What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Wanna peruse with me?

I have an urge to blog but my computer isn't letting me upload any photos!! How cruel is that?

I think this will be the first post without a photo in years. I can't remember the last time I did something horrendous like that. :-)

Instead of pictures, I will just shoot this post up with bullets.

  • Thursday, though I was sicker than a dog and could barely get off the couch, I am proud to say, not once did I resort to movies as babysitters.

  • Friday morning I was feeling a bit better-but still not on par when Matt took off work (even though I yelled at him for doing it) in order to help me. We didn't do schoolwork Friday either. Around lunchtime, Matt was doing dishes and said "I'm telling you. I don't know HOW you manage to do all this in a day, let alone with a full day of homescooling. How do you do it?!" *sigh* Every woman's dream: their work to be acknowledged.

  • That said, he would be MIGHTY impressed with my day yesterday. Not only did we do a stand-up job of schooling, I exercised in the afternoon, washed and hung two loads of wash, did animal chores, sorted 5 bushels of apples, nursed a baby-lots, swept the floor, washed a gazzillion dishes-cooking and canning ones, made French toast for breakfast and caramel apple porkchops for supper, made and canned 28 quarts of applesauce, and stayed (relatively) sane all day!

  • We finally started up the woodstove. It was getting downright frigid there. PA isn't exactly known for its tropical climate even in summer, let alone mid-October. brrrr. There is nothing that smells so wonderful as the first fire of the season.

  • With the onset of cold, rainy October weather, I have been using the dryer more. I had forgotten how EASY and FAST it is to toss clothes in a dryer and push a button. Wow. Welcome back to the 21st century Rebecca. (This said from a woman who just gathered jeans off the line.)

  • I mailed off Judah's birth announcements when he was a month old. Now the world knows how pathetic I am.

  • Andrew picked the book BARNYARD IN YOUR BACKYARD to look at during rest time the other day and came out thoroughly educated on the kidding of goats. It just so happens to have the whole process in illustrations! (JOY!) When my in-laws stopped by for a visit, he told them in amazed tones about how baby goats come out of their Mamas bum. I then proceeded to bury my head in the sand. I wonder: does that count for health class? Anyone, anyone?

  • I have been in a crafting rut since Judah has been born. I have either lacked time or energy (or both) to get any crafty things made and maybe my lack of gumption has also affected my lack of inspiration. No longer!! I got the Magic Cabin catalog in the mail the other day and, as usual with Magic Cabin, my inspiration tank is now spilling over.

I don't generally allow toy catalogs in the house (because why tempt the kids to be greedy? And why set them up for disappointment? I wouldn't spend a DIME on the things in most toy catalogs.) Magic Cabin and Hearthsong (and Vision Forum, if that counts as a toy catalog) are my few exceptions. The two former for the sole purpose of stealing ideas. Am I the only one who does this? Pours over a catalog and says "I wanna make THAT and I wanna make THAT. Oh YES-that too!!) Is it worrisome to immediately think about making it yourself instead of buying it? ? ? ? ? ? nah.

Wanna see some of the things that made me gasp? Things you might just see Newman versions of in the future? (Prepare to be inundated!)

This Classic Cloak would NOT just be for dressup if I know MY girl.

These toad stools are beyond cute.

This Fairy Forest Home ingeniously uses silk gauze and would be a quick, fun project but what I ReALLY wanna tackle is THIS Tree Fort. I nearly died when I saw it.

This Christmas Pocket Gnome is super cute.

This pulley would be an awesome addition to the treefort the kids and I dream about. This rope ladder could be made from solid sticks and rope, and this fun ride cable? Methinks they would have to wait for my turn to be over.

I love looking at their dollhouse accessories selection because I love getting new ideas for making food and furniture to add to our homemade dollhouse. Love the watermelon, cheese, pears, and PIZZA! Alos love the pioneer shelf. All would be easy to reproduce with sculpty clay and sticks.

This Nature Collage Artframe would be a hit around here.And completely changable for the seasons!

This International Dollhouse Sweden Doll inspires me to make a few outfits for our own dolls for Christmastime.

Owen and Mzee and Ed Emberley's Funprint Drawing Book are two books I might be able to get through the library. I have loved Elsa Beskow for so long and so endearingly that I hope to own all of her books someday.

Crayon Rocks might just be on this years' handmade Christmas list.

The magic cabin dolls remind me again how much I want to learn to make Waldorf dolls.

Corynn would be in heaven if she had a reading nook this beautiful.

These pocket dolls insist I get a copy of felt wee folk and start making them by the dozens.

Silk Parachutes would be a fun crafty science experiment.

I might have to get Matt to make these stilts for the children for Christmas.

Somethings I just couldn't recreate or even own-but I can still admire right?

I wouldn't ever spend that much money on a baby chewtoy (I would rather hand them a measuring spoon to gnaw on) but I *adore* Sophie giraffe. Did I mention giraffes are my favorite animal?

Canvas tipis this grandiose make me swoon.

I KNOW we don't have room for this-but isn't this market stand a DREAM?!?

If I had to pick ONE thing to recreate-it would HAVE to be the tree fort.

PS. Naptime is over and the children are pouring over the catalog. Corynn has admired aloud the very things I admired in the catalog-it is incredible. A girl after my own heart. (She even pined over those stilts for Christmas!!!)

10 comments:

stephaniegiese said...

Wow, you are an inspiration to me. Yesterday I was totally patting myself on the back because I managed to steam and puree one pumpkin AND do the dishes. Your days sound exhausting. You are totally not the only one who loves to make catalog knock-offs. Have you heard of Ana White? I LOVE that woman. She has a whole website dedicated to showing families how to build their own Pottery Barn-like furniture: http://ana-white.com/
(There's even a whole section for kids' toys, like a play kitchen)

Bonnie said...

Don't even get me started on those 3 catalogs. I request them simply for inspiration. I have a collection of them from over the years if you want to know how pathetic I am.
The only toy catalog that shows up around here is when my MIL gets an American Girl doll one, keeps my kids busy for DAYS.

LOL about Andrew, to funny!

Good for Matt, and good for you!
I have no voice at the moment, so no school has been done for 2 days, HOWEVER. Since I feel fine, the second floor is spotless, laundry maintained, and even if my voice is back, we may just skip school tomorrow, so the downstairs can shine too.
Then I will get crafting, so I can get some packages mailed out, winky winky!

Boo-hoo! No pictures!
Bon

Bonnie said...

P.S. Did I ever tell you I started a waldorf doll last year? I didn't get finished for whatever reason, most likely because J. was making his very early presence known and it got to be to much. I should go dig that out again...

Tracy said...

I have some more inspiration for you!

As soon as I read your post, I remembered reading about another little tree house. Here:
http://beautythatmoves.typepad.com/beauty_that_moves/2009/03/kkkkkkkkkkkkk-kkkkkkkkkkkk-kkkkkkkkkkk-kkkkkkkkkkkk.html

and here:
http://beautythatmoves.typepad.com/beauty_that_moves/2009/01/there-seemed-to-be-a-lot-of-handmadeholiday-energy-around-our-home-this-year-more-so-than-usual-emily-is-yet-another-year-o.html

and here:
http://beautythatmoves.typepad.com/beauty_that_moves/2008/10/my-entry.html

Enjoy!

Unknown said...

Great job on a job well done around the house! I did a lot of applesauce yesterday also! :) I've been fitting in school here and there catching up a bit as I was sick for like a week & half!

Love all your links! SO cute! I am using yours and Bonnie's Sculpty food idea for Annie's American girl doll...going to make her food & dishes. Do you have to bake that? If yes, how does that work when you used little beads for the corn, pies, etc?

I ordered a Magic Cabin catalog! :) I've never heard of them! :) Have you seen these paper dolls & this sweet coloring book? Found here:
http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/

I also like some Pride & Prejudice paper dolls I found on Amazon for Annie.

The boys I will probably get LEGOS or Playmobil. :) I was thinking of making Noah a quilt but I might just do it for his birthday instead...I am so slow with quilts and I felt the stress mounting as I though about that! LOL! :D

Ella is going to get a personalized hooded towel...this is kinda pricey but each of our kids have one and they LOVE them! :) Annie has a cat, Noah a frog, and Sam a dog...I think I will get Ella a butterfly. :)

Hmmm.......I still have some more things to think about...I want to do a post on this...sorry for doing it basically on your comment section...LOL! :P

Take care! :)

Unknown said...

Oooooooooo...I REALLY like that Nature Collage Frame!!!!!!!!! I have piles of nature stuff laying on various window sills, on frig, and on top of shelves etc...I NEED, I NEED, I WANT, I WANT!! :P *see what you started here* TEEHEE! :P

Christine Williams said...

Yes, I will pursue with you any time you want. I love when you get an urge to blog. So glad to hear you are feeling better. WOW three cheers for you for how much you got done, I going to have to try some of the homemade things you make apple sauce, jam, tomatoes etc. That is right up my Mom and mines alley.

My mom doesn't usually allow catalogs in the house for the same reason, but I know exactly what you mean about the toys. My little sisters think they want a pony right now and good heavens don't let a horse catalog anywhere near them.

Hope your pictures start working soon, I love the way you can capture such precious moments, I will have work on that.:)

JenniferM said...

I don't think I'd ever heard of Magic Cabin until earlier today when their catalog arrived in my mailbox. I don't remember signing up for it, but I spent nearly an hour browsing. Unfortunately, "I could make that myself!" never popped into my head. :(
Their prices were mostly too much for us, but I think I'll keep it around anyhow as it's fun just to look at. :)

Rebecca said...

Thanks for all the links everyone! More eyecandy!

Amy~just bake the clay as usual-even with beads and things. I made "pies" using beer bottle caps for the pans and red beads for the cherries and never had a problem. We even made marshmellows and candy apples using toothpicks and they didn't burn up either! :-)

Alyssa Spring said...

We're making my little girl a dollhouse and our son a firehouse this year....I also LOVE the Sophia giraffe. I haven't bought one but have been tempted SEVERAL times. An old toothbrush usually is a great teether. :)