose." -- Marie Kondo

I'm still in the decluttering stage. Next is magazines and then miscellany and so on. When I get through the final category of mementos, then I'll start the organization process.

I won't bore you with more details from the book. (There are some good reviews of the book on Goodreads here.) You can go to Youtube and do a "marie kondo declutter" search and find lots of information about her technique. If you're interested in reading the book, I suggest borrowing it from the library.

Before I go I want to relate a funny conversation I had with my hair stylist last week:

Lisa: So what have you been up to?

Me: Oh, I've been decluttering. I'm on a mission to get rid of stuff.

Lisa: No! No! Nancy, you already live like a minimalist. You've downsized to that darling little house. Stop! Just stop! You don't need to get rid of anything else.

Me: (Laughing) Lisa, it's okay. I just want to simplify and keep only those things that really bring me joy.

Lisa: But. . .but. . .I'm just worried about you.

Me: Don't worry. Really. It'll be fine.

I don't think she bought it. That's not going to stop me, though. 

Stay tuned for more.

Cottage Life - Blooms and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Every fall I bring my geraniums in the cottage to over-winter, and they reward me with pretty blooms. This is one of them in my kitchen garden window.

I didn't think my Christmas Cactus was going to bloom this year, but suddenly I see buds. Not exactly blooming at Christmas, but I'll take it nevertheless.

Last week I wrote about my closet purge. I enjoyed reading your comments, and learned that there are many of us on the path to a simpler, more uncluttered (and dare I say, minimal) lifestyle. 

It's amazing how just that one step of eliminating excess items from my wardrobe has motivated me to go further with my purging. I ordered a book through our library system titled the life-changing magic of tidying up - the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing by Marie Kondo. I'm probably the only person in the world who hasn't already heard of this 3 year-old book and the KonMari method. 

Let's face it, there are a bazillion books, pamphlets, articles and blogs devoted to home organization, decluttering, downsizing, yada yada. . .and I've gotten some help from each one I've read over the last 30 years. Marie's book -- and specifically her KonMari method --  intrigued me because she deals with more than just organizing your stuff. In fact, she doesn't even address organization until first the clutter is eliminated.  

I've only just begun reading her book, but I've got a good feeling about this. I'm taking notes as I go and will share what I learn, but something that resonated with me last night is this:

"Before you start, visualize your destination. . .Think in concrete terms so you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space."

As a creative type, I get the visualization part. I have to envision the end product before I begin the creative process. Having a clear vision of what that looks like is what drives me,  and gives my work purpose. 

Thanks for joining me on the journey. I'm excited about where I'm going.

Cottage Life - French Embroidery Hoop

I'm a bit of a fabric addict. It's a big reason I love quilting, sewing, rug making. . . anything that's related to textiles gets my attention. 

I can't pass up a fabric store or quilt show.

If there's an antique mall with vintage material, I'm right there.

And I've never met a box of vintage embroidered pieces in a thrift store or yard sale that I didn't like.

Hand embroidery is on my to-do list this year. I learned to embroider as a child and after noting a wonderful revival of the craft I've decided to get back into it. Which brings me to the subject of this post.

Earlier this month I ordered something special for myself, which I rarely do, and then anxiously awaited its arrival. In just a few days it showed up.

A gift to me. . .from me. 

My heart skipped a beat when I opened the package.

The pretty wrapping really did make me feel as though I was opening a gift.

And there it was. . .

my French Embroidery Hoop.

The hoop was designed by French General, a company I first discovered when I began quilting and saw their beautiful material for Moda Fabrics. After visiting French General's website I signed up for their newsletter, and that's how I first learned about the new French Embroidery Hoop.

The light-weight embroidery hoop has a brass ring and a steel coil wire which holds the fabric tightly in place.  

The hoop is just so pretty and unusual, and I can't help but believe my embroidery experience is going to be better for it. I'm already imagining winter evenings in front of the fire, French embroidery hoop in hand, stitching beautiful patterns. Très francais.

I'm not receiving any compensation whatsoever from French General for sharing this. I purchased the hoop and simply wanted to share it with you. I will tell you that you can find French General on Instagram here, and a discount code for $10 off the French embroidery hoop, if you'd like to have your own.

Cottage Life - Thriving in a Very Real Winter

When we moved into our Oregon cottage 18 months ago the locals asked us if we would be able to stand the winters. Coming from the Rocky Mountains where we lived at 7,500 feet and experienced snow storms that dropped four feet of snow at a time in April and May, we were pretty certain that the winters they talked about would seem mild in comparison.

Outdoor Seating - Allenspark, Colorado

After all, average snowfall in these parts never amounted to more than a few inches at a time, and daytime temps hovered in the mid to high 20's. And, in fact, when we broke ground for our cottage in February 2015 there had been no snowfall and there wouldn't be for the rest of the winter. The construction team often worked in their shirt sleeves.

Holy cow, is our cottage really that small?

Last year we experienced more ice than snow, and I invested in a pair of grippers to wear over my shoes so I could walk without fear of slipping

Very stylish, don't you think?

Which brings us to this year's weather. Yesterday I took these photos of our town's maintenance crew removing snow from the neighborhood and transporting it out of the area.

We've received several feet of snow over the past month and more is expected. When it finally warms up enough to melt it could be problematic. Consequently, the relocation of 5' - 7' mounds from concentrated areas to help ease the runoff.

Temperatures have been in the single digits during the day and below zero at night, and that's on good days. I hear some griping and complaining, when I go out, but really, what good does that do? It is what it is, and I believe in making the best of it. This, too, shall pass.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

In the meantime, I appreciate the pristine beauty of fresh snow. It's so much prettier than brown lawns and bare trees. I'm blessed to live in a warm, cozy cottage and so thankful for my husband who designed it.

Photo taken before the "real" snow came.

And then there's comfort food. Homemade stews and hearty soups are my favorite dishes and this is the best time of year to make them. Last night we dined on Vegetable Beef soup. Over the weekend I made Chili with Black Beans, only this time I added a chopped sweet potato. Oh my, was it delicious. I don't think I'll ever make it any other way from now on.

My Chili with Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes. Yum!

Hot drinks, warm quilts and the promise of spring keep my spirits up.

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. 
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, 
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 
Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Believe it or not, spring will be here before we know it.

Brewster's Garden Tales - Introduction

Greetings Cottage Friends! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brewster Cogburn Rabbit, G.B.I.T. (Garden Bunny In Training), but  you can call me Brewster. I'm the Cottage Lover's new garden assistant.

That woman has been crazy busy of late, so she's given me the task of journaling all the garden happenings at A Joyful Cottage. Which is fine with me, because writing is part of my DNA. My great grandfather Peter learned a lot about writing by observing Beatrix Potter at work, and everything he gleaned he passed on to my grandfather, who passed it on to my father, who passed it on to me.

Anyhoo, CL (short for Cottage Lover) found me hiding in a box The Artist (that's her husband, you know) had  packed for the community thrift store. She rescued me, and now I reside in the potting shed. Kind of a mascot, if you please.  

Sometimes I like to hide behind the pots and containers on the shelf,
hoping she won't see me. I mean, come on, a guy needs his rest.

Before I take you on a tour of the garden, I need to file a complaint about my lodging conditions. The potting shed has been pretty cramped lately thanks to all of CL's projects. Holy carrots that woman has a lot of those! Projects I mean. Do you remember this old dresser she showed you a couple of weeks ago?

That thing was a mess. She sanded down the top and stained it dark walnut, mixed up some chalk paint using leftover paint in a color called Natural Canvas and gave the base three coats. Distressed it a bit and rubbed on a clear wax over the whole dresser (two coats on the top).

CL's been smiling a lot since she finished it, so I guess she's pretty happy with the outcome. I'm just happy that she got it out of the shed!

But then (sigh), as soon as she finished the dresser, she started on this second hand white bathroom wall cabinet that she picked up in Pendleton, Oregon for $35. It came with pretty glass knobs that she had already removed when this photo was taken -- just before she started painting. I pinky promised not to tell what color she's painting it.

Painting Schmainting, let's move on to my favorite subject. . .the garden. After all, I am a G.B.I.T. Besides, I'm afraid if I hang around in the shed too long I may end up staring into the bristles of a paint brush. One never knows what CL's going to paint next!

The perennial beds survived the winter and the early bloomers are strutting their stuff. 

The Artist has made progress on the berm, reusing the rocks he digs up to create little walls and add to the dry creek bed. And he's digging holes for planting trees. Eventually all that black plastic will be covered up.

CL loves this stone path and wants to plant a low growing creeping perennial in the gaps. Anyone have a suggestion?

Back in the potting shed CL has some Vinca ready to plant for ground cover.

Thanks to the big windows The Artist installed in the potting shed, CL can get a head start on the growing  season. 

She had pretty good luck with growing tomatoes in 5-gal buckets last year, so she's trying that again.

Speaking of growing things in a container, CL wrote an article on container gardening for Yes! Communities' newsletter. She's partnering with them as a guest writer sharing tips and ideas for beautiful small home living on a budget. If you're interested, you can read Container Gardening 101 here.

Thanks for hopping along with me today. And remember, hare today, gone tomorrow (sorry, I couldn't resist).

The opinions expressed in this article are the bunny's own and may not necessarily reflect the views of A Joyful Cottage management.