When I was about six years old, I went and spent a week at my grandmas house. We did many fun things that week but one of my favorite is when she sat me down in her sewing room and taught me the basics. She taught me to hand sew, use the machine and attach buttons. Later on, she moved in with my family and my sewing education continued. I treasure those hours spent surrounded by fabric and learning the timeless skill of sewing. Not only did I learn a priceless skill, I got to learn it from my favorite…
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Continue ReadingIf you are thinking of starting a homestead, there are several must have tools you should have. Homesteads can be very costly when you are getting started. Land is not cheap and neither is the infrastructure to house livestock, gardens, etc. We have been slowly building up our homestead over the last 8 months. We invest in things in small bites so that we can do it within our budget. Over the last 8 months we have finished a number of big homestead projects: we have redone the horse barn, put up a second pasture, built a new chicken coop,…
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Continue ReadingWe recently finished our DIY chicken coop that we adapted from a resin shed kit. It was one of the larger projects we have undertaken and yet, it actually went really well. It is always a huge relief to complete a project that went better than you expected it too! The final product is exactly what we were looking for and our chickens are super happy. Getting Started with a DIY Coop For background, we started off with a small 8 chicken coop last June. We got 8 laying hens and all was good to start off. Then we transformed…
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Continue ReadingBalancing a thriving homestead with full time jobs can be tough. Worth it certainly, but tough. I would love to spend all my days bustling around the homestead, riding my horses and baking bread but there are bills to pay and we have fulfilling careers to work on. My husband and I both work full time outside the home and also have a thriving 5 acre homestead with horses, chickens, (soon) pigs, dogs, cats, garden and all the work that accompanies that. Not to mention, I have an etsy business and this blog. We are busy busy busy!
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Continue ReadingAre you struggling to easily declutter your home? Do you ever just look around your house and feel overwhelmed by all of the stuff? I do regularly. Clutter stresses me out. The problem is, I love shopping and finding new things and I also don’t like to get rid of things. I know- a recipe for a cluttered home. As I have gotten older and grown more confident in my homemaking skills, I have figured out ways to organize my house in a way that feels less cluttered without getting rid of all of my treasures. I have also learned…
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Continue ReadingThese cold winter days have me craving ALL the comfort foods. One of my favorite easy comfort meals is Slow Cooker Beef Stew that I make from scratch. It is an easy meal, full of hearty veggies and tender beef. It takes just a few minutes to throw together and then cooks away in the slow cooker while you accomplish other things. Then, you get to enjoy a hearty winter meal without hours over the stove. Looking for a new slow cooker? I LOVE mine. My favorite way to serve this stew is with a thick slice of crusty sourdough…
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Continue ReadingAre you thinking of getting chicks this spring? If so, you are going to need a chicken brooder. This is the box where you keep the little chicks for the first few weeks until they are big enough to go outside into the coop. There are a million ways to make a brooder or repurpose something else for this purpose. Basically, you just need a decent sized space with a floor that can be filled with sawdust, walls to keep the chicks enclosed and a heating source.
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Continue ReadingOne of the biggest problem points of any homestead adventure (and any marriage) is determining how you will share the workload in a way that feels proportional and balanced to everyone on the homestead. I know many balk at the idea of taking on a homestead because the amount of work is scary. Homesteads are a ton of work and finding time to get everything done can be a challenge. Often, one family member is concerned that too much of the work will fall on them. I know my husband and I have had conversations in this space many times.…
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Continue ReadingHOW WE TOOK OUR KITCHEN FROM DRAB TO FARMHOUSE FAB ON A SMALL BUDGET! Yes you read that right- I completed a total DIY kitchen renovation for UNDER $250 in just a weeks time! The before and after is amazing. When we moved into our farmhouse, there was really nothing “wrong” with the kitchen… it was a nice size, the cabinets were in decent shape, the countertops were acceptable, there was a backsplash and it had stainless appliances. The problem was, absolutely none of it was even close to my preferred style. I enjoy a light, bright, modern farmhouse style.…
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Continue ReadingHappy New Year! I am so excited to get 2021 started and explore this exciting new blogging adventure. As a thank you to all of those who will be joining me on this new journey, I put together a fun little giveaway to kick off the new year! Cinnamon Candle: these candles are seriously amazing and I burned through at least 3 through the holidays Pioneer Woman Mug: this adorable floral mug will make your morning coffee just a little happier $20 Amazon Gift Card: treat yourself to something fun Enter through Rafflecopter here! a Rafflecopter giveaway