Taking care of wood furniture

Since you asked...  :)

Here are the products I have used for years and years.  Especially on my inherited antiques and vintage pieces (those less than one hundred years old but still real wood). 

Murphy's Original Formula oil soap to clean wood (use according to directions)
The best stuff for cleaning any kind of wood.  I think they make a special formula for wood floors, too, so make certain you get the original formula for furniture, kitchen cabinets, etc.

Only wood which is really grungy gets an annual Murphy's treatment (like the dining table surface, wood kitchen cabinets, coffee table, etc.).

Lemon oil... any good brand... for regular twice yearly rubs.
I use it when not using a scratch cover.

Old English Scratch Cover - both the dark wood formula and the light wood formula.
If you can only afford one formula, I've found the light wood formula works on dark wood, too, but I prefer using the dark wood formula on... dark wood. 

This stuff is amazing.  I've used it on furniture I thought would need to be refinished and it transforms the wood into a thing of beauty.  It's available at most hardware stores (even the local Wal Mart carries it).

If you use the scratch cover, you don't need to use lemon oil, too. It is an oil.

Wood Paste
If your wood furniture is very dry, you may need a good wood paste to rub into the wood.  Since my wood furniture is in good shape, I really only use it on the dining table so it will not be a priority to replace when I run out of my current brand.  I'll use the lemon oil or light wood scratch cover and give it more time to dry.

If you refinish furniture, you will probably need it.  To find a good brand, ask the people who own an antique store!  That's how I found the one I have used a few years.  They are also the most knowledgeable people to lead you to expert furniture refinishers, should you need one.

Extra Virgin olive oil
Yes... the kind you cook with!

I've had the same cutting board for about thirty years.  When it is looking rather anemic, I rub the olive oil into the wood before I go to bed at night... giving it at least good eight hours to absorb before I use the board again.

Soft sturdy paper towels (cannot be cheap paper towels!), old t-shirts, and Zip-Lock bags
These are what I use when I'm oiling furniture.  Cheap paper towels leave bits and pieces on the furniture... yuk... buy the good stuff since it's usually just a little more in cost.  I use old t-shirts, old (clean, of course) diapers, etc. when I have them.

Why Zip-Lock bags?  Quite often the paper toweling or cotton cloth I'm using becomes saturated with lemon oil and can be used later.  I toss it in the Zip-Lock bag... seal... and use it the next time I dust the antiques.

I never, ever, ever use a product like Pledge on my furniture.  In my family, that would qualify as heresy.  The Wood Police would know it.  I don't know anyone in the wood profession who would use it.  I have used Endust and similar dusting products... never sprayed directly on wood.


I usually "lemon oil" furniture in early spring after it has been in the dry air all winter... then again in autumn before the furnace is lit for the season (just the opposite if you live in Australia or New Zeeland!).  If you are constantly washing a real wood dining table... you may want to wash it with Murphy's Oil Soap instead of just soap & water once in awhile.

I have a couple pieces of furniture that came to me already dried out (like the buffet cabinet my husband brought home from his sister's place a couple years ago).  These pieces of furniture need one or two extra massages with lemon oil each year as they're very dry.  Plan on letting the furniture completely dry from the oil before placing items on top of it again.

Picture: John Bull; allposters.com

Re-do, re-use, re-purpose... resist (Four)

October, 2009

I know this picture has nothing to do with the post.  It's just that we had to put the furnace on last night and the leaves are quickly changing!  Autumn has arrived...  I took this picture (last October) of the truck my neighbor was driving at the time, it looks like it was made for the fall colors.

I loved reading your comments about the amazing stuff found at thrift stores, Goodwill, etc.  A real thread through it all seems to be having an eye for what you need or want (like the Limoges platter... wow).  One of my best thrifting buys was found at Goodwill last year when I also noticed "out the corner of my eye" a roasting pan on the bottom shelf of the aisle where cooking items are sold.

If you may remember, my Pyrex roasting pan had exploded one year while baking the Easter ham and a decision was made (after checking myself for shrapnel) that I would stay away from glass roasting pans in the future.  I bought a really cheap roasting pan that did not work well at all, so I was on the lookout when I spotted this one at Goodwill.

It was around $12.99 but it was brand new and I noticed the brand name... which led me to put it in my cart immediately.  When I arrived home, I went online to see how much it sold retail and found it to be... get this... $150.00!  I highly suspect this was a gift for someone who didn't cook much and did not realize the value.

So... what about the RESIST in the above post title?

I save money by staying at home more often, which is my best way of resisting (and I do not even look at home shopping networks).  I suppose one would say perusing Amazon's book section would get me into trouble but I only spend when I have credit (Thank You !!!).

I have also learned when I find something cheap at Goodwill or a thrift store, to ask myself if I would buy the object if I had to pay full price (you would be surprised how often that has made me put something back).

I live in a small-ish house so whatever is purchased, no matter how cheap, must have a place to put it.  I also ask myself if I would be willing to part with something else to make room for this object.

This works quite nicely with collections like teacups, for sometimes it is a pattern or style I've been wanting and I would be willing to get rid of another.  Sometimes... not so much.

Another way I have learned to resist is in the area of... food.  Now, I am a foodie who has no intention of recovery and I believe in spending good money on nice quality kitchen tools.  I'm convinced the reason some people think they are not good cooks is their poor quality cookware, knives, etc.

Having said that and knowing from whence I come... another lesson I learned during the non-income years was to make simpler meals more often.  I used to feel I had to make a big meal each and every night (my mother-in-law made three complete meals each day so my husband was spoiled).

Stephanie and I were talking about this recently, how people ate at one time... simple and inexpensive food most of the time and the big meat meal at Sunday Dinner (quite often when they also used their good china each week).

It was easy to resist the lure of the American grocery store when one had little cash on hand.  It forced me to eat lower on the food chain and finding ideas from recipe books from the Depression and other cultures... especially the wonderful Mennonite book called More-With-Less cookbook.  We can chat more about this a little later but it has made a huge difference in our family.

Resisting also means (for me), placing a "ceiling" on where any extra money goes.  I absolutely love to shop in my favorite primitive country store and I believe it is a good thing to support local businesses (many of whom are just hanging on).

I rarely can spend on any medium or big objects, anymore (sigh... just allow a little coveting here) but if I'm given a gift for birthdays or Christmas, I will take just a little money and head for my favorite store.  I know I can't spend much but I will purchase a small candle or as I do this time of year... a bag of the cute little pumpkins I put with dried autumnal items.

Just taking in the scent of the store and looking at the lovely items makes me feel good... even if I cannot spend much.  That has been a lesson learned from lack of extra money.

I resist spending unwisely by going to the Mall or other stores only when I am shopping for a specific item.  When we lived in Detroit, I would go to the mall at least a few days a week in the winter for "mall walking" exercises.  I found that walk to be quite expensive as I often saw something I wanted!

I have learned to think twice before spending money by eating out.  Mostly by choosing to fix something small here at home instead of ordering a pizza just because I am tired.  Eating out is planned for and only when it does not take money from our grocery budget.

That was a huge change from when we had a regular income.  We enjoy eating out but making that decision to have cheese and crackers when tired and letting a meal out be a true "event"... that has been a good way to save.

I have also learned to resist longing for what I don't have by sharing.  A sweet friend treated me to a Starbucks gift card and I thoroughly enjoyed  my first pumpkin spice latte of the season when my husband was at the football game with Christopher on a previous weekend.

This past Saturday, he had a disappointment and was feeling cranky so I stopped by Starbucks and used the remainder of my card for a Venti' pumpkin spice to split and two snacks... it made such a difference in both our attitudes.

One can become money obsessed and fearful when there is not enough income but if we let seasons of lack teach us to be more frugal and creative instead of bitter... that will be good for the entire family.

Re-do, re-use, re-purpose... resist (Three)

I'm still feeling on the queasy side, experiencing chills, and napped for three hours today (count them, THREE)... otherwise I am better.  Except my thinking, which is known to be challenged, anyway.  Stephanie says I was never right again after the baby came.  That being Christopher who will soon turn twenty-one.  Sigh...

All that to say, I want to write what is going through my mind and we will see if the words come together in some sort of readable fashion.  If nothing makes sense, blame the flu symptoms... that sounds good.  To make it simple (for me, not for you), I'm breaking what I wanted to share into more posts... today writing about spending money to save money in the long run.

While I have long known at times it can take a little spending to save, I was inspired by a Nigella episode, you may have seen it recently, where she made very simple cupcakes but placed purchased sugar roses and daisies on each little cake... amazingly beautiful.

Now, one could spend money to learn to make sugar roses and that would be a very good thing.  Not exactly in my future of trying to keep blood sugars level.  However, I checked the price of such sugar flowers and while on the expensive side... combining them with inexpensive cupcakes (or a cake) would be much, much cheaper than buying a bakery cake for a special occasion.

While I make many cakes from scratch, I have also found my family sees the cake part as only the vehicle in which to ingest my homemade butter cream frosting.  Thus, there are times I make cupcakes with an 88 cent box of (you will not believe this)... boxed cake mix.

It's kind of like the day I saw the Pillsbury pie crust box in my mother-in-law's refrigerator.  Hallelujah and Praise the Lord (not out loud because she was a Lutheran and not used to such outbursts of emotion).  My husband's mother was famous for her pies and in her 70s had come to realize she can get by with a really good Pillsbury crust, especially when she is not entering a County Fair contest.  But I digress... as usual...

As you know, I like to buy things as cheap as possible because I have extremely limited funds in which to work.  But sometimes it does pay to... pay.  Especially if the expenditure is for supplies or knowledge or both... which will come together to make it possible for us to make our own at another time... whether that is a dress, a sweater, a meal, a dessert, a garden, or any other infinite number of items we need for our day to day existence.

I was thinking of this last night when I made a late trip to the grocery... to buy Diet Sierra Mist... and I passed the deli section where packages containing deviled eggs were being sold... $5.99 for a dozen deviled eggs... that being $5.99 for six eggs and a combo of mayo and vinegar and a dollop of mustard.  That was the cheapest package of deviled eggs, too.

I thought of the food magazines I had just passed, having stopped to peruse a few dozen since the Holiday Issues are now making their way to the shelves.  If I remember, the most expensive magazine was $7.95 for one of the glitzy issues containing lots of beautiful pictures of the recipes... showing them as they should appear after making or baking or mixing.

The conversation going on in my mind was this... would I rather pay $4.95 to $7.95 for a magazine which will give me at least one recipe to use all year or... $5.99 for six eggs and some condiments (of course, I was there only for my much needed Sierra Mist so neither was purchased).

You see, the magazine is not cheap but it gives one lots of ideas and options to make something for dinner or tea time or to serve before a football game.  Knowledge is a good thing to spend money on and every person who makes a home (single or married, male or female) needs a good reference library which they can peruse when an idea is needed.

If one purchases deviled eggs for a minimum of $5.99, there is nothing to show for that expenditure.  However, if one were to purchase a cookbook or magazine which teaches them how to make deviled eggs... how much will they save over a lifetime of pot lucks?

I know this is but one way of looking at money but when one is rather dizzy, one tries to make it quick and simple so here is my humble opinion...

Budgeting for how-to idea books and magazines and cooking classes and sewing classes and sewing machines and good quality cookware and a chef's knife and yarn and carpenter's tools and gardener's supplies and any other stuff which invests in our doing instead of buying... it is all an investment and not throwing money away.  That is what frugal is all about.

Re-do, re-use, re-purpose... resist (Two)

I know you have seen this before but it is one of my favorite "re-do, re-use, and re-purpose" items.  It was originally a hanging planter on my front porch. When I took the plant out... I found this beautiful ironwork.  :)

The Charlie's Soap is in the cute container... of course.

The above picture is of a spur of the moment re-do that I love.  My laundry area is in the garage and the shelf which held my "laundry stuff" was awful... more than ugly it was horrible.  I suspect it was the original shelf from when the house was built.

I had talked to my husband about taking it down, buying another shelf, and figuring out how to put another up without removing everything around it.  Instead, as I was looking at it one day, I remembered I had leftover shelf liner from when we moved into this house.

Hmmm... it was worth a try and within about twenty minutes... the shelf was transformed.  No buying, no hard work, just using leftovers... more ideas than cash.  :)

I remember Laine (Laine's Letters) writing about the importance of knowing good quality brand names for those times we find them in thrift shops (she knew the Cuisinart she purchased was a newer model in that particular letter).

I have found that to be true from collecting china tea cups and that knowledge was behind the purchase of two china "sets" over the years at Goodwill.  You may recognize the place setting above from the Sunday Afternoon Tea pictures, I purchased it about five years ago.

I was going to just purchase a cup and saucer of this china when I looked at the bottom and saw it was Royal Albert's Lavender Rose pattern.  I added it up (mentally, which is not easy for me) and realized I could get a service for eight... complete with serving pieces... for around $70.00.  The real miracle is I had an extra $70.00 right then!

The silverware in the above picture is from a set of silver plated forks, knives, spoons, etc. I purchased at a garage sale about the same time.

Not too long ago, I came across the above china at Goodwill.  It was beautiful and I knew from the look and feel it was expensive.  Sure enough, as I looked at the stamp on the bottom, it was German Bavarian china (I later found out it is a vintage pattern from the 1930's-40's).

I did purchase just a teacup/saucer and I remember mentioning to God (Whom I talk to while thrifting) that I'd love to have the eight plates and six other teacups-saucers as I had no china that matched my teapot with blue flowers.

How amazing to return on Sr. Citizen Day, when those 55 and older get a huge discount, to find it still there.  That almost never happens with china.  As I told one of the workers I know at Goodwill... it was a sign from Heaven!  So, for a little over a dollar a plate and a dollar per cup/saucer... I have, as my husband would say... even more china.

Did I need it, really?  (I do need to find more of my "Thanksgiving" plates from Johnson Bros.).

No... but I had just received a gift from a friend to do something special and for the price of dinner out, I can set a pretty table for years to come.  I also had a place to store it since I had recently given my sister, Bonnie, thrifted china plates that I knew she would love.

I truly believe God gives us our passions in life and once in awhile, enjoys fulfilling our godly desires.  One of mine happens to be setting a pretty table and I love how He has led me to china, crystal, silver, teapots, teacups, linens, etc. that cost very little cash.

I don't have much room since we moved to our small-ish house in the country.  For that reason, I rarely get tempted by going to garage sales (I didn't go to any this summer).  So it is even more amazing to me how the Creator of the Universe leads and guides little old ME to be in a thrift shop at the right place and right time (and with "extra" cash)... to fulfill a desire of the heart.

He understands having more ideas than cash.  :-)

Re-do, re-use, re-purpose... resist (One)

I've been re-reading Tracey's wonderful books, Frugal Luxuries and Frugal Luxuries by the Season... two of my all time favorite books about combining a frugal lifestyle with elegance and beauty.

One of the suggestions Tracey talks about in both books is using common objects in different ways.  One way I've been able to do this is to invest time and limited funds (when necessary) to learn what others have done through magazines and books (often found used).  Sometimes through TV shows but while cooking shows abound, it is getting harder to find good decorating shows with my taste.

(I must admit that I had to stop watching those househunting shows on HGTV as I was always getting annoyed at whiny people who acted as if houses in general and kitchens in particular were beneath them if they showed a little age.  Years ago that channel decided to go after a younger market and dropped their well loved decorating shows... but I digress.)

I thought I'd share a few things I did recently which reflect living a lifestyle of creativity, especially important when one has more ideas than cash. I'll show more in my next post.

I had seen a drawer like this only recently in a magazine.  In the article, it was mentioned that they sold for $20.00 to $25.00 apiece.  I found this on Saturday for $2.00 at Goodwill.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.  To better fit my kitchen, I turned the more elegant side of the drawer toward the back and displayed the simpler side.

Perhaps someday it will be used in another room in all its' glory but for now I love having all my most used condiments handy when cooking.  I'm so glad I had seen someone using drawers in a creative way in magazines.

Another re-do and re-purpose this week was in the kitchen.  I used the filling recipe from my favorite cherry cheesecake pie in a parfait.  The story is all found on my recipe blog... here.

I also made lemon verbena vinegar using the same "recipe" as for the basil vinegar... here.  The herb was removed this morning (after two weeks) and I could hardly wait to get a spoon and take a tiny sip of the lemon verbena vinegar... oh, yum.  I still have another bottle of vinegar in the pantry and lemon verbena in the garden.  I can see them coming together soon.

More later...

Filing my way to wisdom

The last paper was filed yesterday evening.  The last coupon cut and filed in its' proper place (a former greeting card folder) this morning. 

For five seconds I am caught up but as you know... filing and organizing is like laundry.  When one folds the final t-shirt to put away in the drawer, clothing has already been tossed in the hamper.  But for five seconds... it is a thing of beauty.

Some wonder why I take the time and effort to have a filing system.  It all started with Anne Ortlund back in the 1970s.  Yes... I am that old mature.

Anne was one of the authors instrumental in forming my thinking and doing as a young woman... and a fairly new Christian.  Especially her book Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman.  In it, she explains how having a good filing system set up to place articles we've read, notes we have taken, Bible studies, etc. will benefit us in gaining wisdom and knowledge.

Anne also taught about the "notebook" concept in this book, long before many of us were carrying Day-Timers or any other notebook organizer.  I started using her notebook suggestions while working in a corporation and I look back on that one habit (other than lots of prayer) in my success in organization development... especially the year I went from being an assistant to becoming the temporary department head!

For many years, especially when life was moving at the speed of light and I had young children to watch over, my favorite reading was to take out one of my file folders and read through articles for information and encouragement.  After all, everything there was of great interest and better than a book written just for me.

Some of my file titles will help to explain...

• Decorating clippings
• Decorating articles
• Christmas clippings
• Christmas articles
• Christmas crafts
• Living the simple life - stories
• Living the simple life - how to
• Tea Time - recipes and pictures
• Tea Time - articles
• Gardening - Outside
• Gardening - Inside
• Gardening - People who garden
• Crafts - Children
• Crafts - Quilting
• Crafts - Patterns (from magazines)
• Education - Homeschooling Stories
• Education - Curriculum Ideas
• Education - Early Childhood
• Homemaking - Ideas
• Homemaking - Stories and articles
• Homemaking - Laine's Letters
• Housekeeping - Ideas
• Recipes - To try someday
• Recipes - To try soon
• Recipes - Gift ideas
• Bible Studies - (various files)

These are just some of the files I've accumulated through the years but I think it gives you an idea why I say one can "file their way to wisdom".  For most of the years I've kept files, they came from various magazine and newspaper articles.  Eventually, they also included computer printouts.

I still have articles and clippings from the 1970s (through today) but not too long ago, I made it a major project to skim each file folder to toss those I no longer needed or wanted.  It was one of those "deep in winter" projects when there were no outside chores needing my attention.  It would have been much easier to take one subject a week but I think I was in a mood to downsize at the time.

Another author who writes about gaining wisdom through filing is Elizabeth George.  She received a recommendation from an older godly woman to create what she calls Five Fat Files in the five areas she wanted to gain expertise.  In her book, A Woman After God's Own Heart, she says her books came about as a result of putting together and studying these files.

I love Elizabeth's books and I gain so much wisdom from her but this is one area I didn't entirely agree... at least for my own life.  She says our Five Fat Files should be about spiritual subjects while my files (more than five) are about all aspects of life... but I understand where she was coming from as she was saying we should choose five areas to become proficient in and develop expertise.  As a Bible teacher, hers are all spiritual.

My organization of papers and such also includes having a place (the antique chamber cabinet) which holds my materials for writing letters, greeting cards, and other correspondence needs.  I've also written about having a quiet time basket which holds my Bible, my current devotional (always holding My Utmost for His Highest and The Valley of Vision), as well as any nonfiction book I'm reading at the time for spiritual wisdom.

Becoming more organized began as a young woman who was combining working outside the home with being a wife and mom and Bible teacher at church, later as a full time homeschooler, and now as one who has limited energy and finances.  For whatever reason, gaining knowledge and wisdom is a lifetime activity and being able to go to a file (or many files in some cases) about a subject is worth every moment of setting it up in the first place.

Parenting Ponderings Part Two

To continue my ponderings...

Recently I was reminded of the generation that came before mine, that one they call "The Greatest Generation". Not that they were perfect but they had character traits you don't find as much today... those traits of patience, perseverance, willingness to work hard to achieve a goal, doing without today to pay cash later, and understanding the importance of friendships and family.

They may have been the most amazing generation since that one which became disgruntled with The Mother Country and rebelled. (Which is, by the way, why Americans became coffee drinkers... that whole British tea thing... or at least that is the legend... but I digress.)

We should not be astonished that the generation became "The Greatest" if character is built by going through the fire of adversity. These people lived through the Great Depression, a World War (and the older among them went through two WORLD WARS), not to mention many were born when their families still went to church on Sunday morning with a horse and buggy and lived to see man walk on the moon and beyond... like my mother. Talk about culture shock.

I love to study about World War II, so does Christopher... which is why we spent two years reading about it for our history classes and never reached the Pacific Theater! I love old WWII movies, especially when they star strong men like The Duke. I enjoy reading British books about families that lived through WWII. Homemaking and cookbooks written during that era never cease to amaze me with the creativity in making something out of nothing.

Now, I'm not wanting to paint a romantic picture of a Walton's style family but we could use some Ma and Pa Walton's wisdom once in awhile these days. All I'm saying is this... I hear a lot from people who are concerned about their children because they are going through such struggles in their life.

Instead of seeing the struggles as a problem... view them as opportunities to work together as a family. Young people will learn a lot as they see their parents becoming people of faith, creativity, and perseverance.

Christopher and I were recently pondering who among his homeschooled friends were already showing signs of turning away from all they had learned at home... and those who were starting marriage or further education carrying on their parent's beliefs. He was surprised that those who were making the best transition into adulthood were from large rural families.

I'm not, knowing many of these families. They had to work together, learn to communicate (and there was a lot of sibling rivalry!), raise food and cook together, many were involved in 4-H and church activities as a family. There were no perfect people or perfect families but Life prepared them for their adult years.

I've seen a few kids "go prodigal" but return to the nest after realizing the big beautiful world is not quite as pretty or as special as HOME. To be honest, the moms and dads in these families learned as much as the children... especially about grace and forgiveness (and some of it was forgiving themselves).

As for me and my house... well, I pray a lot! :)

Picture: Building Memories; allposters.com

Parenting Ponderings - Part One

I was thinking about the recent post about raising kids when the three of us were having another heated discussion over lunch. Not heated as in arguing (much)... heated as in three opinions on a hot subject merging together to understand each other. That being stem cell research.

As one who suffers greatly from a disease stem cell research might cure, I could be the middle man (middle mom?) and think through how people may feel one way or another. Of course, all three of us are pro life and always filter discussions through those lens but I love to look at how others come to their conclusions (via their own worldview). It's a little harder for my black and white, perfectionist, engineer husband to even admit there are areas of gray in any argument. :)

As both my kids grew older, I think they knew there were no subjects we couldn't discuss. It didn't matter if I homeschooled all day or all the hours they were home (for we are all homeschoolers even if we don't teach their math and science)... I wanted our life together to be a continuous conversation... and a safe place for ideas, questions, and thinking out loud.

As I look back, there are a few things I realize turned out good that didn't look that way as we were going through them. As a young wife and mom, I had a mental blueprint of the kind of life I wanted to live in which I would bring up my many children. Life didn't follow as I thought... one child in Heaven, another born the next year... the third coming along twelve years later (God had to laugh at that one as he planned Christopher's arrival).

I can also say in fifty-plus years of living, I have never lived one perfect day. I thought I would, at one time I assumed there would come a time in my life when circumstances would be perfect and that would be best for the children. It never happened... and once I realized it wouldn't then I could relax a little and enjoy life as it was and not the way I wanted it to be.

As it turned out, the very challenges we met through the years were the seeds planted which produced two great adults now... my kids. How I thank God now that our quest for professional and financial blessings did not happen as we thought and we found instead that the journey was the blessing... not anything we would achieve (or not). :)

I should have known. God placed a man and woman in Perfection. He was the perfect "parent". They still rebelled... which gives relief and hope to any parent who has done all they could and children still flee the nest to go their own way... and have to learn for themselves before returning to open arms and forgiveness... just as He meets us when we return.

There is something about human nature that brings us together as we must meet the challenges of this world as a family. This is the schoolroom where children learn the lessons needed for life as they work with us to provide food by planting a garden or watching for bargains, care for the loved one who is ill, pray for the one whose place at the table is empty (whether a child or a parent who has gone prodigal).

It is good when kids learn to pray for Dad's safe arrival home when work demands a great deal of travel, to pick flowers for a depressed neighbor, read a book to one whose eyes have grown dim, bring water to the one with a fever, and mostly... watching how parents (grandparents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins, neighbors) meet the challenges found so often in life.

Of course, those times of "success" can bring their own challenges as we have busy schedules and travel or two jobs (Mom and Dad) and all the juggling that takes. We've had seasons of life where there was "more than enough" financially as well as having lived in a large house (exactly the floor plan I'd always wanted).

Keeping children grounded can be even more difficult in affluent neighborhoods when everyone around them finds happiness and satisfaction in what the world offers. To be honest, I found keeping the family close was easier in the lean years with less distractions offered for our time and money. My daily mantra during the lean days has been... "Let's see what miracle God does today!".

Sigh... I'm still pondering and this is far from finished. Part Two tomorrow? That is, if anyone really cares for I am just thinking out loud while typing. :)

Picture: I'm Suzy Book2

Pantry talk: Encouragement for the homemaking library

This post was sparked by a conversation I had recently with my son. He was telling me how his friends still talk about his graduation party last year, not only how much fun they had but that it had the "best food" of many graduation parties (most professionally catered).

Well, I had put that party together at the very last minute and mostly from the pantry. What his statement made me realize was that having stuff in the pantry alone is only part of the story... it was thirty plus years of learning and experience that made it possible to "cater my own party" (and Stephanie's wedding open house many years ago that we worked on together).

It all started long ago... as a young homemaker, I read an article that changed my life. No, really... it was that profound. I don't even remember which of the many authors I admire wrote it. What was said was this... we must view our role as homemakers in the same way we would any profession and budget time and money for "continuing education".

The author actually encouraged the watching of cooking and decorating shows (within reason, of course), as well as to build a homemaking library. She helped me realize budgeting for cake decorating... flower arranging... cooking... quilting... interior decorating... and perhaps even a few carpentry... classes was a good thing for they help me be creative and go far beyond day to day household maintenance as a homemaker.

How wonderful it was to be given permission to learn and to study... not only permission but encouragement to "sit at the feet" (so to speak) of those who have gone before me to learn how to be a creative cook... and baker... and homemaker... and home educator... and umm... gardener (we're still learning those skills). We become excellent at what we do over and over and to the extent we spend time learning the necessary skills.

Of course, classes and books read will change throughout the years. All my favorite homeschool books are now on shelves in New England. Any books I owned about raising small children are long gone. Grandmothering is different than mothering, at least when you only see your grandchildren once a year... I just hug and smootch and spoil. :)

I decided a picture truly is worth a thousand words so I went around the house snapping little sections of FIVE bookshelves. I thought they would give a good representation of my "spiritual", household, and cooking collections. As usual... they can be enlarged by clicking on them if you are really nosey... I mean curious.

I had to use the flash a few times... sorry for the reflection.









Besides books, I think cooking magazines are a real bargain in the long run and good for new cooks since they give pictures. There are so many magazines on the shelves, it is possible to find great recipes for the way each of us cooks. I like Paula... can we say butter???

I have a stack of favorites on the bottom shelf where I keep cookbooks. Below is just a representation:


I have also found gardening and decorating magazines to be very helpful. I have purchased a favorites over the years but I've found a lot on the free magazine rack at the library.

I particularly enjoy articles about how people cook, decorate, and garden in their own homes.

Added: Many of these books were purchased at library sales through the years. I've found great cookbooks at garage sales, too.

Creating instead of complaining

As you can probably tell, I had my camera out recently taking pictures of anything and everything that came across my path. I even have a picture of my neighbor's dog trying to drive their pickup truck. :)

Anyway... as much as I love my small-ish house in the country, there are a few things I miss about the Colonial we had to give up after a serious financial reversal. Perhaps what I miss most is all the counter space I had in the kitchen. So, I decided to stop whining and get creative.

The foot pedal (unseen here) is home for a basket of root veggies.

I "borrowed" (theft is more likely the truth but is it really theft when it is yours in the first place?) the old sewing machine table from Christopher's room since he isn't using it, anymore.

There is a drawer in the island which holds
my favorite apron, cookie cutters, and phone charger...

The mini butcher block island which used to stand against the wall was moved to the middle of the kitchen. It was originally purchased years ago (on clearance!) when we lived in a townhouse. I've wanted to use it again as an island but I wasn't sure how it would function in this small kitchen.

I must say it has worked out very nicely once we got used to negotiating around it. Since it has wheels, it can be moved when necessary.


I've shown this red bookcase before but it is a great illustration of using old furniture in new ways. It was the bookcase in my husband's bedroom from elementary school through college. He doesn't remember why it was red, as it is not a color found elsewhere in his parent's home. However, it is perfect for my vintage kitchen.

In a former home, it held homeschool books and supplies. That's why there is a pencil sharpener attached (which David found fascinating when he was here).

I'm so glad I decided to get creative instead of stomping my feet and complaining. :)

Ponderings on household maintenance

A dear friend stopped by this morning to bring spices over that she is not packing for a move. She and her husband are in the midst of whirlwind changes in their life, just as their last child graduated from college and got married... they are walking through an open door "back" to Europe. (He is British, she an American but they have lived overseas much of their married life.)

It's just amazing how everything they have been through in their lives have led to this moment to work with a small university in a formerly war torn country and brings with it an opportunity to minister in a country which is mostly Muslim. They had planned to return to Sierra Leone at this time in life but God had other plans.

She was offered a job for which she has experience but she turned it down... both she and her husband deciding she will be of much more value being available to show hospitality both to students and others in the community. (She has decided to take her old "Biscuit Tin" with her to have something to offer with tea when someone stops by.)

I will miss them very much. We both shed tears as we hugged at the door of my home, talking about how she has been there at times I needed her (like when I was packing a four bedroom Colonial house to move to Detroit... very ill with what we learned was diabetes).

Anyway, she and I were talking about their house selling quickly to open the way for their departure. I was telling her about another home I knew which is in horrible shape even though those who live there should know better... I mean filthy and horrible condition. They couldn't sell it now until it went through a complete remodeling job.

She reminded me both of the parents work full time and I know they spend most of their evenings away from home, too. There is no one in the family who has seen the importance of housework... both small and large throughout the years. When we first met the family, the house was known as always being messy and cluttered... not very clean both inside or out. Many years later, the deterioration is quite evident.

I am reminded of Edith Schaeffer's section of one of her books where she talks about the necessity of someone caring about the home (as she said, sometimes it can be the husband when the wife is going through a very busy season and he has more time).

The timing of our conversation was interesting to me as I had just spent the past week doing little maintenance and organization projects. I don't have the energy to do a huge project so I must work with many small projects spread out over time. Just this morning I took the broom to the walls and ceilings of a few rooms as I noticed an amazing amount of spiderwebs having popped up this week (which makes me wonder where all those spiders are). It took five minutes since it was caught early.

Stephanie teased me about washing dishes so often... okay, so she'd put a glass down and it was washed... but I shared with her that is the way I keep the kitchen clean enough to want to cook and bake in. I've found in the years I've lived with no dishwasher that as long as I soak the dishes in hot, soapy water for about half an hour I can quickly wash them and let them dry in the drainer... especially in the morning and evening and more if I'm doing much baking.

My sink is too small and there is very little counter space to let them stack up for one big dish washing... and I know if I entered the kitchen where it was very cluttered I wouldn't want to spend any time there.

Of course, I'm not talking about keeping the house so pristine no one can be creative or feel comfortable. I've been in my friend's house many times (the one who was here this morning) and while it is clean and well maintained (and very cute), it was obviously lived in... especially when their daughters were home. :)

I thought of that when I saw the evidence of Christopher's being back home this weekend... a sink full of glasses (he has this thing against using the same glass twice, even if he's immediately pouring another glass of milk!) and his computer and textbooks being all over the family room table this morning. That kind of clutter shows me another person lives here.

No... what I'm talking about is the necessity for keeping the house clean and well maintained as life is being lived (and the outside, too, of course). One can't enjoy a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table when the dirty breakfast dishes are still sitting there hours later or the walls are covered with dirt.

We had many, many years when we both worked outside the home but I'm very thankful that my husband cared enough about maintenance that we both made time to clean and organize. We had a couple rental houses that were in better condition when we left than when we moved in. Like Edith Schaeffer also said in her books, a sign that Christians dwell in a home should be that is is clean and beautiful. (Hmmm... can you tell who was my foremost mentor in homemaking?)

Now I must practice what I preach. Hubby is due home this evening and I need to finish the small amount of work necessary to finish organizing the office. The air is much less humid today so I will spend a little time in the garage decluttering. Unfortunately, it tends to get out of hand each winter (when I don't do the necessary maintenance in cold weather).

It reminds me of the old saying "a stitch in time saves nine". Regular maintenance is so much easier to handle and quite often saves money, too. I'll remember that when I walk out in the garage later today... sigh.

Picture: Attractive Housewife: allposters.com

Spring cleaning

I'll have another post soon about the all the lovely book ideas from last week's, I heart hobbit houses. If you want to read the comments or add another (as I'm gong to be checking back as long as I'm getting more ideas from you all), you can click on the above link. I've seen a few old friends (authors and titles) but I'm also excited there are unread volumes to discover. :)

The past few weeks have found me on a schedule of work and rest and work and rest. It's amazing what one can accomplish a little at a time.

I thought I had a sinus infection but my doctor tells me I've developed seasonal allergies. I talked to him during my usual three month diabetes appointment and A1C blood draw (that sounds horrible) on Friday. He gave me samples of allergy medicine that have worked (so far). Yesterday I could actually breath and my head didn't ache as much. :)

We try to deep clean and declutter twice a year, in fall and in spring. By the end of winter, we are paying for our squirrel-like tendencies to accumulate and keep everything that has come in over the past few months. It has something to do with the cold and dark that comes with the season. That and the cold garage where we quickly take an item out, scurrying back into the warmth of the house.

Spring brings with it light flowing in through windows. It tends to land on those corners where books and papers are stacked, literally bringing to light winter's clutter. There is also something that wakes up inside of us, shaking off the need to hold "things" close, exchanging it for a desire to shed excess. When one lives in a small house without a basement... that is a good thing.

If you came to visit us during this time you would have found stacks of "stuff" on the dining room table, on the floor, in our bedroom, and bookshelves all askew as I'm deciding what "has to go". Yes, it has been a mess that has caused a twitch every time I walked in the door.

I have to admit, this is the part of "keeping house" I don't like at all. This whole process of sorting and deciding what stays and what goes... it gives me a headache without the allergies. I enjoy organizing things... just not all this major deep cleaning and decluttering.

I took my husband on a little tour this morning, showing him everything that I'd accomplished. (I loved it when Laine said she did this with her husband as they often don't recognize the effort after it is all complete.)

The garage is next but it is not as bad as last year. We've been able to keep the pantry area sorted and my other garage shelves remained rather unscathed this winter. That's not to say there isn't work but I think we can get through it the same day. Now that we have warmer weather, I will also take everything out of the deep freeze to check what needs to be used soon and take inventory.

Most of the filters have been changed... the well filters in the crawl space, the incoming well filter underneath the sink, two of the three Culligan filters, and the furnace filter. The rocking chair has been moved to the front porch, along with a couple real plants and the silk geraniums (washed free of last year's dust). The two small deck tables are still in the shed, awaiting their washing.

Perhaps we'll find ourselves remembering fondly when the cold winds blew against the windows, making it necessary to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Perhaps someday but not now... I'm enjoying the warmth and light too much and I'll take the work that comes with it. :)

Note: My apologies to mothers of preschoolers who can no longer remember what it was like to clean and declutter... and have it stay that way for more than five minutes. I have been there. That season does pass. Honest. Really.

Homemaking as an Art

I spent hours this week creating... changing the dining area to make a home for the beautiful (and free!) piece of furniture, thinking of ways to declutter, switching out photos in frames, uploading and downloading and generally making the laptop my own, spending time in the kitchen as defrosted chicken and beef were turned into delicious (if I must say so myself) meals, making a cake at the last minute to cheer up my son, arranging daffodils in a vase to place in the kitchen as a cheerful reminder Spring is here even if it is snowing... those little acts of creativity Edith Schaeffer refers to as "Hidden Art".

How many times have I talked about the joy of walking through the front door (especially when the dining table has a pretty centerpiece instead of stacks of papers!). My home is a canvas where I can bring everything together that reflects who live here and as that also involves two men... pretty pink things are only in my tiny bathroom and behind china cabinet windows. My guys don't "do pink". However, they both (I think) appreciate the other feminine touches found in each room.

Long before Stephanie earned a Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, I gave her my decorating mantra over and over... if you love it then it will probably look good together. Rarely has that not worked in my home. My living room and dining area reflect a combination of English Country (with the silver, china, flowers, lace, and all things "tea time") and Early American with a little Primitive. We love the earth tones, deep jewel colors, and inherited antiques.

I've only been to Stephanie's home once since she moved to New England (as I've said before, I don't travel well) but I remember walking through it for the first time and smiling as the "decorating" reflected her love of the same vintage and "tea time" items I appreciate but... reflecting the other section of the paint chips... light, white, creamy, airy, open spaces, and child proofed.

One of my favorite sections of Edith's books was her description of her weekly bread baking session... taking raw dough and making it into bread, buns, orange rolls, braided sweet breads, and kneading dried fruit into the dough to make a special dessert bread. That one part of just one chapter in an entire book dedicated to the creativity of homemaking best describes the joy of creating in the kitchen.

A blessing we can give our children (especially daughters as they are most often the chief cook and bottle washers later) is the gift of basic cooking skills upon which they can draw upon to take it to the next level of creativity... becoming artists in the kitchen.

To be able to create delicious breads from one recipe as Edith did, take leftovers from the refrigerator and transform them into soups and stews, skim over the available pantry shelves and come away with the ingredients for an Italian pasta dinner, or walk by each booth at the farmer's market making a mental menu from the available fresh picked foods... an artist with an apron tied around one's waist.

I have friends who are Monets in the garden... in whose yards I find joy and peace as I view the colorful blossoms and greenery combined to form Beauty everyone who knows them can enjoy. I'm not such an artist but I do enjoy planting beautiful flowers in containers on my front porch and deck, those blossoms that are little touches of leftover Eden.

I truly believe there is a reason most of us are drawn to books and video about cooking, baking, growing vegetables or flowers or fruit, decorating, sewing, knitting, quilting, needlework, scrapbooking, building things, decluttering and cleaning, making our own healthy and environmentally safe cleaners, and other forms of "Hidden Art".

What sparked these particular ponderings? It was (finally) getting the antennae installed and receiving PBS again... especially the channel that shows cooking and gardening shows. I first have my morning quiet time and then go through the house with a basic cleaning and decluttering. I make a smoothie or scramble eggs for Christopher before he leaves and think through what will be needed for any cooking and baking that day. (My husband likes to make his own breakfast.) Then I can relax and enjoy a few half hour how-to shows. Even though I've been married over thirty years, there is so much to learn about creating a home. Time well spent as they give me not only knowledge but inspiration.

It doesn't matter if we are at home full time or only a few hours each evening and weekends. There is no difference if we are single or married, have no children or many, own a house or rent a room... we are all making some kind of a home. How lovely to live during a time where we have so many ways to continue our homemaking education... from TV and video, to informative books, and magazine articles filled with photos and articles by people who teach and inspire. Not to mention the many blogs created by those who are artists in the home.

The world outside may be chaotic and uncertain but what a lovely gift we give ourselves and family when we can walking through the front door and find a place that brings us peace and joy.

As for me today... there is laundry, and the always filling sink of dishes, some necessary dusting, taking the MAAS silver cream out of the drawer to polish tarnish off a few trays, thinking through what must be defrosted for the weekend's meals, and perhaps beginning to pick up broken tree branches and small limbs in the yard... leftovers of Winter storms.

But time will be made to watch Jacques Pepin teach quick and healthy meals and then peruse a few decorating blogs for ideas and inspiration.... continuing education I enjoy. :)

Calendar art

I used my Amazon widget credit received in November to purchase a beautiful Lang calendar for my kitchen. (Thank you, again!)

I usually wait to see what the stores are selling half price after the new year (and for two years, have purchased a Susan Branch calendar). However, I thought a wise use of credit would be to purchase a Lang calendar as I love the pictures and the big spaces for writing appointments and such.

Although purchased through Amazon with the credit, I did my research at the Lang website and found this beautiful calendar based on the 23rd Psalm (at the Lang site, you can see each page of a calendar close up).
Lady Lydia had mentioned in a post (not too long ago) that people used to cut out pictures from magazines and such to use as "art" because they were pretty. I remember back when homemakers did such a thing.

I have cut out pictures (and well loved post cards and greeting cards) taped to the inside of kitchen cabinets... along with my favorite cookie and bread recipe. Of course, now I keep favorite magazine pictures filed for my scrapbook journals.

I also like to use art from calendars and I keep my beautiful calendars for awhile in case I want to frame them someday.

One of my favorite artists is Robert Duncan, the picture below is from one of his calendars from a few years ago, taped on the back of a used mat. The frame and mat were purchased at a thrift store (or garage sale, can't remember now) without any art in it. Beautiful art in my home for just a few dollars (his matted art is very expensive!).

With so many calendars available right now, you can enjoy your favorite artist throughout the year and then mat the "art" later... or immediately. :)

More ponderings about patience and kids

So... I was thinking about Christopher's education yesterday and thought you might be interested in Stephanie's school years since she was not homeschooled.

She grew up with me quoting two important truths over and over. The first... a scripture... "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall". The second... a quote that came from a class I took on Biblical gifts... "within every gift there is an inherent weakness".

Stephanie was just scary smart. I mean... really... she was brilliant. Before the grandchildren came along that is but I'd rather her have lots of beautiful children than be brilliant anymore. Now she's just very smart.

Her father used to take credit for this, saying it was all those brewers yeast shakes he made me throughout my pregnancy (yuk, phew, gross). Since this was my second pregnancy and we were being very careful not to go into preterm labor again (Matthew was already waiting for us in Heaven), I was doing everything to be healthy. If you've ever tasted brewer's yeast, you know one must be determined.

I, on the other hand, would take credit for her brilliance because of all the early childhood education stuff we did together. Of course, the truth really is that any gift is from God and we did know that all along.

Stephanie was the opposite of her brother (who is taking an additional year at the junior college to prepare him better in math and science... and then will transfer to the university), she was an early reader and excelled in every aspect of school. She graduated from high school at the end of her junior year (skipping her senior year) and tested out of most of her freshman year of college (Interior Design students must attend four years regardless, though). Almost everyone who knew her were appalled at her decision to study design when she could have been a lawyer, or a doctor, or a scientist, or something else she didn't want to be.

For the most part, the public school systems she was involved in did mostly good and little harm. She had some great teachers. So what I had to work on the most with her was, as a parent, helping her to see her gift for what it was worth and how to best use it. To be honest, the only "homeschooling" we did was during her summers when I encouraged the reading of great books. When we were in Iowa, I even set up a payment schedule as goals to help her out of the Mandy books and into great Russian novels and the like.

Where Christopher's challenges gave him great empathy for others, Stephanie's giftedness made it difficult to put herself in the shoes of one who struggled. She was such a sweet girl (and still is, I have to say) that I'd find myself praying for her over and over that she'd develop real mercy for others. That's when she'd hear the two quotes from me mentioned above.

The inherent weakness of those academically gifted? They just can't comprehend that others don't find learning easy so they don't have patience with anyone learning anything new... whether at school, at home, with friends, or family.

How did God answer my prayers. Well, a couple of ways. Another prayer I'd lifted up on High for her since she was born was for her future husband. I was praying for the world's best son-in-law since he was just a little guy!

Stephanie's life experiences... the good (her giftedness) and the not so good (our many moves, financial challenges, and her dad's health problems) all came together to make her a perfect helpmeet for her husband. Neither are perfect people but both are perfect for each other.

Hehehe, the other way God answered my prayers. He gave her children. Imperfect, albeit adorable, children. The baby stages... the toddler stages... the whiny five year old stage... oh, yes, there is nothing like having a child (whether one or many) to bring humility into one's life.

Humility... and compassion. Today my daughter is one of the most loving and giving people I know on this planet.

You see my friends, even if we don't officially "homeschool", we are teaching our children. Those inherent weaknesses we see at age three, and five, and fifteen... God lets us pray about all those years and do everything we can... ready for His use in His time.

Yesterday I called Stephanie and a little voice answered (knowing from the cell phone that it was me)... "Grammie, are you FEELING BETTER?". I told Miss E. that yes, indeed, I was much better and asked if she had been praying for me. She said she had and I was able to tell her that prayer works. Does it get any better than that? Knowing how you brought up your children... as imperfect as you are and as imperfect as you lived... God is using to prepare the next generation. :)

Picture: Bedtime Story; allposters.com

Not seeing the clutter

Slowly but surely... that's how I've been decluttering the house in the past two days. I sat on my sofa in the living room yesterday morning, while enjoying my morning quiet time (which I've neglected lately). While reading, I kept getting this sense that something just wasn't... right. Finally, I took a good look around the room and saw books on the floor that I'd sorted and a grocery bag of toddler clothes I'd purchased at a garage sale for Matthew at least six weeks ago.

The hutch was full of seasonal items that needed attention and the dining table held stacks of books (a perennial challenge in this house). The items on the living room carpet, between a chair and the bookcase, have been there for weeks. Unfortunately, one gets so used to objects in a room that they become almost invisible... except to anyone else coming into the house.

I immediately straightened everything and put them where they belonged (except a few items on the table). It didn't take long and I was wondering why I didn't do it sooner. Of course, I was busy at work but even then... they had been there long before that. It is just that the eye started looking past the clutter.

For most of the year, I keep a bowl of nuts in their shells on the corner of my family room coffee table. Yesterday, I decided I needed that wooden bowl to place some fresh Michigan apples in... not only to look pretty but to encourage healthy snacking. So I placed the nuts that still looked good in a Zip Lock bag and threw away the rest.

I mentioned it to my husband that evening and he asked me, "what nuts?". Honestly, he didn't remember that bowl being there at the corner of the coffee table! Which explains why they had not been touched in the past couple of months. They've been there so long that they, too, became invisible... just another knick knack to be dusted, I guess...

This has made me look at each room as if I were a stranger. The very next thing I did was to downsize papers and magnets from the side of the refrigerator where I keep... papers and magnets. I think they propagated on their own.

I'll be starting some more deep cleaning to prepare for the new season but everything already looks much better just by seeing the house through a set of "new" eyes. :)

Photo: Country Armoire; allposters.com

The official end of summer

For the past few years, the official end of summer at my house is not a holiday but "Book Rush" at the bookstore. It is two to three weeks of chaos and frenzy followed by time on the sofa watching DVD's (or napping)!

In the past, this is how I earned my money to purchase items on my Priority List. This year the income will go to food and gasoline. Now that is what I call a priority. :)

Part of the paycheck from the last Book Rush went to the purchase of new cookware. Kathleen asked for a reminder of what I had purchased. It is quite difficult to believe I've had them for six months now! I LOVE them! After thirty-four years of keeping house, I am convinced owning good quality cookware (knives, etc.) is necessary to enjoy the process of cooking. I've cooked with cheap cookware and that is when food gets burned easily.

I had budgeted to purchase a complete set of Wolfgang Puck cookware on sale (my daughter likes her Wolfgang Puck set and I have an omelet pan of his, purchased at Goodwill, that works great). However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized what I needed was not in the set. Here is what I ended up buying: 1 Cuisinart 12" skillet; one Cuisinart 12" saute pan with lid; and I purchased on sale... one All Clad large saucepan. I could only afford it because it was one of the kitchen store's specials that month for about $90.00. They later told me they put one All Clad product at a great sale price each month.

The Cuisinart pans are made for the home cook rather than the restaurant chef but I find mine work very well. The 12" skillet and 12" saute pan are the best to purchase since they are nice and big. That was the reason I decided against getting a set of anything, none of them came with a 12" pan (at least at the time). I didn't want the nonstick interior and as long as I've sprayed them with something like Pam or poured a little oil on the bottom, I've never had anything stick. I can also saute items or add other ingredients and then pop it all in the oven. For the three items, I paid what I brought home from one week's work at the bookstore. Money well earned...

What can I say about All Clad? There's a reason that is the choice of professional chefs throughout this county. It's simply wonderful to work with. (Same with Henckle and Wusthof knives). I have heard, though, that a lot of professional chefs buy inexpensive omelet pans with a nonstick finish because they get beat up quickly regardless of price. I can see that as in my own home, with just three of us, we go through omelet pans and have to replace them every few years. Although, the Wolfgang Puck omelet pan that I found at Goodwill is holding up great.

My other cookware item that I use all the time, every day in cold weather, is my ancient Le' Cruset dutch oven. It's chipped now and the outside discolored but it still works fine. It was a gift for my 10th anniversary (yes, we just celebrated our 34th year).

Kathleen, I hope that answers your question! :)

I also hope you all had a chance to click on some of the links at the end of my previous post about my Scrapbook Journal. They will take you to many lovely pictures to inspire you to put together your own. My original scrapbook is about eight years old and I love to get it out and look through the pictures when I need something beautiful to think about. I don't actually write in it, it is all magazine pictures and poetry I've printed out. My scrapbook journal is fairly new. I find I write in it a lot some weeks and then set it aside for others. At least when I want to write in it, it is ready.

Picture: Under the Sunflowers by Robert Duncan; allposters.com