Seven Ways Simple

Bethany's Tumbleweed Harbinger

2011-11-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

Bethany's Tumbleweed Harbinger

Pictures of a Tumbleweed Harbinger, inside and out. I love it! I'm so happy to see this today.

November Quilts

2011-11-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

31′ Airstream Excella in Awesome Shape

2011-10-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

31′ Airstream Excella in Awesome Shape

I think I saw a bathtub! Oooh, I wish I had some cash for this.

Welcome to the world's smallest ideas - YouTube

2011-10-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world's smallest ideas - YouTube

This is just such a cool little video about using space well.

FOR SALE: 2005 Keystone Montana 3650RK Fifth Wheel - a set on Flickr

2011-09-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

FOR SALE: 2005 Keystone Montana 3650RK Fifth Wheel - a set on Flickr

Yet another great Sara Janssen r.v.

Jay Schaffer's Latest House to Love: Bungalow

2011-09-21T14:59:00.001-07:00

Dee Williams Beautiful Tedx Talk

2011-08-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is the best.

YouTube - ‪Tiny House Tour‬‏

2011-07-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

YouTube - ‪Tiny House Tour‬‏

An Opportunity to Help

2011-06-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

Please check up what my eldest son is about these days. Thanks!

www.secondlifecycles.com

Beautiful Little Shed

2011-06-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

Human First

2011-06-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

This is a beautiful little film.

YouTube - The human scale of tiny homes & McMansions as fad

2011-06-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

YouTube - The human scale of tiny homes & McMansions as fad

Disney's Little House Cartoon

2011-04-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

With thanks to tinyhouseblog.com.

Go Little Guy

2011-04-19T06:32:00.001-07:00

I found this image of a teardrop trailer interior at golittleguy.com. I think it would look smashing with one of my quilts on the bed.

Jay Shafer on the Politics of Tiny Houses

2011-03-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Civil disobedience, sacred geometry, earthquake safety and more.

Deek Interviews Jay Shafer

2011-02-20T10:15:00.001-08:00

My Beachier Home

2011-01-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

I've been painting, papering, and reshuffling possessions. Here is the result. Beachy? (Double click on the collage for bigger views.)

December

2010-12-17T17:42:00.001-08:00

December (Gary A.), originally uploaded by seabrookwa.

Anna Maria Horner's Home

2010-12-17T10:27:00.001-08:00

little.breakfast, originally uploaded by annamariahorner.

I love this in so many ways.

We Love Charlie

2010-12-09T23:54:00.001-08:00

Pomplamoose and Ben Folds

2010-12-09T23:29:00.001-08:00

Scott

I love this video.

Playing Six Degrees of Separation makes me close to these guys now, thanks to my Scott, shown above, and his friends, which are these guys, and their appearance on this show with the amazing Ben Folds. We're feeling all kinds of awesomeness around here these days!

QuiltHome - Modern Designer Fabric by Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett & more

2010-12-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

QuiltHome - Modern Designer Fabric by Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett & more

Found a new website for fabrics. What a selection!

Hoff Gerddi Cymru

2010-12-04T13:37:00.001-08:00

Hoff Gerddi Cymru, originally uploaded by Valériane Leblond.

Love this artist; love this piece.

ABUNDÂNCIA

2010-12-01T12:18:00.001-08:00

ABUNDÂNCIA, originally uploaded by bocavermelha-l.b..

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Looking forward to Christmas.

Castle Combe high street

2010-11-29T18:28:00.001-08:00

Castle Combe high street, originally uploaded by Nige Hopes.

sunsurfer: Tree House Point, Fall City,... - my ideal home...

2010-11-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

sunsurfer: Tree House Point, Fall City,... - my ideal home...

Oh. My. Goodness.

Check out this link.

Honor the Teens

2010-10-20T00:54:00.001-07:00

Purple Girl, originally uploaded by Dave Ward Photography.

Go purple today. Here's why.

Seabrook: Coastal Living’s “Ultimate Beach House”

2010-10-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Seabrook: Coastal Living’s “Ultimate Beach House”

Click on the link to see where I visited on my birthday this year. It was so great!

(It wasn't Lumber Liquidators. If you get that ad, or another, wait a few seconds for the good stuff.)

National Coming Out Day

2010-10-11T20:26:00.001-07:00

Heart, originally uploaded by seyed mostafa zamani.

In honor of National Coming Out Day, I would like to come out as a supporter of LGBT rights and to encourage you to visit this site, Mormons for Marriage.com.

Eight Tiny Spaces You'll Want to Daydream About | The Stir

2010-10-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Eight Tiny Spaces You'll Want to Daydream About | The Stir

Design Mom Gabrielle Blair sums up the topic. (She is obsessed, like I am.)

Hollyhocks and More

2010-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

These are the current offerings in our yard. I have wanted Hollyhocks for so very long. Wow. They were worth the wait, don't you think? And the Nasturtiums and Cosmos and pretty yellow things. How I love them all.

Bedside Beauties

2010-09-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

This is what my sweet husband brought from his garden for my bedside table this afternoon.

Aren't they pretty?

Walk to the Beach

2010-09-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

Did I mention to you that we can walk to the beach from our house? Well we can and we did this morning.

It was glorious.

Feminist Mormon Housewives » On running, leaves, and donuts

2010-09-21T01:25:00.000-07:00

Feminist Mormon Housewives » On running, leaves, and donuts

Are you loving the onset of Fall, as I am? Read some lovely mini-essays at this link.

How to Hang Board and Batten

2010-09-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

How to Hang Board and Batten

More on board and batten. I love it so!

the amazing adventures of fitness friday girl: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars with Cherries (Vegan)

2010-09-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

the amazing adventures of fitness friday girl: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars with Cherries (Vegan)

Yummy says my tummy. Go and see!

Supernova by Kompan

2010-09-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

I played on one of these today and it is wayyyyy fun! I want!

New Curtains at the Windows

2010-09-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

Market Flowers

2010-09-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

Oh, that Olympia flower market! Oh, that Naomi and Kate and their thoughtfulness!

More Blocks

2010-08-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

These are the smaller blocks our delightful guests played with the other day. Most of them are still available on clearance at KangarooBoo.com. They are a great way to learn math concepts while having lots of fun.

Block Play

2010-08-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here's what the play is today. The big set of blocks I got here, but can also be purchased here. The book--which is very, very good--is here.

I have wanted a set of maple unit blocks since studying Early Child Education my first year in college, when the head of the department said, "If you have a budget which allows for only one thing, make sure that it is unit blocks." They are expensive, but the play value is endless. I'm so thankful that I could finally have them in my life.

Summer Treat

2010-08-19T20:22:00.001-07:00

Summer Treat, originally uploaded by jonmatthew photography.

My favorite!

Our Playroom Gets a New Look with Board and Batten

2010-08-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

Our Playroom Gets a New Look with Board and Batten

I love this idea from Hooked on Houses. Go and see if you don't love it, too.

Ashford on the Water - Derbyshire

2010-08-19T15:36:00.001-07:00

Ashford on the Water - Derbyshire, originally uploaded by JauntyJane.

Perfect Little Houses

2010-08-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

Oooooh, what a treat! I found a new house plan site. It's Perfect Little House. com. This charming cottage, the Woodland, is just 950 square feet. Go and see!

Architect Marianne Cusato Does it Again

2010-07-31T20:48:00.000-07:00

Click here for floor plans and here for a virtual tour of a marvelously designed house.

I am in Love

2010-07-16T16:52:00.001-07:00

Going_final shots-9, originally uploaded by house dreams.

What a perfect bedroom, says I.

Cubben House, Miterdale

2010-07-16T16:46:00.001-07:00

Cubben House, Miterdale, originally uploaded by Doctor Syntax.

Grass Fed Beef

2010-06-27T11:52:00.001-07:00

Stealing the Scene-Cattle in Landscape
Originally uploaded by julieabrown1

After learning about the health benefits for both cattle and consumers, I purchased some hamburger made from grass fed beef this weekend at Trader Joe's.

It was delicious.

Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

Flickr Find: Godseye detail ~ 1996

2010-06-20T15:33:00.001-07:00

Godseye detail ~ 1996
Originally uploaded by daintytime

Not simple, I know, but so inspiring I wanted to share. Mirrors!

Numbered Rocks

2010-06-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

A new homemade toy for our number-loving boy.

Christal's Faith

2010-06-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Mom will like this. Christal is my cousin's daughter. I appreciate her simple declaration of her faith.

English Countryside

2010-06-06T14:44:00.001-07:00

On Days Like These, originally uploaded by tommy martin.

With thanks to Tommy Martin for sharing this photo on flickr.

Multnomah Falls

2010-05-16T12:51:00.001-07:00

Multnomah Falls, originally uploaded by lakewentworth.

Ahhhhhhhh.

Thank you to lakewentworth for sharing this photo on flickr.com.

House for Sale--The Colony, Texas

2010-05-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a home near Dallas, Texas? Here is the listing for the house our dear ones have up for sale. It's a nice little starter--well, not that little, really--and only 115,000 dollars.

Here's a picture of the kitchen, so cute. Sorry about the blur.

A Simple Answer for Sickening Sewage

2010-04-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

The name of the product may make us giggle, but the concept is a god-send.

I Miss Mister Rogers

2010-04-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Couldn't the world use some of Mister Roger's wisdom about now? The very end of this video is the best part. Be sure to hold on for it.

(Thanks, Kate, for pointing me to another great video.)

Simple Italian

2010-04-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

American Jane Whole Cloth Quilt

2010-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

This is my latest quilt. It is completely stitched by hand and is made with two fabrics from the American Jane collection by the Moda fabric company, one for each side. The binding is from my stash. The batting is Hobbs Heirloom Wool and I love it. It puckered up just the way I like it to when laundered, and it is a perfect sort of warm.

Here's an interesting article I found at QuiltersBee.com on the different kind of batts quilters use. It also has some tips about which needles work best. You may want to check it out.

I bought my wool from the folks at King's Men Quilting Supply Inc. The price is excellent if you are in a position to buy in bulk and the service was quick. I bought the 108x25 yd roll, so I will be working with wool from here on out. I'm very happy about that.

This quilt is about 40"x60." Just right for movie watching or tucking a little one in to bed.

Rube Goldberg (from Japan)

2010-04-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

I am soooo crazy about these things! I just laugh and laugh when I watch them. How about you?

If There is Winter in Heaven

2010-04-14T20:53:00.001-07:00

the view from the hill behind the cottage. abermule (35), originally uploaded by bearded iris.

Back to Work

2010-04-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

198/365 - payday, originally uploaded by jypsygen.

It seems that we will not have to move into a motor home after all. Although we never got very close to that, it was always in the back of my mind. How long can a household survive on too little income? But now, my husband is going back to work at the Boeing Company. The down side is, he will be working 75 miles from home, so the commute is going to mean I won't get to see him much. (He is also going to finish out the college quarter with night classes. Sigh.)

The up side is, well, money. Big upside, even when you like to live simply.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who has helped us through this time. We have not suffered, but have simply enjoyed the time together, thanks to your support.

Now, on to the next season of life.

Quilt for Mister Two-Year-Old

2010-03-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!

Sara Janssen's Video Home Tour

2010-02-28T15:56:00.000-08:00

How can you not love Sara Janssen? See more from her at her new blog Happy Janssens. In the meantime, enjoy the tour.

Happy Janssens: RV Tour from Sara Janssen on Vimeo.

Washington Timberframe Cottage

2010-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness. Follow this link to see a gorgeous little cottage right here in Washington state. Sooooo pretty.

2010-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

I sold this quilt at the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop for 175 dollars!

That! Feels! Good!

Please go and take a look around if you have not yet done so. Meanwhile, I'll be starting on my next quilt to donate. Click on this link for Craft Hope for Haiti. You will find there items of a wide range of prices. Please make a purchase if you are in a position to do so.

Thanks.

Mini Home on HGTV

2010-01-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

Helping Haiti

2010-01-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful that I learned today about this Etsy shop. I was able to share the quilt I just finished. If it sells, all proceeds will go to relief efforts in Haiti.

With my husband unemployed, we are both happy to have this means of helping. Please go and visit. Maybe you will find something there for you. Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop. To donate, go to CraftHope.com

"Christmas Spirit"

2009-12-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Choose Civility

2009-10-16T19:53:00.001-07:00

Civiliy-91, originally uploaded by Howard County Library.

Tired of all the mean-spiritedness in the political arena? You might find this a refreshing read.

The Cutest Cottage in Puyallup

2009-10-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

I have long-adored this little cottage at 410 7th Avenue NW in Puyallup, Washington. Now it is for sale. Since I am not in a position to buy it myself, my hope is that it will be snatched up by someone who will appreciate its unique charms.

It is all vintage, built in 1936, with a Dutch door, pine paneling, hardwood floors, and casement windows. It's 948 square feet with a basement.

Please buy it and write and tell me that you did!

(The listing is MLS#29134029 and is being sold by Jennifer Dunaway of Alliance Real Estate. There are more pictures on the web. Check it out.)

Carpette d'automne sur mon sentier près de ma rivière ...!!!

2009-10-09T11:50:00.001-07:00

Carpette d'automne sur mon sentier près de ma rivière ...!!!, originally uploaded by Denis Collette...!!!.

Ma rivière Lumière...!!!

2009-09-24T17:30:00.001-07:00

Ma rivière Lumière...!!!, originally uploaded by Denis Collette...!!!.

Just so beautiful.

Autumn Approches--Quilts Underway

2009-09-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Old Welsh Cottage...Fachwen North Wales UK

2009-09-16T22:47:00.001-07:00

Old Welsh Cottage...Fachwen North Wales UK, originally uploaded by PrestonWalesUK... my camera rocks.

Flowers for My Sister, Flowers for Myself

2009-09-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthdays to us.

Cottage, Castle, Countryside in France

2009-08-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

You want to click here. Trust me. You do.

A Minnie Winnie to Love

2009-08-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

Matt and Sara of the Live Lightly Tour have remodeled yet another motor home. They never cease to amaze me with their creativity and eye for beauty. See a before and after photo slide show here.

A thank you to bcostin for sharing this photo on flickr.

Old-Stone-House

2009-06-28T12:47:00.001-07:00

Old-Stone-House, originally uploaded by fear ciun.

I want to live here. Perfect.

President Obama Speaks About Faith and Prayer

2009-06-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

Read the President's address here.

Rural Garden

2009-06-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

Rural garden, originally uploaded by Linda6769.

"Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity."

--John Ruskin (Precious Thoughts: Moral and Religious).

A thank you to Linda6769 for sharing this photo on flickr.

More Lemon Magic

2009-06-12T15:09:00.001-07:00

L is for Lemon Lime, originally uploaded by terriseesthings.

I happily volunteered to wash some white baptismal clothes, but was dismayed when they were delivered to me for laundering with brown stains in several places. I pretreated with a commercial stain remover spray and laundered the clothes, then, when that was not completely successful, repeated the process. The stains were only about half gone by this point.

Assuming that the stains were from rust from the zippers in the items, I searched online and found this tip guide. Following the advice there, I then doused the stains in pure lemon juice and let that soak for 15 minutes and washed the clothes again. The stains disappeared.

I love the Internet. And I love those lemons.

A thank you to terriseesthings for sharing this beautiful photo on flickr.

This Made Me Smile

2009-06-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

I wish smiles for you today, too.

Sorry that the video is off-center. I don't know how to fix it.

The Puffity Blue Quilt is Finished

2009-05-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Off to Texas it goes!

Finnhouette

2009-05-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

finnhouette from wes johnson on Vimeo.

Lentils

2009-05-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

I love my Zojirushi Rice Cooker and today I used it to cook lentils. I just put one cup dried lentils, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water into the rice cooker, and one hour later I had lentils ready to eat or add to soup or sprinkle on salads.

Lentils are one of my favorite legumes and are very high in fiber, as well as lots of other good things.

Prelude

2009-05-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

A thank you to Denis Collette for sharing this gorgeous photograph on Flickr.com.

"The Magic Hour": a Short Film by Ray Paunovich

2009-05-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

The Magic Hour from Ray Paunovich on Vimeo.

"A visual look at nature in the last rays of sunlight."

Lemony Fresh

2009-05-04T11:11:00.001-07:00

Today I saw a clip from the British television show How Clean is Your House which included a tip about cleaning a toilet bowl. The nice lady suggested using a paste of borax and lemon juice. I tried it. It worked. You might like to try it, too.

(Remember that borax, while a completely natural substance, mined directly out of the earth, is still potentially dangerous. Wear gloves while you use it, and keep it away from little children.)

A thank you to {platinum} for sharing this photo on flickr.

May Day!

2009-05-01T11:30:00.001-07:00

When I was a little girl, my sister and I would rush home from school on May 1 each year to make paper cones for flower vases. We grabbed handfuls of lilacs and dandelions and filled the cones, then ran through the neighborhood placing the bouquets on each doorstep, knocking on the door and running away to hide.

It was great fun, but I for one always wished that our celebrations included a Maypole dance, like the magical one pictured here. All those colors being woven together! That seemed like heaven.

A thank you to Pete Ashton for the maypole photograph, to van swearingen for the lilacs and Bob Aubuchon for the dandelions, all shared in Creative Commons on flickr.

Joy with a Pink Bracelet

2009-04-28T10:03:00.001-07:00

My cup runneth over.

Queen Sized Crazy Quilt: The Backstory

2009-04-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Click here to see hundreds more quilts via the Bloggers Quilt Festival being hosted by Amy at Park City Girl.

I was nineteen years old and visiting a cousin who was a student at the University of Washington. She lived with seven other young women in an enormous U-District house built in the 1800's. The house was spacious and charming and I--coming as I was from an upbringing in a less-than-1000-square foot 1960's rambler--was enchanted, but never so much awestruck as when, for a fleeting moment, I saw a flash of multicolored beauty among the blankets atop my cousin's bed. Hidden in the pile was a crazy quilt and when I glimpsed it I gasped and asked, "what is that?!" She was surprised by my excitement and casually replied that it was a quilt made by our great grandmother, and returned it to its place under the covers.

I never saw the quilt again, but I never forgot that moment of discovery. Making this one has fulfilled a goal that I had not realized I had. I feel very satisfied to have it done. Maybe there will be a great-granddaughter of mine who will be delighted at its discovery. I hope so. In the meantime, it is very practical and warm, and will get much use in this house, for many years to come.

Done and On the Bed

2009-04-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

After some five months of nearly daily labor, I have finished a queen sized quilt for our bed. It is crazy-patched, hand-quilted and ready to keep us warm until we die.

For a New Little Girl

2009-04-10T13:04:00.001-07:00

Waiting for the border fabrics to arrive in the mail.

For a Favorite Little Boy

2009-04-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

A work in progress. It's coming along.

Katrina Cottages: Exterior and Interior Views

2009-04-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I do another online search to see if I can find more pictures of the interiors of the Lowe's Katrina Cottages. Today I had success. You can see some nice interior and exterior photos of these lovely little cottages at the Cusato Cottages site here. Lowe's has some photos, too, although I was not as fond of the furniture choices displayed there. See them here.

Now that we are about to join the ranks of the unemployed, I'm wondering if one of these might be a real option to consider. I'd like one complete with a garden spot, mature trees, and a clothesline, if you please. Anyone know of land for sale?

Photo Credit: www.cusatocottages.com

For Sale: Tiny House

2009-04-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

A craftsman named Derek has a tiny home on wheels for sale for 34,000 dollars.

Go and see it here, for the sake of enjoying the beauty of a well-organized space, if for nothing else. It really is a little gem.

Photograph from Tiny House Blog.

Oh, Come On

2009-04-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

That Mother Nature. What a kidder. Snow on April First.

Ha. Ha. Good one.

(Not so much, really.)

A thank you to Photonburst for sharing this picture on flickr.

A Farm

2009-03-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

A thank you to lakewentworth for sharing this photograph on flickr.

I'm Wishing for a Clothesline. How about you?

2009-03-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

A thank you to Lulu at Home for sharing this photo on flickr. Click here to see more of her nostalgic photographs.