ButtonWillowCottage

Blankets

The finest blankets, like the best comforters, are made from the most expensive materials-- the costliest blankets are very light, very soft, and very warm.  As a general rule, the coarser the wool and heavier the blanket, the less warm it will be.

Details

"Everything in our surroundings speaks for us, and if we accept living with a vulgar design we must pay for it.  Caring about aesthetics increases your sensitivity.  The more we care about the small details, the more in tune to beauty we become, and the more we realize how seemingly insignificant items affect us.  You discover that by taking care of every inch of your surroundings you can let your eyes wander and not be caught short.  We're free to open up to all there is in our surroundings.  I get enormous pleasure and comfort from orderly, harmonious , attractive surroundings, and I feel unhappy and disturbed when things are out of place, out of scale, or in bad taste.  Let your eye be the judge.  Train yourself to see things with caring perception."

Living a Beautiful Life--Alexandra Stoddard

Flowers Get Hungry Too

Economizing by using your own cottage grown cut flowers for your in-home arrangements (and we think they are far more glorious and satisfying anyways!) means not having the supplied packet of commercial "food" for your blooms.  Creating your own flower food at home is easy and is beneficial.  It extends the life of the arrangement, as it both feeds the flowers and inhibits the bacteria that produce slime and smelly water.  Mix your own by adding a teaspoon each of sugar, vinegar and non-concentrated bleach to each quart of water. 

A Beautiful Life

The difference between feeling bored and feeling alive, I believe, lies in stimulating daily life that is elevated into a fuller experience through pleasing details.

When these small moments are handled lovingly and with thought and care, they become life-enhancing and make you capable of doing more with the rest of your life.

Living a Beautiful Life-- Alexandra Stoddard

 

A Touch of Springtime for Winter's End

An easy project for the weekend that will bring a touch of spring to your heart with every glance.  With about a week of growth you have help for enduring these long last days of winter...

1. 1.Place a fine layer of gravel or pebbles on the bottom of your container. This will help the water drain.

2. 
   

   2.Mix the soil with mulch, if the soil does not have mulch added to it already. Fill the container (get creative here! Old unused silver bowl or soup tureen laying about?) up to about an inch from the top.

3. 
   

   3.Sprinkle the surface of the soil with the grass seeds (Rye, or Wheatgrass grow best indoors). Cover the surface almost completely with the seeds, and do not force them into the soil.

4. 
   

   4.Dampen some coffee filters, and place them gently over the seeds. Then, put the container in a sunny, warm location.

5. 
   

   5. Replace the coffee filters when they dry out, and mist the soil with a spray bottle to keep it moist. Once the seeds sprout (about four days), remove the coffee filters and discard them. Continue to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
   

 

Our Influence

There is nothing which has a more abiding influence on the happiness of a family than the preservation of equable and cheerful temper and tones in the housekeeper.  A woman who is habitually gentle, sympathizing, forbearing, and cheerful, carries an atmosphere about her which imparts a soothing and sustaining influence, and renders it easier for all to do right, under her administration, than in any other situation.

--from "American Woman's Home by Catharine Esther Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe 1869

 

Warming Your Winter Heart and Cottage

At just dollars per bag of a hundred or so, tea lights can be luxuriously lit around the home and frugally (for a "luxury" that is) warm the winter heart and cottage.  Make a ritual out of lighting them whilst the tea pot sets to singing on a grey winter morning or afternoon and suddenly your world is that much cozier.

(as always be sure to practice candle safety dear ones)

 
 
 

Removing Gum From Garments

To Remove Chewing Gum

Insert soiled garment into plastic bag and place in freezer until gum has hardened and can be chipped off. Treat larger garments by placing a bag of ice cubes on the gum until it has hardened. Remove any residue by sponging with warm water.

Refreshing the Linen Cupboard

Mrs. Rabbit reminds us; when going about your spring cleaning, don't neglect your linen cupboard. Things can get fairly stale in there when neglected for a whole season or two (or five).

To start:

Remove all linens from your storage space (this would include the canvas shelf units some now use).

 Sort through linens for any that have gone past their prime. Those that can not be mended, can be cut up and used for dusting or salvageable fabric pieces can be repurposed for household projects.  Make note of any replacements that may need to be sewn or purchased.   

  Launder all linens that haven't been used for some time (guest room sheets!) in regular manner plus some drops of essential oil of your choice in the rinse cycle. Pick something lovely and springtime'ish'!

 While laundering is going on, wipe down and dust all cupboard/closet surfaces, checking for visitors of course--bugs, moths and the like. Natural solutions to this sort of problem include bay leaves and lavender. Use your tattered linens to make small bags (great project for the little sewers in the home) and fill with odorous herbs of your choice.  

 Using attachments, vacuum all cracks and crevices. 

A nice touch is to line the shelves with a pretty paper or fabric of your liking.   After laundering is finished, dry as many linens as possible out in the fresh spring air. Fold in your particular manner--Mrs. Rabbit says "FOLD" don't scrunch and roll.  Make sure closet is not over-stuffed.  Keep in mind that fabrics need room to breath and too cramped quarters encourages pests, molds and mildew.  Going back, be sure to have been diligent about sorting!  Too many linens are unnecessary and overwhelming.  Donate those that are just taking up space.  Keep guest sheets together, perhaps tying with ribbon, this makes them asier to identify and grab when needed. Organize in a way that is pleasing to your eye. This way, each time you open your cupboard you will feel refreshed and not overwhelmed with disorganization.  Place scented herbal bags into cupboard, or alternatively a few sprigs of lavender can be placed atop piles.   Perhaps pin a lovely print or image of your choice to the back of the door. A surprise for the eye each time you go in! 

 Stand back and admire.

Above all else, enjoy the soothing rhythm of this sort of project. Choose a lazy Monday (traditional laundry day) or a weekend if need be and make a ritual of it. Spring Cleaning should be time for refreshment and contemplation of needed household adjustments. Out with the stale in with the Spring! Be sure to enjoy this wholly domestic chore.

Rainbow Scavenger Hunt

A lovely idea for a homeschooling nature excursion, even for city dwellers:

Make a check list of colors of an expanded rainbow (or have fun constructing a portable chart with saturated paint swatches) and take a stroll through the neighborhood performing a "color scavenger hunt". Small prizes could even be awarded to the child who finds all the colors or perhaps the most unusual color. Children will get reinforcement on learning  colors, and the added benefit of hunting for springtime! 

(And I'm sure the Teacher will gather some enjoyment from the whole affair also...)

For more experienced students, a check chart constructed of native flowers would be an even larger challenge.

Soaking It Up

I must say, this touch of early spring weather is lovely for a recovery from such a confining and lengthy illness. Some fresh air, the birds... and a touch of light spring cleaning later. Most definitely restorative, wouldn't you say?

The Pile

There is not much to say about ironing other than it is really boring. Sometimes it is satisfying for about a minute, when you run a really hot iron through some creased cotton and it leaves a line of steaming pressed fabric. But, basically, ironing is the horror of all the chores; it is one of those things that piles up higher and higher the longer you leave it. And, of course, the higher the pile gets the less you want to do it, and once you have done it, it just immediately starts piling up again.

Domestic Bliss by Rita Konig, 2002

Teaching

Too often we give children answers to remember
rather than problems to solve.

  ~Roger Lewin

Sorting Laundry

Sorting the wash, once it has been dragged to the scene, can be a back-breaking activity. The most sensible method is to dump the soiled clothes onto a fair-size table. If the sorting can be done the evening before, it will get the day's washing off to a quick start.

Assuming all clothes are to be done at once they should be divided into two major piles--heavily soiled articles and those with only ordinary dirt. Put heavily soiled items aside for special attention and divide the remainder into separate categories according to manufactures instructions and your personal washing machine settings.

While sorting, watch for stubborn spots or stains. Remove them before washing the articles, since hot water and soap will set many of them.

Watch for rips and tears. A stitch at this time will save nine, since the agitation of the washer will enlarge the rips. Remove all pins, clips, metal ornaments or other items which will catch on clothes during the washing or leave rust stains when drying. Be sure everything is removed from the pockets, since one not color-fast handkerchief can stain a whole tub-load of clothes.

If it is not certain that an item is color-fast, never take a chance. Wash it separately.

Do not attempt to include any special sort of problem-fine fabrics, veils, rubber goods-with a tub-load of regular laundry. These require special handling.

Adapted from Woman's Home Companion Household Book 1948

After Dinner Coffee

The service of coffee in the living room is the perfect leisurely end to a good dinner and the perfect prelude to a pleasant evening. A silver coffee service is, of course, the most luxurious, but lacking one it is still possible to maintain an air of formality. There are modern coffee services in pewter, copper and wood-and-glass combinations which have all the dignity of silver. There are ceramic sets which run the gamut from severe simplicity to gay peasant designs. The coffee service, too, must have a tray, as well as pot, sugar bowl and cream pitcher. In addition, it may have demi-tasses and small spoons to supplement the regular coffee cups.

Woman's Home Companion Household Book 1948

Selecting a Topcoat

A topcoat is usually necessary with the one-piece dress. If one cannot afford both a heavy and a light-weight topcaot, it is better to buy one of medium weight and depend upon an underjacket for extra warmth. For general wear, some women prefer a topcoat and one-piece dress to a suit. A good plan is to alternate the buying of the more expensive garments. For instance, buy a topcoat one season and a suit the next season. We should not forget in the selection of coats that they should harmonize with the rest of our wardrobes.

Adapted from "First Course in Home Making" 1941

Needle and Thread

Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing, The days pass quickly when I am sewing.

~Author Unknown

How To Stay Warm (For Homemakers)

By staying close to the range, naturally!

Our recipes over the last (and next) few days...

Sweet Smoky Chicken
(scrumptious served with mashed potatoes to soak up the yummy gravy!)

Cranberry Nut Bread

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Molasses-Spice Cake

Various Roasted Vegetables

Revel in your kitchens! Remember when it was so hot we dreaded being near it? 

Take full advantage of the chill outside and stay comfy close to the warmth of your oven. Oh, and do make sure the little ones are in there helping out where they are able... 

Cozy kitchens make for warm memories (for them and us).

Laundry Day Dream

Loading laundry into steaming hot water...

And...

the subsequent daydream that follows.

Drying in Cooler Weather

Of course the ideal situation would be to have enough room to have an inside drying tree so as to continue to use the tumble dryer the least amount possible. But, for some in smaller cottages there isn't room for such a domestic luxury. In that situation we must resort to the tumble dryer in cooler or rainy weather. In this case be sure to get proper and optimum use from your dryer.

~Check the temperature when you tumble dry (see the clothes labels for the correct setting). As a rule, high temperatures are for cotton, denim and linen; cooler temperatures are for synthetics, lingerie and cotton knits.

~Never overfill your dryer – you need enough space for the hot air to circulate and for clothes to tumble.

~Clean the lint filter after every use or fluff will build up, making it less efficient. Too much lint in your dryer can also be a fire hazard. FYI: For additional fire safety it is also a good practice to hand wash and rinse your lint filter once a month to rid it of grease and film that may build up and cause air blockage.

~Don't over-dry if you intend to iron your washing straight away. There should be the slightest hint of dampness to make it easier to iron. Over-drying also stiffens fabric. Try to hang or fold items as soon as possible after washing to reduce crease

Fade To Bla...Grey!?

Too often the black outfit you may wish to wear has become the grey clothing you do not.  The fading of black clothes can sometimes be attributed to a buildup of soap powder in the fabric.  As a possible remedy, one can try restoring the color by soaking the (water safe) article of clothing  in warm water to which a little white vinegar has been added.

A Breath of Fresh Air

There are two modes of nourishing the body, one is by food and the other by air. In the stomach the food is dissolved, and the nutritious portion is absorbed by the blood, and then is earned by blood-vessels to the lungs, where it receives oxygen from the air we breathe. This oxygen is as necessary to the nourishment of the body as the food for the stomach.
While the bodies of men and animals are filling the air with the poisonous carbonic acid, and using up the life-giving oxygen, the trees and plants are performing an exactly contrary process; for they are absorbing carbonic acid and giving out oxygen. Thus, by a wonderful arrangement of the beneficent Creator, a constant equilibrium is preserved. What animals use is provided by vegetables, and what vegetables require is furnished by animals; and all goes on, day and night, without care or thought of man.

American Woman's Home
published 1869
~Catharine Esther Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe

To Market

After Monday laundry it's now off to the market for much needed sundries. Do keep an eye on ButtonWillow whilst were about, wont you dear ones?

A Place To Live In

First of all, the home must be comfortable, and its whole atmosphere must be that of peace. In no other way can the tension of modern life be overcome. This implies order and cleanliness, beauty, warmth, light, and air; but it implies far more. It means a home planned for the people who will occupy it, and so planned that father's needs, and mother's, and the children's, will all be met. What does each member of the family require of the house? A place to live in. And that means far more than eating and sleeping and having a place for one's clothes. There must be not only a place for everything but a place for everybody in the ideal house. The boys who wish to dabble in electricity, the girls who wish to entertain their friends in their own way, the tired father who wishes to read his newspaper "in peace," the younger children who want to pop corn or blow bubbles or play games, all must be planned for. There will be no room too good for use, and no furnishings so delicate that mother worries over family contact with them. There will be a minimum of "keeping up appearances" and a maximum of comfort and cheer. There will be little formal entertaining, but many spontaneous good times.

Vocational Guidance for Girls
Marguerite Stockman Dickson
1919

Ironing

Skillful ironing is born of practice. Today, however, ironing is not nearly the task it used to be, mostly because modern lightweight irons, with adjustments for heat, have made it less difficult and less back-breaking. In addition, modern houses have plenty of electric outlets so that the working area need not be confined to any specific part of the house. In the summer, the ironing can be done in the coolness of the basement, in a breezy bedroom or on the back porch. Added aids to the comfort of the ironer are a high stool, for those who can work from a sitting position, and a soft rubber pad underfoot, for those who prefer to stand.

Woman's Home Companion Household Book--1948

The Work of Play

The best playthings stimulate wholesome development in one or more of the following ways:

By training the child in bodily control and excercise of the arm and leg muscles. (Raised planks to walk on, trapeze etc.)

By developing the imagination. (Crayons, paper cutting, sand pile.)

By developing interest and ability along useful lines. (Doll dishes, brooms, gardening tools.)

By furnishing sensory training. (Colored beads, harmonica, blocks of various sizes.)

Good playthings help in establishing such worth-while habits as:
The habit of perseverence.
The habit of concentrating.
The habit of reasoning.
The habit of self-reliance.
The habit of using property carefully.
The habit of orderliness.
The habit of resourcefulness.

Reprinted from: First Course in Homemaking--1941

A Better Home and Garden

Still giving us wonderful advice toward cottage coziness after all these years; come these helpful homekeeping tips from Better Homes and Gardens:

~Every time you take out the trash, open the refrigerator and toss out any expired or empty items.

~After you make a grocery list, wipe down the refrigerator shelves and make room for the items you'll be buying.

~Each time you change a light bulb, wipe off or dust the fixture.

~Each time you take a shower, spray down the shower door and/or inside wall.

~For everything new you bring into your home -- trash, recycle, or store something old.

~Every time you move something into storage -- trash or recycle something out of storage.

~When you put up seasonal decorations, clean hard-to-reach display areas, like the tops of doorways or bookshelves.

Storing China

Only store china on open shelves, dressers, or plate racks when they are used regularly, otherwise there will be an inevitable buildup of dust and dirt. This is especially true in the kitchen where kitchen grease and oils will swirl into the air and mix with the dust before settling on surfaces and objects. Generally it is best to store your china in closed cupboards. Glass fronts will allow their beauty to show through if you prefer them on display. Alternatively, in large kitchens, open air shelving or cupboards can be positioned far from the cooking area to avoid the grease/dust mixture.

Adapted from "Household Wisdom"--Stephanie Donaldson

Dusting

Soft flannel, chamois or the new microfiber cloths are the most effective polishing materials.

The fully equipped cleaning closet should also contain at least one soft brush for ridding crevices of the dust and soot that so easily accumulates in these areas. When the brush becomes dirty, wash it in mild soapsuds, rinse in clear water, and let dry thoroughly with the bristles down. Ordinary dusters can be washed in warm soapsuds, rinsed and dried. Be gentle with chamois as it tends to rip easily when wet. The final rinse for chamois should be somewhat soapy in order to keep it supple.

One can easily make their own fragrant polishing spray, good for varnished wood furniture...2 cups olive oil, two teaspoons lemon essential oil, decant into spray bottle. Spray furniture lightly and polish with clean cloth. Alternatively one can make their own dust cloths for varnished wood furniture by soaking squares of cheesecloth in a mixture of lemon oil and hot water. Allow to thoroughly saturate the cloths, wring out, and allow to dry.

An Autumnal Scrubbing

At ButtonWillow we think Autumn is such a perfect time for a deep tidy! We'll all be spending more time in our cozy little cottages, so it's wise to get rid of the summer's dust and dirt before we close our doors and windows for these colder seasons (although it's always a good idea to let in some brisk, fresh air via open windows briefly each morning). Today after Cottage Schooling, Mrs. Rabbit and I will be taking stock of our cleaning supplies to make sure we are throughly ready for a good scrubbing. We've found that not a lot is needed beyond the safe simple ingredients of soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax, aided of course by lots of elbow grease and a coarse sponge for scrubbing. Add in some good brushes, some cloths, and some essential oils for scent and your on your way to cozy autumn freshness!
Off to work dear ones! Have a lovely and cozy first week of Autumn wont you?