July/August 2021 Homemaking Newsletter (Plus Extra Pantry Talk)

"In her notes, she wrote that homekeeping wasn't just a matter of cleaning a house; it was a matter of presentation, hospitality, entertaining, etiquette, organizing, letter writing, caring for loved ones, cooking, sewing, and just plain general information that made for a thoughtful, meaningful, and considered life."

~ Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping by Miriam Lukken

Greetings my gentle readers! And here we find ourselves with another bi-monthly update in which we speak peacefully about books read, things watched, homemaking projects and any other ponderings which do not fit into its own post. It is simply an old-fashioned homemaking newsletter. Would you like to join me in our little home for the happenings of July and August?

“He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.”

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I did spend much time in reorganizing and deep cleaning our home for the cozy autumn months ahead. This is what spurred on my herbal projects that I had posted of late. To go through all your closets and baskets and see what you put aside, compelled me to start making use of those lovely things and put to order everything else. I also have been quite intentional with my pantry as you shall soon see!

“Home life is important and housekeeping should be an enjoyable part of it.” 

~ Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House

Making pretty places in the home is something I find immense pleasure in doing. I love to create useful themed “areas” and bask in the organized beauty. In this case, I noticed a frantic rush for extra towels and linens whenever we would have overnight guests. Therefore, I carved out a little space in our spare-room closet to host these extra items for convenience. This is where my thrifted cotton sheet collection has become quite handy! Don’t forget a stack of fresh bath towels which feels luxuriously relaxing because the excess “closet things” are stored away in secondhand baskets. The delightful detail of fragrant soaps (also useful), tucked inside the linens, generously scents the air when one opens the tiny doors. These little homemaking scenes add such satisfaction to my homemaking senses! Do you like to make useful nooks and zones in your sweet sanctuary?

I also made up these scented wax sachets (in order to use up some of my herbal inventory and add a delightful scent to my "now" organized closets and drawers). You will find the DIY project here if you are interested. This autumn nesting was quite enjoyable. 

I also did much baking and have been adding to my freezer for spur of the moment hospitality. It feels good to have stacks of goodies to share on a moments notice or to take to someone for a spontaneous visit. I have been trying to put aside one day of the week for such baking activities. Cookies and bars freeze well and I always double the recipes to maximize my output. All that is left to do when folks arrive is fire up the tea kettle and brew a nice hot batch of coffee!

A large part of my days have also been spent in making the most of our harvests. I try to cook with our garden produce for all our meals and freeze the excess for future meals. There is nothing like homegrown vegetable dishes in the autumn and winter months. We had much summer squashes and I have tried to preserve every single ounce. 

How to store a zillion zucchini in a quarter-of-a-square foot. 

Dice and dehydrate. Dice and dehydrate. Dice and… 🎶 Until the whole army has been defeated 🔪😉 

I’ll use this surplus with a glad heart in autumn and winter casseroles, soups, stews and sauces.

It is also a blessing to know you have “fresh” food in your Proverbs 31 pantry… The simple joy of adding another full quart of provisions to our larder shelf. To me, food in jars are beautiful home decoration!

What do you do with your excess summer squash?

Are you trying to be more intentional with your harvests this year? Visit our blog post on “gentle preparedness“ for some extra “food for thought”.

I did all the things I could do with zucchini including baking with it. I was "forced" to make these chocolate cake zucchini bars because I don't believe in waste. It was difficult but frugality must be respected and so I just had to have a piece every day to honor this homemaking tradition. 

“It is a good idea sometimes to think of the importance and dignity of our every-day duties. It keeps them from being so tiresome; besides, others are apt to take us at our own valuation.”

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

And so I do ♥️ and being I am in the kitchen a great deal of the day, I like to create special, helpful things to make my homemaking duties go more smoothly… and give them a bit of “importance”. As it is my career, I love to do things efficiently but prettily. 

In the summer (especially with all the zucchini) we make a lot of quiches! To make meal time easier, I had put together a little printable quiche recipe kit. You will find it freshly posted HERE if you are interested in adding a bit of homemaking “dignity” into your day 😉 

For me, what is outside in the world is so hard to relate to, that my home becomes more of a place that defines my vision for life.

We can make a difference to our family and give them a beautiful and noble world that is not represented in this modern culture.

And while we’re at it, we can also enjoy lovely things together like grandmother’s old tablecloth, serving food on pretty thrifted platters, flowers cut from the garden, food grown fresh on your own patch of earth, reading books about all the good things this life offers (like cultivating a godly family, home-keeping, gardening, biographies of people who inspire and of course, the “Good Book”).

Don’t forget to add a basket or two for some old fashioned warmth.

Just a little recipe for life.

Plus a picture of our eggplant harvest!

I probably made this tasty Italian-inspired eggplant and rice dish (pictured) about six times this summer! We don't tire of it as this is the only time of year I prepare it. This is what makes the little garden harvests special as they come with their own seasonal menus that are a treat to all!  We had quite the eggplant crop this year so I also dehydrated a few quarts to use in winter soups and sauces. 

The tomatoes kept coming and I continued to dehydrate as much as possible. These will be added to olive oil and placed onto winter pizzas and warm sourdough bread with cheese! 

I've pureed much of the tomatoes and froze them in recycled yogurt containers. They will definitely come in handy for soup making. 

The last jars of tomatoes were preserved into salsa on the last day of August… I used the “fresh salsa” recipe from the Ball website. I look forward to adding these lovelies to the pantry. I also love the feeling of being the proverbial “ant”… 

“Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Provideth her meat in the summer,

and gathereth her food in the harvest.”

~ Proverbs 6:7-8

I’ve kept a “pretty pantry shelf” in our kitchen as seasonal decoration and to inspire me to continue to add to the family larder. This tiny area holds four large baskets of tomatoes (sliced and dehydrated), 10 trays of diced and dried zucchini as well as two large baskets of tomatoes (preserved raw packed in canning jars). This shelf changes monthly and has become a little beacon in the home to encourage me to continue in the old ways and to inspire me to maintain a storage of homegrown food as our ancestors did. 

“Food security is not in the supermarket. It's not in the government. It's not at the emergency services division. True food security is the historical normalcy of packing it in during the abundant times, building that in-house larder, and resting easy knowing that our little ones are not dependent on next week's farmers' market or the electronic cashiers at the supermarket.”

~ Joel Salatin, Excerpt from Folks This Ain’t Normal

It also serves as a way to feel productive in a world that feels quite counterproductive.

Pictured is the August pantry shelf contents of:

- fresh yellow roses, clipped from our blooming bushes

- (more) dried tomato slices (5 square dehydrator trays)

- diced dried eggplant (5 square dehydrator trays)

- (more) diced dried zucchini (5 square dehydrator trays)

- 8 half-pint jars of salsa

- dried cayenne garland

🍅🧺♥️

"And let them gather all the food of those good years that come..."

~ Genesis 41:35a

“Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable.”

~ Gen. George S. Patton

And finally, I'd like to share my "pretend pantry"…

I shared earlier my desire to be more purposeful with filling my pantry this summer. But what I didn’t explain was my lack of space to expand it. As our home is small and our food storage is at capacity, we repurposed a bookshelf to store our excess canned and dehydrated goods. As it’s in my living room, I’ve tried to keep it looking tidy with a little lace curtain. 

I call it my “pretend pantry” as I imagine myself to be a pioneering woman preparing for the winter. I placed other items I came across at thrift stores inside to give it that homespun feel (stacks of ironstone dishes, baskets of eggs and linens). It inspires me to do that extra bit of work. Although I am currently surrounded by the convenience of grocery stores, I don’t want to lose sight of the old ways of providing for our family.

A year or so ago, we saw the modern storefront unable to provide all that the people wanted. This verified my decade-long desire to build up the larder and I’ll continue to add to our real “pretend” pantry for peace of mind.

As a child I marveled over the preparations the pioneering women did each season and I consider it an honor to partake in some of that history. It’s old fashioned but chock-full of common sense.

“The first supermarket supposedly appeared on the American landscape in 1946. That is not very long ago. Until then, where was all the food? Dear folks, the food was in homes, gardens, local fields, and forests. It was near kitchens, near tables, near bedsides. It was in the pantry, the cellar, the backyard.”

~ Joel Salatin

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

~Theodore Roosevelt

With that being said, what about you dear reader? What wholesome and lovely things have you been reading, watching and/or working on? As always, recommendations are much appreciated as hearing about your homemaking endeavors always inspires me!

Happily homemaking,

♡ JES

P.S. Pictured are these sweet little shabby rose "all purpose" gift tags from our Etsy Shop! 

“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 work flow.” 

~ Martin Luther

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord…”

~ Colossians 3:23

🕯 🧺 🕊 

I do find this work sacred and pleasing to the Almighty because he commissioned me to do it… (Titus 2:4-5) how can it be anything but holy?

“I suppose I am a sparrow, a stay-at-home bird.” 

― Gladys Taber

“Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young— Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You.”

— Psalm 84:3-4

🧺💛🕊 

(Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which help support this blog. Thank you!)

Daydreaming at Home ~ Snippets

Sometimes I daydream as I make my home. I’d like to think Louisa May might have tidied up and scrubbed the floor as I have, or Ma might have baked a few batches of bread that wasn’t quite perfect as I’ve done or that Mrs. Tittlemouse might have had a little cabinet just like this... with dried chilies dancing merrily above a shelf of filled mason jars.

The world may feel weird right now but home is still what you make of it.

🌶 🧺 🍅

“...aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

~ 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

DIY Prairie Candles & The Seasons of Homemaking

 

In answer to “will you be going to work now that you’ve finished homeschooling your family and/or what will you do all day?”

This kind of stuff sometimes... 

the projects you always wanted to try but never had the time. Now is the time. 

That is the beauty of homemaking, there are so many enchanting seasons.

To begin, I prepared a make shift double boiler with a large coffee can.  This bypasses excess clean up as you can dispose of the waxy can afterwards with no remorse and zero extra work. Just add a few inches of water into a sauce pan and place your clean can inside. Add the wax of choice to the can and slowly melt it down (and you have a makeshift double boiler)! I would recommend using either beeswax pellets or soy wax pellets as they are both clean burning (aka non-toxic). Beeswax would be ideal as it has its own clean scent! However, it is quite expensive. I used the remaining soy wax from the last project making herbal wax sachets for these candles. (Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links meaning I earn a small percentage from any purchases).

It begins in your birth home, making your bedroom the place of your dreams ✨ 

As you age, you begin suggesting changes in the entire home (and mother smiles knowing you yearn for a nest of your own).

Finally, you arrive at the doorstep of said domain and desire to make it cozy and comfy for you and dear husband.

To make the "prairie candle" pretty, using a hot glue gun, glue a few dried flowers and leaves to the side of the chosen vessel. I used roses, calendula and the hydrangea and eucalyptus leaves I had dried myself. There is no rhyme or reason, the rustic look is completely acceptable here. I didn't put too much as I wasn't sure of the outcome once the candle started burning. Plus, I didn't want them to become a fire hazard. (Also, it would be wise to line the counter with newspaper or paper bags to make clean up convenient.) Edited to add - See fire hazard warning in comments. 

And then it begins to feel empty and you yearn to fill it with chubby little faces.

If God grants you that desire, the home becomes a training ground for the future Christian generation. It is a time of hard work, physically challenging while mentally challenging your patience and nerves (giving you growth). 

 

For some, the home education process begins and feels like it will last forever. You are tempted to rush through thinking it will never end and at the same time so sad knowing it someday will. 

Next, using a hot glue gun, glue the candle wick in place (centered). My candle wicks came with the bulk soy wax but you can purchase them separately. 

But please don’t hurry.

Because one day, it’s all over! 

Just like that! And here you are, making little prairie candles all by yourself.

Once the wick is in place, use a clothespin to frugally center your wick. They also sell fancy candle apparatus for this but my kit only came with two so I resorted to the handy clothespin for help. 

The rush won’t change the movement of time but it may affect the family memories.

I encourage you to slowly enjoy each season of womanhood. For the day will come when you will have the time and when you see those sweet young “struggling” families (like yours may feel like right now) and you will miss it!

In the meantime dear homemaker, let’s continue to create beauty in all our different stages.

Once my wax was melted down, I removed it from the double boiler and added in about 1/3 of it's volume in coconut oil. I was trying to stretch the candles a bit further. And once it was a bit cooler, I added in some essential oil for scent (I used some inexpensive ones I found on clearance). There is a science to this (ratio) but I'm not much of a scientist so I dumped in what I thought was adequate and called it a day. But if you'd like to be more "professional", you can research the ratio on candle making websites. 

For me (an almost empty nester), it may include creative homemaking projects, visiting/helping a new mother, administering to the sick, spending time with aging parents, learning new skills, getting more involved in the church, etc.

Once the candle cools, you can trim the wick down to 1/4" and they are finished. 

And while doing these things, our adult children see the variety and industry of home life and will carry beautiful feelings of home in their heart and into the homes they will one day have of their own.

As far as the containers go, I used a set of six thrifted etched glasses in the pictures above as I loved the look of them. Unfortunately the etch-work didn't show through that well. 

You can also use recycled jars which I did for the rest of them (see picture above) or recycled tin cans from canned goods (you can wallpaper the can with pretty paper after) or you can also use random tea-cups and so forth. The options are limitless. I can't wait to burn them come autumn and winter!

But remember, never leave candles unattended while burning... 🔥 

In these ways, the homemaker is never obsolete. She is valuable in every season. I will be a keeper at home forever.

DIY Easy to Make ~ Herbal Wax Sachets

 “If you have been afraid that your love of beautiful flowers and the flickering flame of the candle is somehow less spiritual than living in starkness and ugliness, remember that He who created you to be creative gave you the things with which to make beauty and the sensitivity to appreciate and respond to His creation.” 

~ Edith Schaeffer, The Hidden Art of Homemaking

My 20 year-old daughter and I spent some time in the kitchen today with the heavenly scent of herbs and oils and wax. We melted, slowly stirred and delicately drizzled the slightly set “sachets“ with dried flowers and aromatic citrus. It is like capturing the seasons in a beautiful fragrant bar.

We will place our herbal wax creations in our closets and drawers to scent our little spaces for the chilly, cozy, autumn months ahead… we’ve done these kinds of projects together through all our years of homeschooling. It is a delight to do them now simply for the love of homemaking…

Supplies (some of these links on this post may be affiliate links):

• beeswax or soy-wax (I used this white soy-wax kit for candle making which is my next project.)

• dried herbs, dried flowers, dried fruit, dried spices  -- Some ideas include dried lavender, calendula, roses, hibiscus leaves (for color), chamomile flower, dried citrus (tutorial here), cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, allspice (I will be making fall-related ones next!), etc.

• essential oils (your choice) -- I use the least expensive ones like orange for these types of projects.

• baking tins, baking molds, silicone molds -- You can use cupcake tins, candy molds, silicone molds or even these ornament molds (shown two pictures below) that you can hang. Note: you can also poke a hole with a skewer (once they have completely cooled) in the top of the sachet to hang them from a hanger, doorknob, etc.

• double boiler (see my makeshift, shortcut version below)

Make shift double boiler:

To bypass excess clean up, save up some of your discarded canned food tins to make a disposable double boiler (that means you don't need to clean up the wax residue after - you just toss your can!). Just add a few inches of water into a sauce pan and place your clean can inside. Add the wax to the can and you have a makeshift double boiler!

To Make Herbal Wax Sachets:

Slowly melt down soy-wax or beeswax in a double-boiler, once slightly cooled, stir in essential oils of choice, pour into molds (baking tins, etc.). Stir in herbs and dried citrus if you’d like. Once wax has slightly set, sprinkle additional dried flowers on top for extra decoration and fragrance. Do not remove sachets until they have completely cooled at room temperature.

Place finished products in closets and drawers to naturally scent and freshen the air.

These kind of projects are fun to make but also add a bit of charm into your life and we could all use a dose of that right now. Happy homemaking!

🌿🍊🥀