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Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Celebrating a Special Birthday with Friends -- Lynzie is 17!


Welcome to the Homemaking Party! It's been a happy week with one big event---Lynzie turned 17! We had a couple fun celebrations for her---kicking it off with this sweet party, hosted by one of her dearest friends. Lynzie (in blue) and Lucia (in purple) were the guests of honor, turning 20 and 17 in 2017!

Our friends really made the party special with lots of sweet tea treats...

...and napkins in these gorgeous flower and peacock designs. Lynzie loves peacocks!

More sweet treats for the girls to enjoy....

...and tea and petit fours to top it off!

The girls gave one another gifts and then did makeovers and photos. It was a fabulous day Lynzie won't soon forget!

Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party! Hope you're having a beautiful week!

Before you go... Have you seen the new Christian Home Magazine? Our first issue released on Friday. Check it out and let us know what you think!



Friday, January 27, 2017

The Christian Home Magazine Issue #128


Hello Readers!

I'm so excited to announce The Christian Home Magazine is back in print! Several years ago, The Christian Home Magazine was hosted by Mrs. White from The Legacy of Home. It featured encouraging articles by homemakers, for homemakers. With Mrs. White's blessing, we've revived it here at Classical Homemaking and I think you're really going to be blessed!

Each Friday, you'll be treated to several encouraging articles from Christian homemakers and young women at home. As you visit the blog of each contributor, please be sure to comment as well as pin and save articles from their sites, rather than this main magazine page. That way, you'll have easier access to the articles you want to reference in the future and those writers will have the blessing of repeat traffic from your pins.

Let us know how you like the new magazine!

Blessings,
The Christian Home Magazine Team

Stewardship and Finances


Stewardship and Finances writer, Laura Lane, is sharing some excellent ideas for partnering with God for financial peace. Check out, What Do You Have In Your Hand? at Harvest Lane Cottage.

Young Ladies at Home


Young Ladies at Home contributor, Lynzie Coller, shares her heart and future plans in Why I Choose to Be a Stay At Home Daughter and Wife.

Homesteading and Healthy Living

Our homesteading and healthy living contributor, Heather from Marine Corps Nomads, shares an excellent recipe for Gluten Free Fried Chicken Drumsticks this week.

Pretty Thrifty Fashion

Pretty Thrifty Fashion blogger, Emily from Teen For the Lord, introduces herself and shares her vision in Pretty Thrifty: An Introduction.

Entertainment

Entertainment contributor, Laura from Harvest Lane Cottage, reviews an encouraging devotional study for women in Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life by Mrs. Sarah Coller.

Homekeeping

Homekeeping blogger, Sarah Coller of Classical Homemaking, shares her thoughts about Writing an Heirloom Cookbook.

Would you like to be featured on The Christian Home Magazine? Send your submissions for our consideration to sarah@classicalhomemaking.com.

We are linking up with:

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Writing an Heirloom Cookbook


Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Today I'm reviving an article I wrote for Raising Homemakers last year about writing an heirloom cookbook.

Do you have a book wish list? I do and one book at the very top of it is the modern version of Martha Lloyd's cookbook. Martha Lloyd was the close friend of Jane Austen's family who lived with the author, her sister, and her widowed mother before eventually marrying Jane's brother, Frank. She kept a handwritten book of recipes that has recently been published for Austen fans to enjoy. When I was in England in September, I spent a day in the village of Chawton where Lloyd and the Austens lived in a not-so-little cottage owned by Jane's wealthy older brother. It was my second time visiting the cottage, but this time I noticed something on display that I hadn't before: Martha Lloyd's cookbook.

In my opinion, there are few things more special a homemaker can leave for future generations than recipes written in her own hand. I've mentioned several times on my blog that my family gave me a box of my great grandmother's recipes and cookbooks when she passed away. There were things in that box that even came from my great-great grandmother. They're very special gifts to me--a legacy that she left without knowing who would benefit.

In our techy, 21st century world, it's so easy to type up our recipes, add a staged, beautifully edited photo, and pin it to Pinterest for the whole world to see. As a homemaking blogger, I've shared countless recipes this way. However, I want to leave my family more than a link to a Pinterest board, so I've begun writing an heirloom cookbook. It's very simple---but so was Martha Lloyd's and so were my great grandma's. In both cases, these women used a simple bound book and filled in the pages with things that came to mind. Martha's contains recipes at the beginning and household tips toward the end. My grandma's books are not organized by recipe type and even feature the same recipes more than once throughout.

My heirloom cookbook is simple on purpose. I tend to be a perfectionist but with my big family and busy life, I've found that perfectionism leads to procrastination. Therefore, rather than waiting for a trip to Hobby Lobby where I can spend $40 buying supplies to make a fancy, color-coordinated notebook with paper flags and ribbon bookmarks, I chose a notebook from my kids' school supply shelf. In fact, I just grabbed one right from the top of the pile. I might snazz it up later on with pretties (that's what my other great grandma would call them) but for now, I'm going simple. Simple means I'll actually get the job done while I'm still here to do it. Whenever I have some time while waiting for something to bake or boil, I jot down a recipe. Sometimes they're family favorites that are requested over and over---other times they're simple lists of instructions I've memorized for making basic things. The point is that these recipes now exist somewhere besides my memory---somewhere my children and grandchildren can access.

Writing a simple heirloom cookbook is a beautiful way to preserve your personality, thoughts, quirks, and handwriting for generations to come. I even include notes like, Jamie (my husband) loves this or I made this for Selah's 7th birthday dinner. It's exciting to know I've joined with generations of homemakers before me in preserving special family memories.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Visiting The Old Mill at Little Rock

Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party! Today I'm sharing about our trip to our state capitol, Little Rock. Our family had never been there before but Brenna had an appointment at the Children's Hospital so Jamie took a day off and the three of us went on an adventure! Thankfully, we received all good news and Brenna's heart is fine. (In an ironic twist that we won't make much of), Daddy treated her to her first Happy Meal!

I was looking forward to seeing our capitol building but since we'd left the kids home with Lynzie to babysit, we didn't want to get home too late. It was the capitol or The Old Mill. Since The Old Mill is one of my bucket list things, I opted for the mill!

Now I'm going to stall with a few pictures that are not the mill. Ha!! I'll get to that in a minute. The mill is situated in a pretty park in North Little Rock. It features many neat stone carvings that are made to look like wood, done by the faux bois (fake wood) sculptor, Dionicio Rodriguez, in the 1930s. We thought this bridge looked pretty neat and since a couple was getting engagement photos taken by the mill, we decided to start here.

Daddy and Brenna enter the bridge.

They're at the top! The carved stones throughout the park were worn very smooth and there were still some icy spots here and there so this park was not for the faint of heart!

"Dedicated August 6, 1933, as Pugh's Memorial Park, the Old Mill is a replica of an abandoned water-powered grist mill that would have been used by Arkansas pioneers in the 1800s. Although the Old Mill never actually operated as a mill, the iron grist mill on the first floor of the building is authentic and dates to 1828. It served the Cale family of Pope County for three generations. Developer Justin Matthews intended for the Old Mill to appear as the ruins of a bygone era supplanted by modern methods. 'Now completely forgotten by the hurrying world around it, the Old Mill quietly weathers the years in the depths of its secluded valley.' Matthews said of his vision. A memorial to his friend and business partner, Thomas R. Pugh of Portland, Arkansas, the Old Mill with its wheel turning symbolizes Pugh's tireless energy. Millstones on the second floor of the building came from the Ashley County plantation of Tom Knoble. Pugh's grandfather, Frank Carmean of the Matthews Company designed the park and Bob Massey supervised the project. Matthews commissioned Dionicio Rodriguez, a noted Mexican sculptor, whose faux bois (or fake wood) style was perfected in the details of this remarkable work of art. The Old Mill appeared in the opening credits of the 1939 movie, Gone With the Wind."

Brenna and I inside the mill house

1828 iron grist mill

millstone

Here it is! The Old Mill from Gone With the Wind. I like what the sign said, "Developer Justin Matthews intended for the Old Mill to appear as the ruins of a bygone era supplanted by modern methods." That's exactly the symbolism and message of the movie, isn't it?

This was such a great experience. I'm so glad we stopped!

After we hung out at the mill a little while, we made our way back around the park toward the car. Brenna found a pretty leaf and then discovered the tree it fell from. It was a great day of memories with her. I hope she'll remember our fun day out!

Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party! Have a beautiful week!

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Looking Forward to a Year of Peace and Quiet!

{Hello from Miss Brenna Evangeline who turned four last month!}

Welcome to The Homemaking Party! Whew! I don't know about you but this. year. This year. I don't really know what to say about 2016. It was a really tough one for us. Not relationally---praise God for that!! Just financially, emotionally---2016 just took it's toll on our family and I was not sad to kiss it goodbye!!

But 2017!!!! Oh yes! I have such hope for this coming year. One thing--the biggest most wonderful thing I'm going to do this year is a whole lot of nothing. Ha!! Well---nothing that I don't want to do. Do you ever just need one of those no-obligation years? I need one now. I'm gonna take it. {Watch this space to see how long this resolution holds out...hahaha!}

One beautiful thing about my husband is that he knows me well. Without even meaning to sometimes, he just does things that especially bless me and are meaningful in huge ways. This year's Christmas presents are a great example. He just chose things he knew I'd love and in so doing, he ended up getting something to represent each thing I'm going to make a priority this year. Totally didn't mean to---he's just awesome like that.

First was this new Kitchen Aid mixer. He won it in a drawing at work---can you believe it? Apparently, there's a drawing for one every Christmas season. So awesome! He'd bought me a red one back in 2005 or so but with constant use for a family of 11, that old girl is really showing her age. To me, this new mixer represents a renewed desire to provide wholesome nourishment for my family---and not just with food.

Secondly, he ordered this set of letter writing materials from Lost Art Revived. It's the Jane Austen Letter Writing Society Kit. How awesome is that? That's a second priority for this year---to keep in better contact with my pen friends and even establish some new pen pal relationships!

Third was this calendar. Jamie has bought me a new calendar every year since our first Christmas together. It's just a tradition that he started and I love it! He always picks one with beautiful artwork. What I love about the scenes in this one is that they're all peaceful and idyllic representations of American family life. One of my goals this year is to keep this calendar as empty as possible!

Next are these sweet Pioneer Woman bowls. They are one of the many things that I collect and display in my home to make it peaceful and inviting. These represent my desire to strive to create a comfortable place for family and friends to rest.

Finally, this beautiful Victorian-themed bookmark. One of the main things I want to fill my time with this year is reading lots of wonderful literature. I'm even hosting a Victorian Reading Challenge on my literature blog, Belle's Library.

In reality, I have no idea how this year will look! It could be a year of wildness and craziness bigger than I've ever seen! I suppose my resolution isn't so much to force a year of nothingness---but to be careful to leave my schedule and emotions free to handle the things that come my way unexpectedly.

Thanks so much for stopping by The Homemaking Party! I can't wait to see what you've got to share!

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

It's Still Christmas! Isn't It?

It's still Christmas, isn't it? Surely all that baking and buying and caroling and decorating and Scripture reading and thanks-giving wasn't for just one day, right? Today is Jamie's first day back to work but I'm not so sure I'm ready to get back into the swing of things.

I went to visit a friend yesterday and commented that my decorations would likely be up until Valentine's Day. She said hers would be, as well! Ha!

Yesterday I also visited a local flea market that I'd not stopped at for over a year. I found lots of super cute vintage Christmas decorations like these cowboy snowman and Claus couple ornaments and this bottle brush tree (not vintage). I also found some super cute shakers from the 50s but I forgot to photograph them for you. Maybe next week! I love mid-century Christmas decorations. They've got such adorable character!

Hope you're all having a happy week. I'm excited to see what you've got to share!

Monday, December 26, 2016

Inspiring Resource for Making New Year Resolutions and Goals

Hello Friends! Wow! I don't know about you but this year seemed to completely fly by for our family! We made lots of great friends and special memories---but there's a big part of me that is saying, slow down! So, New Year Resolution Number One is: stay home more!

Do you make New Year Resolutions? Some years I make an elaborate categorized list of my goals for the upcoming year. Other times, I just pick one thing. However you do it, the important thing is to assess why you feel the need to make a change and then start taking simple, doable steps toward that goal.

I hope you'll check out my new devotional for women, Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life, available in paperback and on Kindle. It's all about taking the steps needed to start living the way you want to and to stop making excuses about why you think you can't. Sound simple? It is! It's a simple little book that you can read through in a day for encouragement or spend time going through it more slowly as a study toward change. It features study questions and prayer topics and is a great gift for yourself or another woman in your life who wants to live a fulfilling life right where she's at!

Finally, I'm looking for a few active homemaking bloggers who would like to join my review team for this and further publications. If you're interested, please fill out an application here: Creaking Door Publishers Review Team.

 Many blessings for your new year! I'm looking forward to great things!

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Victorian Ornaments and Advent Calendar

Whew! I had a super busy few days but I'm thankful to have woken up this morning with nothing major on my to do list! That's right---I spent this past weekend doing almost all of the Christmas shopping (shopping for nine kids and a husband is no small feat!), helping get the tree set up and decorated, making Liam's sheep costume for the Christmas play, and digging out all the decorations. The last couple days have been spent in preparation for my last three homeschool literature courses today and tomorrow. Now I've got three weeks of Christmas prep at a much slower pace than usual. Yay!

This year I'm doing some fun Victorian-themed things with our usual traditions. I made everyone ornaments with Victorian Christmas images and designed our Advent calendar the same. I've purchased some pretty Christmas crackers with paper crowns and prizes inside and I plan to teach the kids some old fashioned carols. Wow, the more I write about this, the more excited I get!

Jamie gave me this sweet Kate Greenaway Jane Austen style ornament. Isn't it the sweetest? It's dated 1979---my birth year!

I've received some good feedback on my new devotional for women, Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life. Be sure to grab a copy for yourself and a gift for someone else. It's also available on Kindle!

***I'm also taking applications for review team members. I will be sending out review copies in January and can think of no better place to look than my own sweet readers! Be sure to fill out the review team application if you're interested!***

Thanks for stopping by the Homemaking Party. I'm excited to see what you've got to share!

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Hope 2016

Once again, I'm sharing this short story I wrote in honor of the baby we lost in November 2007. For several years, I would repost it on the anniversary of the date I miscarried. It was healing for me. I felt like it was one way I could honor this baby and I was overwhelmed with grief the first year I remembered that I'd forgotten to repost it. The next year, I forgot also. In fact, I haven't posted this story in four years now. 

Today I read through it after seeing the little note I leave myself on my calendar each year: a heart surrounding the word, Hope. This is the first time I've shed tears for that lost baby in as long as I can remember. 

Some of my readers understand this part of the healing process. For others, the pain is still very raw and very real. This story has given many, many readers comfort over the nine years that it has sat here on my blog. I hope it gives you comfort today.


Hope sits still and serene at the edge of a melodious river, dangling one bare foot into the warm, blue water. Her lovely blonde ringlets reflect the light of the afternoon sun and form a shimmering halo around her young head. Though she can’t help but raise her eyes every so often to the far-off hills, He has told her to wait patiently and so she will. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” He’d promised. If she has learned anything from past experience, she’s learned that time is relative no matter where one is. Even in this youthful body, she knows that the time it takes to endure is well worth the rewards that fortitude brings.


Since patience seems to be coming much more easily than normal this day, she begins to take inventory of her new appearance. Strangely, she can not see her reflection in the water in front of her. From the moment she arrived here in this glorious place, she’s wondered about herself. There isn’t much she can learn about what’s inside; about her dreams, wishes and longings. She’s treasured all of these, along with many thoughts and questions, since the day she was conceived. It’s her outside that is so new and clean and unfamiliar.


With a little shake of her head, she can see that her hair is golden and beautiful. She reaches for a curl and lets the silky strand slide around her fingers and over the back of her hand. As she moves to examine the hand more closely, she spies a simple white butterfly hovering near her knee. She watches with innocent interest for just a moment before it flutters over to a nearby snapdragon and gracefully lands beside it in the grass.


Lifting the small, delicate hand up to eye-level seems so simple now and she marvels at the lightness of it; both in skin tone and in weight. Turning this hand right-side up, she examines the lines upon her tiny palm. Amazing, she thinks, and so real.


Her eyes follow the motion as she slowly places the hand back in her lap. Fixing her gaze on the arm for just a moment, she changes her mind about resting it and, using her newly-nimbled fingers, explores the length of the opposite arm. Leisurely, she runs her fingers up and back down. Tickles, she says to herself, as even now the new word tickles her tongue.


A slippery smoothness is caressing the bottom of her one wet foot. Her brown eyes settle on a long and shiny creature gliding through the water. Father loves fish, she thinks to herself. But just as quick as it caught her attention, the creature is gone and her mind becomes occupied elsewhere.


“She’s here,” the butterfly whispers up to the snapdragon. The flower shivers with a sudden air of excitement and replies, “So soon? I didn’t realize we’d get to see her so perfectly formed so early!” The butterfly sighs. “Yes, she’s a beauty, isn’t she? She’s just the image of perfection!” She flurries up to give the snapdragon a butterfly kiss and then takes off back into the sky in search of a honeysuckle treat.


The snapdragon proudly pulls herself up to her full height--six inches at last measurement. As she stretches her lush leaves against the warm sun’s rays, a tiny yawn escapes from her delicate, pink lips. Lifting her head to peer over the sleeping marigolds, she stands upon the tips of her toes (which are firmly rooted in the ground, of course) and sees, just over the nearest hillside, exactly what she is looking for.


“Come children, come quickly”, the Man says as he ascends the last mound of lush, emerald hilltop. He takes care not to hurry the young family, most of them less than five years old. The Man turns to face this great group of children, His very presence commanding their complete attention. He smiles warmly and lovingly, sits down on a nearby rock and takes a young Asian boy on his lap. “Children”, he says, “I want you to remember back to the first time you realized you were in Hope’s place. Be patient, be kind. Be gentle and show her love. Come. Let’s go down to the river.”


The friendly party makes their way across the honey-scented meadow. “Look”, cries the Man, “there by the water!” He stops the children and they all stand still, amazed at the way the sunlight bounces off her flaxen hair. “She looks like my Angel”, says a little Irish red-headed girl, “only my Angel is a lot bigger than that!”


“Come”, says the Man, “Let’s take some time to offer our welcome wishes to this newest reflection of me. There’s a new child in Heaven today.”

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

I Published My Book---A Dream Come True!!

Ok, ok, so most of you know.... MY BOOK WENT LIVE ON AMAZON THIS WEEK!!!!!! I promise, I won't prattle on... But I do have to say how totally thrilled I am. What a dream come true! I told my husband...now I've got to get busy and write something else so I'm not a one hit wonder! You can find it on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle. I'd love to hear what you think of it. Let me know with a review!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving last week. Just a nice relaxing time spent at home. All our family is far, far away in Oregon. Good thing I've got all these kids, eh? Selah and I enjoyed a game of Scrabble after Thanksgiving dinner. Now everyone else wants to play, too!

Michael Wayne is turning 15 this weekend! I can't believe it! He's taller than me, stronger than me, and a little more mature than me, too! Ha! Happy Birthday to my oldest son!

Hope everyone is having a lovely week. I'm excited to see what you've got to share at our Homemaking Party!

To Know, Know, Know Him

So, tell me: When you read 1 Corinthians 13; you know, "Love is patient, love is kind," how do you apply it to your own life? Do you immediately get struck with a sense of guilt right there at the beginning? Patient? Or what about the next phrase, "Love is kind?" When I read through verses, 4-8 of that particular chapter, I always think of how I need to apply these verses to my interactions with my family and others around me.

But one day I saw it differently. One day, I got creative and took some liberties with the verse. I inserted the name of Jesus right there in all those places where it says, "love." Then, shockingly, I went further and ended the phrase with my own name.  Like this:

Jesus is patient with Sarah.
Jesus is kind to Sarah.
Jesus does not envy nor does he want Sarah to envy.
Jesus does not boast (although he does dance over Sarah).
Jesus is not proud (though he does take joy in his creation, Sarah)
Jesus is not rude nor does he want Sarah to be rude.
Jesus is not self-seeking and he wants Sarah to be selfless too.
Jesus is not easily-angered nor does he want Sarah to be easily angered.
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs...even Sarah's wrongs.
Jesus does not delight in evil...nor should Sarah delight in evil.
Jesus rejoices with the truth...he wants Sarah to rejoice with the truth!
Jesus always protects Sarah.
Jesus always trusts God's Word and promises for Sarah.
Jesus always hopes for Sarah.
Jesus always has and always will persevere for Sarah.
....and, best of all, Jesus will never fail Sarah.

Here's the part I always miss from that passage, verse 10: "But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." I never get to that part because I stop half way through the litany of love's characteristics. I stop because I am so overcome with my own inadequacy that it shames me and I know I can't ever be all those things that love is.

But wait a minute. "When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears!" When Jesus covers me and works through me I think I just might be able to be some of those things after all! By God's grace, we all have the ability to posses a clean slate any time we want to. We can make that imperfection disappear by asking Jesus to come with his perfection.

Can it really be that easy? Yes, it can. Because Jesus did the most difficult thing of all. He became sin for us so we could become the righteousness of God. He did the hard stuff so it could really be that easy for us. Let's not take that for granted!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Weekend Wrap Up & Happy Homemaker Monday

Another Thanksgiving is in the books and we're wrapping up a relaxing, family-filled weekend. I've learned a lot about waiting on God and trusting him the last few months and I'm looking forward to this holiday season in a new state of mind.

Here's some thoughts as I prepare to start another week.

The weather.....

Our weather is consistently cold now with temps below 60º. Finally!! I'm a cold weather girl so this Arkansas humidity has been a big adjustment for me. Our trees have just about dropped all their leaves and the smell of chimney smoke is heavy in the air.

Right now I am....

Our oldest, Lynzie, is playing piano and singing O Holy Night for special music at church tonight so I'm preparing to go watch her. It's been a long day for our littles so I'm not sure if we'll stay for the whole service---though a friend has promised to sit on a few while I sit on a few. Ha!

Thinking....

I've got the outline of my next devotional book swirling through my head so I'm thinking I'll need to carve out some time to get it all planned out here pretty soon. I don't want to be a one hit wonder!

On my reading pile....

I'm reading The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. It's set in 17th century Amsterdam and tells the fictionalized story of Petronella Brandt, wife of the famed merchant trader, Johannes Brandt. Jamie bought it for my birthday. I love the cover!

On my TV.....

We finished all the available seasons of Murdoch Mysteries and started watching Cadfael last night. I don't think Jamie is liking it but I'm getting into it. I love having our Acorn TV subscription.

Something fun to share....

My book, Now: Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life, is finally available on Amazon! Check it out in paperback or on Kindle!

On the menu for this week....

I think the family is about sick of Thanksgiving leftovers so I'll be finding creative ways to implement our leftover turkey and ham. Scalloped potatoes with ham is sounding good...

On my to do list....

This week I need to sew a sheep costume for Liam for the homeschool Christmas play and make ornaments for the kids' yearly tradition of receiving one the night we decorate the tree. Michael's birthday is next weekend and we plan on putting up the tree shortly after.

What's on your list for this week? Be sure to check out Diary of a Stay at Home Mom to see what other homemakers are up to this week. Hope it's a lovely one for you!
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