Making Coats for...Everything

It's coat season; around here lately, just about everything has gotten a coat.

If you're looking for a good way to protect your investment in a good pair of sunglasses, the delicate screen on your phone, an e-reader, or a tablet, just go to the local notion shop, find a nice sturdy yet soft piece of material, some thread, and you're ready to start making those coats.

No pattern is needed other than the item to be "coated". It is a good idea to use pinking shears and a sewing machine if possible. If worst comes to worst, some close hand stitching would suffice.

Measure around the item, give yourself plenty of room for seams,  and cut around. Make sure the front sides of the material are facing one another. Stitch together on three sides. While the item is still wrong side out, turn a 1/2-3/4" hem around the open end. Turn the item right side out. Add a couple of snaps to the top hem. You're set!

I've seen "sleeves" for these items sell for as much as $50. or more...ridiculous! You can have one whipped together a just a bit for, depending upon the material and size of the "coat", around three or four dollars.

That savings keeps the cottage running much smoother.

Have a lovely day!

Darning the Sock

No, it's not a castanet; that pretty little wooden egg-shaped item with a handle is a good, old-fashioned darning ball. I discovered one a few years back, and I have decided it's one of the most indispensable items in my sewing arsenal. 

To use, you just simply run the darning ball to the hole in the sock. This will give you a great foundation on which to keep the hole steady as you pick up the yarns to make a nice stitch that will hold, but not have an uncomfortable lump from the seam the sewing creates. Tiny stitches anchored carefully with just a few of the threads of the sock will make it look almost good as new.

So, the next time you're at a flea market or antique store, look for one of these handy-dandy items. You'll be able to darn the sock, not just say "Darn the sock!"

Cookie Baking Day

 nothing like a cookie jar full of snickerdoodles--enough to share

with the neighbors!

 It started raining today, so the cottage took on a particularly cozy feel. And what could make it feel even more cozy? The smell of cinnamon wafting through the air, of course! My thoughts went immediately to snickerdoodles.  I first checked my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, circa 1953, only to find that snickerdoodles had not yet made the recipe list (were they even invented yet?) So my next stop was my 1980's edition--a lifesaver to me in the past 25+ years more than I can number. And there it was--the recipe!

 Next to the pantry only to find that I had only self-raising flour. No problem, I thought; I'll just leave out the baking powder. NO baking powder in this recipe. Oh well...improvise, improvise. Here's a similar recipe to the one I used. 

A couple of hints: be sure to not make the cookies bigger than 1" balls. To save some time on this process, you can roll out a piece of cookie dough around 6 inches long and then just pinch off one inch and roll a bit before rolling in the sugar/cinnamon mix. I also extended my baking time to 13 minutes per batch. Just adjust for your oven.

Finally, two of the best friends a baker can have in the cottage is a good, sturdy cookie sheet ( I really like air-bake--they wear really well as long as you take care not to immerse them in water) and Silpat sheets. The sheets used as liners make the bottoms of cookies a lovely even color. I've had a pair of the sheets for nearly ten years, and they're holding their own. With care, they'll last a long, long time.

Nothing smells much better than the aroma of fresh cookies baking on a rainy day. From our cottage to yours--have a lovely day!

Laundry Day

I always kind of enjoy laundry day; it's one of those jobs that you can actually see that progress has been made when all is said and done. It's also a treat to sink into those freshly cleaned sheets at the end of the day.

The weather here has been ideal of late, so I decided to take full advantage of the lovely gift of a steady breeze and the old clothes line.

For some reason, bed clothes and fresh breezes seems to compliment one another beautifully. So off I went, wet sheets and pillowcases in the basket with assorted clothes pins and my handy wet rag to wipe down the line.

It's amazing just how dirty a clothes line can get. If you've inherited one where you live, don't forget this; it can be mighty disappointing to take down a freshly dried line of clothes only to see a dark line on each and every item that clearly announces "start over"...not good.

At first touch, it seems that not all items of clothing are as adaptable to the fresh breeze as sheets and other cotton items. Towels and washcloths, for example, are deceiving; when taken off the line they can seem as stiff as a board. When you use them after a shower, they soften right up and that fresh scent comes alive...quite a treat!

Of course, any item of clothing with polyester will still have the feel of polyester even after a few hours in the breeze.

If you live somewhere that is clothesline-less and you have that hankering to save some energy and get some fresh dried clothes, all is not lost. There are a number of portable clotheslines that fit most any need or any budget. If you need portability and a low-cost alternative, many second hand shops and garage sales will have fold-out wooden clothes dryers like this one I found on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Madison-Mills-Wooden-Drying-Clothes/dp/B0009XEH8O.

So...wash those clothes, look for that sunny, breezy day and enjoy the freshness!

Welcome to the Cottage

We live on a farm in a rural area of southern Indiana that is quite beautiful during each of the four seasons, thanks to hills and valleys of trees, crops, grasses, and wildlife. We also have a pond in the back yard and a river nearby. Although we are quite secluded by 21st century standards, thanks to the wonderful world of wireless, we tend to feel we have the best of both worlds.

I've become, over the years, somewhat of a homebody. Having spent twenty years in a classroom or an office in the education system, my current job which allows me to work at home in a virtual office is a welcomed change. The solitude of being in a physical office of just myself lends itself to quiet moments of creativity and thought. As a result, I have the pleasure of thinking about things in the bigger picture of life, rather than the office politics that plague most workplaces.

I started blogging earlier this summer as a result of a challenge to myself to have 50 adventures during my fiftieth year on this wondrous planet. It also soothes an English teacher's soul to have the outlet. The downside (if it is considered as such) is that I tend to have numerous ideas for blogs. Thankfully the Internet provides the needed access for the urge to write. Very thankfully there are sites such as Blogger than allow us to exercise our writing muscle as much as desired.

And so, this is the latest blog...Running the Cottage. Welcome! Although entries from time to time might be seen by some as merging on the mundane, I started thinking one day while I was just going about my business of keeping the house in order that after 26+ years, this is an enjoyable and familiar habit. However, to the new housekeeper, some things seems a bit daunting. Hopefully this site will help as a friend that can lend some information, some advice, and some encouragement in the daily routine of making a house truly a home.

Welcome to the Cottage!