Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Changes at The Homesteading Cottage

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Isn't she lovely? That's our Homesteading Cottage...or at least she is for the time being. If I remember correctly, she was built in the early 1900's and used to be the crowning jewel of a family homestead dairy farm, but now she's surrounded by city life. I think there may even be a few milk bottles from the old dairy around here somewhere. The cottage was fully renovated by the owner and feels like a country retreat even though we're right in the middle of the city. We are so blessed to be here and look forward to share more photos of this beautiful home.


The front porch is a favorite spot for chatting and sipping tea. As you can see, Malone (our doxie-beagle) has declared it to be his preferred snuggle spot outside (: I love that it has an outdoor living area and we can't wait for meals set under the twinkling lights of the cool evening sky. Right now we're a little on the muggy side of things, but grilling out is something we hope to do soon!


I love how the trellis covers the front of the house to provide privacy. It creates such a cozy feel that you don’t even realize city life is a hop, skip and a jump away!

Yesterday's post described how we moved from our apartment, to a hotel and now to this cottage cutie. It's our temporary abode while we're waiting for our country Homesteading Cottage and will serve as the backdrop for the transition to come.

When I originally started this blog it was a way to connect with others who were interested in natural living, homesteading and simple abundance. We were living in a city apartment and I was on a quest to get back to my roots of naturalness and simplicity, so The Homesteading Apartment seemed like the perfect name for my new spot in blog land. I spent several years caring for ill family members, lost myself in that caregiving role and needed a way to connect with the "real me" again. Writing about the process, sharing tips of what worked for us and encouraging others along the way was magic for my soul.

Now that it's been a couple of years, we think this lovely little blog is in need of an update. If you've been visiting us for any time at all, you'll notice some of the changes that have already taken place. We've switched the name from "The Homesteading Apartment" to "The Homesteading Cottage" for obvious reasons (: and added a "Contact Us" link on the right sidebar to make it easier for you to drop a line and say hi!

One of the most exciting announcements is that Faye Yates, more affectionately known around here as Mom, has decided to join our team! She'll be posting articles on Natural Health and her journey from near death to an amazing recovery, Growing Older with Grace, Homeschooling, Child Learning & Growth and tips on How to Create Special Memory Moments. She's a veteran out-of-the-box teacher of over 25+ years and has a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education with an area of concentration in Special Education. We're so glad she's here (:

We've also added some section tabs across the top of the blog for easy navigating. One of these is a Resources page chock-full of items from other sites. We're very particular about what we pass along to others and only include items we either use ourselves or things that we have on our wish list.

Due to demand we've also decided to offer a Services page that will include info regarding design services for the home, simple weddings and more. This page should be up and running in the next few weeks so check back.

Our Shop tab is a link directly to our Natural esSCENTials™ website and will be filled with our handmade goodies related to simplicity, organization and entertaining. Our products encourage tradition and legacy building, are the essentials to get you organized, the supplies to celebrate any event, the recipes to clean up your spaces, the decor to float your boat and the fun things to keep you focused.

Whether it's for a wedding, baby shower, party, work or home, we have the tools to help take the stress out of the everyday. Anything that makes life simple, organized and stress free is a blessing to share with others! All of our items are handmade by us and can be easily customized. Just send a note of what you'd like and we'll be happy to create something that's distinctive for you (:

We're still a construction zone around here, but the dust should die down soon (: I'll be sharing more of what's going on with The Homesteading Cottage and hope you join us for the ride (:

With Gratitude,


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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The Art of Action - A Step Forward


I mentioned yesterday that I'm participating in The Art of Action workshop developed by Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl and the opportunity to join with other creatives as we move from aspiration to actualization to accomplishment is unbelievable!!   "If you struggle to put what you learn into practice, if you have the best of intentions and none of the follow through, this program will help you change that. It’s all about execution: the mind set, the step by step, and the outcome."

I have tons of ideas, so many plans and notebooks full of designs, but I was stuck in survival mode.  We all have those times when we get to a certain spot and just can't push forward, but if we aren't careful we can set up shop and live there without even realizing it.  That's what happened to me.

Okay...so maybe you're having the same experience.  You're stuck and now you want to move out of that stuck place, but have no idea how or where to move next!  That's exactly what The Art of Action is designed to do.  This 6 week program will offer guidance in creating a prioritized, step-by-step plan to reach your goals and move you from Stuck to Action!

I can't believe how the last couple of days have changed my focus!!  I've already set up a Goal Framework, completed three action tasks from yesterday and today and now have a clearer focus on where I want to go. 

So if you're feeling stuck, stop by and check out The Art of Action.  We've just started and I believe you can still sign up!  I'd love to see you there (:



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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Year of Expectations

Oh my goodness!  I can't believe this is officially The Homesteading Apartment's one year anniversary!  It seems as if it was just yesterday that the summer sun was beating down and I was waiting for the cold weather to come.  Then the next thing I knew Christmas was here and now we're approaching Valentine's Day!!

The last year has been one of learning, growth and tons of faith stretching (:  I'm a very impatient gal and when I see a vision I tend to want things to change NOW.  A season of waiting isn't something that has been cherished in the past, but this last year has given me a greater appreciation for these desert times.  In the desert thankfulness and gratitude abound.  The little things are reflected in a different light...a light that grows faith and you begin to see God working more clearly. 

So this year I declare it to be The Year of Expectations.  I expect the miracles to come...I expect my life to change...I expect my dreams to come true and I expect to see God work in amazing ways.  In the past I've been afraid to expect great things because I didn't want to be disappointed.  Now I'm beginning to realize that expectation allows openness and possibilities to flourish.  So as I wait with great expectation, I am content and thankful.

My first step in doing this is to launch a couple of online shops.  Several years ago I opened a brick and mortar store, but never really took things online fully.  This year is the year to make it happen and so I'm introducing Natural esSCENTials and Little esSCENTials.  Both shops will grow as more things are added.  If you have a chance I hope you stop by.

So what is your focus for this year of 2011?  Are you in a season of waiting?  In what ways are you stretching your faith muscle and how are you faring along the way?

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint."  ~ Isaiah 40:31



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