Happy Valentine’s Day from Our Post Office Box to Your’s

This last week has passed so quickly.  I never stop writing or sewing but  my photography is lagging behind.  Too many gray days lately and as an amateur photographer, I need light to take good pictures.  But I will take some today and perhaps have my husband take a few as well and get caught up.

I wanted to share with you our post office boxes that we stenciled years ago.  The brown one was done before the two white ones for each of my daughter’s.  The idea is not original, but came from a Tasha Tudor  book, A Time to Keep.  

They are easily made using store bought stencils and/or ones that you make yourself using plastic mylar and an Exacto knife.  Simply use a  stencil brush, loaded with inexpensive craft paint.  “Pound” your brush to clear off the excess paint on a piece of scrap paper as you want only a dry dusting of paint on your brush to paint on your stencil.  You might want to try a few on paper first to get the hang of it.  

Of course our post office boxes are strictly amateur.  No professional job here at all, but no matter as we had a good time making them and have since enjoyed using them each year. (Our white boxes were inexpensive cardboard gift boxes that we bought, and the brown one was simply a recycled plain brown box that came with a gift in it.

When I was in elementary school, I always loved decorating shoe boxes each year to hold our Valentines.  Construction paper and plenty of pasty glue was all it took to transform these boxes.  So whether you paint your post office boxes or decorate them using construction paper, tin foil or even doilies, it is a fun activity for all, and make wonderful post office boxes to use for years to come!

We place our Valentines in these boxes each year, other along with other small treats that we either make or purchase.  We also have special hearts that my husband bought for the girls and me when he stopped at the Amana Colonies when he moved out ahead of us on his way to the Vermont.  They are delicate Opelle glass giftware made by Corning and are truly little heirloom treasures .  We carefully store them in our post office boxes and enjoy them year after year. 

This is the season for hearts and love.  Don’t miss taking this opportunity to tell someone just how special they are!

You are very special to us and so we are have a special Valentine Sale through the end of the month.  Check out our Etsy store, if you haven’t already!  And if you purchase something be sure to use the code “LOVE15” to get 15% off the purchase price.  If you have any difficulty with this just let us know and we will be sure that you get your discount. Happy Valentine’s Day from Little House!

The Winner of February's Common Thread Give-Away is....

Kristen Lauffer is the winner of this picture of Fran and Meg by Jon Katz! Congratulations Kristen!!

Next Month's Artist of the Month will be Maria Wulf, so do check her blog the first Monday of next month. I will be sure to remind you!!

Check Out Red's Picture Today!

Don't miss seeing Jon Katz's blog today (Bedlam Farm.com).  He has a wonderful picture of his dog, Red working. Red's mindset is so focused and Jon's blog right on! I now plan to be more like Red and Jon today in my work and thank them both for their inspiration!

If you haven't signed up for Jon's free give-away photo of Fran and Meg, don't miss the opportunity.  Simply go to his wife, Maria's website, (http://fullmoonfiberart.com) and leave a comment for Jon, and you will be registered to win this print, all ready for framing! Good Luck!

A Valentine for My Readers

I am so excited to announce my first ever Etsy Shop Sale! In honor of Valentine's Day I have added many  new items to my little shop. I invite you to stop by and take a look!  To take advantage of our sale simply click on "Apply Shop Coupon Code" and then type in code "LOVE15" at checkout to receive 15% off any of my in stock items. The coupon code will be valid through the whole month of February.

I must tell you that putting these new pieces together reminded me of when I would prepare my Valentines for my classmates in elementary school.  Each of my items is made with the same love and care and with the intent to delight the receiver. Hand-embroidered stitching, interesting, silly and vintage buttons and/or special embroidered messages are included to help you communicate to your best friends just how special they are to you!

We seem, no matter what age, to be almost too careful about revealing all the love we have for those near and dear to us,  though perhaps I have just revealed my conservative Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.  I used to think it was just my mom’s careful way to keep me humble, but later learned that it is part of a whole culture that comes with showing loyalty and love instead of openly expressing love through words.  I think both are important.

No matter how you tell people you love them, I believe it is so important to let them know that they are special.  The world has become too hard, and too violent these days.  I pray that this Valentine’s Day be a day of peace, gentleness and love.  My wares express the sweetness of home and home-made love, for that is what I think is most needed in this world.

Thank you for visiting me at Little House!  With love, jane

Another Common-Thread Give-Away!!

February’s featured artist is Jon Katz, a New York Time’s best-selling author and professional photographer as well as husband to my friend, Maria Wulf. I remember first meeting Jon when he and Maria came to my house to photograph some of my pincushions for Maria's Pig Barn Gallery Functional Art Show.  I kenneled my then unruly puppy, as I didn’t want Cassie’s over-exuberance to violate he and Maria.  I hadn’t a clue that it could have been my dog, Cassie’s best experience ever with this gentle dog psychologist, nor did I know that Jon would have been proud of me for taking in this out-of-control bizarre and homeless puppy, and so I locked her up and didn’t let Jon near her. I now know that Jon loves animals, and writes  many stories about these precious and often irregular animals.

When Maria told me that he is a writer, I didn’t understand and thought perhaps he just journals like I do. No, Jon is a professional writer, and not an unpublished or unknown one at that!  He is a New York Times best-selling author, as well as a professional photographer, journalist and blogger.  Shortly after meeting and listening to Jon talk, I couldn’t wait to read about him and started with his autobiographical book, Running to the Mountain:a Midlife Adventure.  The timing was just right, as I was encountering major alterations in my life and my first encounter with him at the gallery show proved to be a meeting that opened up a whole new aspect of myself.  Jon has that affect on people.

Jon captures the hearts of his readers.  His transparency and love benefit all who come to know him. Although his beloved stories about his dogs are likely what he is best known for, his life’s experiences and deep probing nature makes him a truly interesting person and reading his daily blog has become my antidote to the toxic world that can de-rail us all.  Each day brings a refreshing glance into the world of Jon’s Bedlam Farm experiences, which is to encounter what I consider to be the real issues of living and embracing life and love. I encourage all of my readers to get to know Jon as I have through his blog and books.

Don’t miss his featured Common-Threads free Give-Away, a signed print of Fran and Meg, shown above. It is suitable for framing and will bring a touch of Bedlam Farm right into your home. Simply sign up for this free give-away by visiting his wife's website, fullmoonfiberart.com and leaving a comment for him there anytime Monday through Wednesday of this week. I would encourage you to browse and read Jon's blog,
bedlamfarm.com.as well.

I have written an Ode to Jon, for he has become one of my favorite authors. It falls short when it comes to being lyrical and I will not attempt to sing it, but it is truly a heartfelt praise of this beloved author and friend.

Ode to Jon Katz
He is a kind, gentle, and creative man,
A mesmerizing story teller,
Who puts all at ease.
With a perceptive and artistic eye that
Sees within and captures the good in all he encounters,
With photograph and words he shares all he sees.
Daring to ask the raw and gnawing questions,
While facing life squarely,
He transparently shares with us all,
His yearnings, thoughts and feelings,
His short comings and his fears.
Serious, but humorous as well,
He is a seeker, a lover of life,
Devoted husband to Maria,
And good friend to many.
He is a gentle master of his animals,
Though he might say he is a steward of them instead.
Respecting, and earning their trust and affection.
They know his character and he knows theirs.
Always reaching deep within
To find their hearts and souls,
Just as he does with people,
Drawing out the inner beauty within.
Taking care each day to not neglect
An opportunity to love life,
Jon embraces the world, his animals, and his friends.
It is no secret that he is soft.
He writes of that softness
And all who read Jon’s blog
Or his books will agree
There is no malice, but only love within.
It makes me smile when I think of him.

A Two Plus Week Progress Report

It has already been two plus weeks since my husband’s lay-off.  As anyone will tell you that has gone through this process, it is a challenge to face one’s fears about securing another job and the concerns that the lay-off perhaps was done in response to something that you did or failed to do.  Younger people seem to come with a knowledge base that it took your whole career to glean. Competition is ever there to tell you that with your years you might be less than what is needed now. Facts tell a different story.  A vibrant company we learned is constantly cutting 10% of their overhead, and this includes positions (i.e. people).

We are facing this as a family. My eldest daughter is still at home with us, and her help has been invaluable.  Resumes are no longer a detailed history of your life, but are short reads now to accommodate the quick world that we live in.

My husband is almost ready to set out the door to seek a job to fit what he is now, a less energetic and less naïve, but wiser business man.  We worked together as a family to fill out his talent sheets for the job counseling service so generously offered by his company.This is not a time when he can generate his accomplishments without some support and encouragement from us who want to brag about him. His talents are many, not least of which is to head this rather complex household.

We put our thoughts into imagined business terms, and sure enough, out flows what he has tucked away and failed to brag about. He lists the ways he has benefited his company over his many years of work. We are impressed and so is he.  This is what he will take with him to move ahead.

Waves of insecurity rise here and there and are all but laughable.  I concern myself with potentially living in China with no Amercan style porcelain toilets, or in a one room apartment, as I mentally leave our beautiful but modest Little House, complete with my sewing studio and wonderful array of collected materials.  My husband has no wish to move elsewhere either, and we are grateful that the expenses of our Little House are so small that even my daughter could afford to stay here and keep our home warm as we entertain moving temporarily to where a job can be found.  We fear that the choices may be limited by his age.

The week brings about another crisis of sorts.  My regular doctor was determined to be a specialist and not allowed to continue seeing me and others with my condition as we are now "consult" patients.  He left this practice but is unable to establish the private practice he had planned, at least for a time, and has left many of his patients wondering how and where to get needed services.  He is a rare doctor indeed at least in our area, and I begin the search for affordable care and medications. I have to laugh that we are in between insurances for the first time in twenty-two plus years.  It never rains but what it pours! It is best that I be positive about how close I have come to the end of my long term treatment, and so I reassure my doubting self that my treatment might be sufficient even if cut short.

It is funny how crisis causes a person to focus on what is essential. We are doing just that and trying to carry on with the day-to-day activities. I quite forgot, I still have taxes to figure, and much sewing to do. I also notice that every few days I must sew for my own good. It feeds my soul. I am realistic that my productivity has been cut a bit short by our current survival process and am glad for my recent reading of Surviving Survival  by L Gonzales. He talks about the attributes found in  people who overcome odds of whatever sort.  I have taken careful notes and check myself and the family.

The author tells that one must start with a strong sense of self.  He defines this as a person with the following characteristics: (I do hope the author will forgive me if my interpretation of his writings are not exactly in line with his.  But this is what I understood him to say.)

1) A healthy balance of rational and emotional thinking, with the rational not letting emotions run away with you and yet trusting what your instinctive reactions and fear might have to tell you. Check. We all seem to have a healthy dose of both sides to our brain functioning.

2) "Continuity of person" from one moment to the next, and year to year,  flowing continuously versus interrupted and unpredictable.  Weak.  I am anything but a continual flow.  Our life filled with much that is unpredictable, like serious health issues and other things beyond our control (lightening, tornado etc.). Through it all we continually struggle on and don’t give up. Perhaps we are better than I thought, despite our challenges. Check.

3) "Embodiment or being at home in my own body".  Weak, but getting stronger with treatment.  Exercise will help this as my treatments effects lessen and my stamina increases.  An area to work on. We are all at home however at Little House.

4) "Privacy", as defined as control over my own space. Check.  I do try hard to take control of what I can and my organization for the life ahead is my strength. Prayer is no small part of this. My family likewise, though my eldest daughter sometimes operates in such fast lane, that she is behind in care of her own space and yet she has some organization midst the clutter.

5) "Social embedding", meaning attaching to relatives and friends for support.  Check.  No matter how isolated my illness has made me, I reach out and stay connected, often by phone and internet these days as opposed to in person.  My family is good on this count as well.

6) "Free will/ autonomous career".  I am autonomous only with the support of my family, but they are there and my independent spirit is fierce.  An area to continue to work on. My family is more autonomous than me, fortunately.

7) "Self-awareness". Double check, a strength of mine.  My family isn't so bad in this area either.

There is much more to being a survivor, but will leave that for my next blog.  My Valentine’s Day Sale sewing is progressing, and there is much to do yet to prepare. We are planning on getting it all posted this next week and so do keep watch.  I am trying out some new items and will be anxious to see what you all think of them.

Thank you, my readers for your prayers, support and encouragement. It is much appreciated!

The New Year Brings Unforeseen Challenges

I have been writing lots this past week, but decided that instead of publishing these writings, I would condense my thoughts and share with my readers what has happened at Little House since the Great Common Thread Give-Away only a week ago.  We are still in shock, but are already busy working to repair our life and move on.

I was dreading, but eager to complete my paperwork for the year. It is one of my nemeses. I simply put my  in or out receipts in a basket and sort it all at the beginning of every year to deal with taxes. I seem to forget that this is part of what is needed to close out the old year to prepare for the new one and instead  think only about my upcoming new sewing projects.  Creating is what I live for and acts as "the carrot dangling before my nose" to motivate me through unsavory projects!

I completed what was most urgent, doing coursework and forms to obtain my New York State RN License. I am still inactive and not practicing my nursing except on myself as I continue my very long term treatment for  a chronic illness that was getting the better of me. My parents taught me that becoming a nurse would provide me with a built-in insurance plan for life and indeed they were right. Now that this is done, I figured that only my tax prep stood between me and submerging myself in my creative ventures of preparing for my Valentine's Day Sale on Etsy.

As I prepared to "hold my nose" and complete my tax prep, I got a phone call from my husband with news that quickly put all I had been dreading into perspective.  He was laid off from his job of more than twenty-two years!

Nothing could have prepared us for that day, except previous lay-offs years ago, challenges of various sorts through the years including serious illnesses and deaths of family members.  It is definitely is a huge loss, and has sent us into a whirlwind of thoughts, feelings and new demands.  We are survivors and we will get through this crisis as well!

The term "recession" is tossed about by those in the news media, but when it is your job that is ended, sending you and your family into the category of unemployed, it is not a recession but rather a depression.  Let me be clear, we are not personally depressed, but rather, like others in this state, shocked, saddened and overwhelmed and our paperwork just increased exponentially! State offices are some of the hardest to deal with, as they are notoriously take-a-number-and-wait- institutions whether or not there is a line to wait in. We are certain that the challenges we face will bring new growth that will make us stronger and more creative than we are right now!  It has been only one week on Wednesday that he was sent home half way through the day, and we are already stronger.

Our family has pulled together and we are taking it all day by day.  We are praying people and have hope that a new chapter in our life is starting and that it will catapult my husband into an exciting new job and one that doesn't require the long commute that he has had for years.  He will miss his many friends at his work, and is truly grateful for the many good experiences he has had in this job.  He is not the same person he was when he started it for sure!  He has many skills and talents now ranging from buyer to product developer, and all the dealings that go with a host of different product lines and despite the gloom and doom of the economic issues that our country faces, he still believes that this is a land of opportunity and like our cat Zeldie, he will land on his feet!

You might wonder why I write about this personal crisis on my blog?  When I first developed Little House Home Arts several years ago, I imagined writing about issues that affect our homes today. While most topics I considered blogging about involve making our homes places of comfort and traditions, dealing with the breakdowns that occur demand our creativity as well.  In fact, I have always agreed with the thought that "necessity is the mother of invention".  Unemployment is so prevalent today and being resilient is but another aspect of home-making today.  We are not alone in having to deal with this sort of upheaval, and whether it be unemployment, under-employment, stretching our finances and making do, or overcoming day-to-day challenges, like serious health or family issues, creativity is what keeps our home going through good times and bad.

I had just completed reading a special book recommended to me by a good friend who is dealing with his wife's life-threatening illness.  It is a book by L. Gonzales, entitled Surviving Survival, and deals with the very issue of what makes for healthy resilience in the face of life's traumas.  I must warn you that it is no light reading.  I could not believe the challenges and obstacles that some face! Mine pale in comparison.

This author provides lots of data obtained in studying tough individuals that overcome all odds, but something really struck my heart. He talked about how repetitive tasks like knitting and other handwork have been shown to actually neurologically heal those whose lives are damaged by trauma, documenting what I already knew.  Creating is part of healing, and there are times when I am almost "driven" to create. I am sure others that sew, knit, paint or do other such handwork will agree.  Much peace and solace is found when being in that "creative zone" and our lives are transformed in the process.  I tell people at my shows that "the fun is in the doing".  I typically sell less  of my own creations, though my patterns and kits seem to be purchased by my customers that take me seriously. When our hands are at work, our minds are elevated and our hearts healed.

So you will be hearing more from me in the weeks ahead about our recovery.  I know from experience that we will be wading in some deep waters, but we will stay busy and create in the middle of it all!! We'd appreciate you keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

We are meeting many of you through my blog and appreciate your friendship and your business. It is truly our pleasure to get to know you better and share in your struggles as well. Sharing and helping one another is another good survival skill and good for our hearts!!  Do keep watch for the Valentine's Day sale in our ETSY shop coming up soon!

(This blog is dedicated to Cindy C. who is having a scary medical procedure done tomorrow and my high school friend Linda P. who lost her dear mother only days ago.  We are praying for both of you!)