The Nesting Hen

Let me just say, I LOVE my home! January 2014, we made it one of our resolutions to purchase our first home. We thought we would achieve this goal by end of the year, but little did we know that in a matter of weeks, we would have bought a house, and moved the first of April! What a whirlwind process it was, but I couldn’t be happier with our home. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of…an old home with character, needing a little love and TLC (which makes it all the more “ours”!). When we bought, we knew that there would be lots of projects to keep us busy. I promised my wonderful hubby that his man cave would be our first big project. He needs a space to unwind, watch all that ESPN, and to entertain our friends and family. We could instantly see potential in this basement for his future man cave. This is what the basement looked like when we were looking at the house…trust me the picture makes it look better than it really was! We are going for a industrial/rustic/sports themed ...

I had this akward place between a doorway and my window, and couldn't for the life of me figure out what to put there. In the process of cleaning and trying to find homes for stuff, I came across this old window frame. The frame had been painted black, and was just in general pretty sad looking. I painted it a bright red, the same color as our island, attached a plywood backing that was painted with chalkboard paint, and voila! It's like it was made for that space! It's the perfect space for notes, grocery list, or honey-do lists.  Do you have a unique chalkboard in your kitchen?

Photo courtesy of www.walnutantiqueshow.com I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I LOVE flea markets! My mom and I never miss a What Cheer flea market. My mom has been going there for over 20 years, and as soon as I was old enough to walk the flea market without complaints, I got to go along too. A few years back, we decided that the wait between the May and August What Cheer shows was unbearable, and we needed to find a new show to go to in between. After doing some research, we came across the Walnut Antique Show. Located in Walnut, Iowa (Iowa's Antique City), this small, small town hosts a flea market in Mid June every year. We make a mother daughter weekend out of it, and when she can, my sister joins us a well. We stay overnight at a nearby hotel, and the past few years, we've eaten supper the night before at Mexican restaurant in downtown Harlan. The reason we go back…the cabbage salsa. I know it sounds weird, I had never heard of it before...

Everyone has a collection. Something that you were simply drawn to or something that you have a personal tie with. Mine is a bit of both. My matchbox holder collection reminds me of simpler times that I didn't get to experience. When it was necessary to have matches in the kitchen to light your stove. The silver one in particular holds a special place in my heart. My Great-great-grandfather held a patent for a matchbox holder cut from a single piece of metal. This matchbox is identical to the drawings in his patent. I love the variety of colors, designs, and styles. When we moved into our new house, I couldn't find the right place or method to display them. I wanted to keep them together, as I think they make more of an impact. I finally found the perfect way to display them. This little black shelf houses most of them perfectly, and the space really needed something. I even have room to add more to my collection! (P.S. Don't mind the...

Street scrubbers in Pella Tulip Time is finally here…and now gone :( To me, it truly is the most wonderful time of year! Good food, parades, my costume, Dutch dancing, beautiful flowers…so many reasons to love Tulip Time! My Dutch selfie!  :) Growing up, Tulip Time meant riding on the VFW float that my Grandpa was pulling, sharing Vet Bollen with my Grandma, walking in the parade with all the other school kids, spending time at Grandma and Grandpa's house because it was right on the parade route, Grandma's fresh chocolate chip cookies, walking through the craft show with Mom, Dutch dancing, scrubbing streets, and so very much more! With my Grandparents now being gone, it makes it a bittersweet time. So, to keep my mind busy, and to continue to support the festival that helps keep our community thriving, I decided to volunteer at the Pella Historical Village. This little village features a replica sod home that the founders of the city lived in, a working w...

As tulips begin to break through the fresh spring soil, in our community, we begin to think about Tulip Time, This festival, held the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of May, brings thousands from around the world to view our beautiful community, filled with brightly colored tulips and costumes that celebrate our Dutch Heritage. This year, for Tulip Time, I will be worked at the Pella Historical Village , in the bakery. I was very excited to be able to support the festival, as well as meet people from all over the world as the visit. And, because I never have enough projects, I decided last minute to sew a new Dutch costume. My ancestors are from many places in the Netherlands, so I chose to make the costume from Groningen, the province my Grandmother's family is from. A black peplum top, a black dress, an apron, scarf, and a white lace hat make up this costume. I'm finally finished with it all, and just in time, as Tulip Time was a few short days away. Until ...