3
Jun

Busy, Busy

It has been busy, busy around The Cottage Home lately.   My etsy shop, The Cottage Mama, seems to really be taking off and I am just tickled pink with the new opportunities that are coming my way.I wanted to share some of the things I have been working on with all of you............A new design for the shop - Floral Blue & Orange Bubble RomperThis is one of my favorite designs that I have come up with.  I love using rick-rack, piping and fabric covered buttons and this cute little outfit has all three!I've also been busy with some custom order requests.  Most of … continue reading

30
May

A Day at the Market

I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful holiday weekend - we sure are!  I just wanted to share some pictures from our trip to our local farmer's market.Check out these hanging baskets - aren't they GORGEOUS!  I would love to have one, but we don't have anywhere to hang something like that.  So if you can't take one home, you might as well stop and smell the pretty flowers.During this time of year there is very little produce available at our market.  It's mostly plants, herbs, cheese, honey, bread and wine.  Asparagus is in season right now, but that's about … continue reading

28
May

Summer Fabric Rag Wreath Tutorial

I have had my spring wreath on the door since, well, the beginning of spring.  I kind of felt like it was time for something new.  I wanted to create a summer wreath for our front door that would be fun and cute, but would break the budget.  So here's what I came up with.......Summer Fabric Rag Wreath TutorialSupplies:1 wreath form (whatever size you like)Scraps of fabric (10-12" long)1 piece ribbon or other material for hangingScissorsDirections:This is a medium sized wreath that I bought from the dollar store, so it was only $1.00 (woohoo!!)Pull out your scrap … continue reading

27
May

The Beginning of Summer at The Cottage Home

I love my home, I really do, but I'm not going to lie...........I can't say I don't long for a garage, an eat-in-kitchen or a laundry room that wasn't in, what I call, the dungeon.  But would I trade The Cottage Home, with all its history and charm, for any of those things?  NO WAY!!Today my husband, Brett, was home and we spent this late afternoon outside planting our vegetable garden and taking in the beauty that surrounds us.  And wow, I feel more blessed than ever to be the proud owners of this 1930's cottage!Here's a little tour around The Cottage … continue reading

25
May

Get Rid of the Funk and Recharge Your Day!

Do you ever have those days where you are just feeling in a funk?  It's like from the minute you get up, you just kind of feel blah?  I think we all have those days for sure!  The question is, do you let yourself get caught up in the blah or do you take charge and do something about it?  I say - do something about it!!9 Ways to Recharge Your Day1. Have a dance party.  Yes, this may sound silly, but turn on your favorite tunes and "shake your tail-feather".  After about 2-3 songs, you will be feeling good, energized and ready to tackle the day.2.  Smile.  I know, … continue reading

21
May

The Power of Touch

 Me and My GirlsI don't know if you have ever noticed the tag-line for my blog here, "Cooking. Sewing. Crafting. And All Things Domestic."  Well, I've been noticing lately that I have done A LOT of cooking, sewing, and crafting, but the "domestic" part of this blog has gone to the way-side.So in thinking about the focus of The Cottage Home, I have decided to incorporate some more posts addressing family, home and relationships, since that is the core of my life.  I hope you don't mind.  This blog is an ever evolving creative outlet for me and I'm so happy that you … continue reading

17
May

Foil Baked Tilapia

I finally have a healthy recipe for you!  I love fish.  I'm not sure why we don't eat it more, well yes I am........we live in the Midwest and fish is pricey here and not always the best quality.  My hubs and I grew up on the West coast in CA, so we were super-spoiled during our childhood when it comes to seafood. I had some frozen tilapia in my freezer as well as several bell peppers we picked up at the farmer's market, so I decided to try my hand at creating a new recipe. This recipe was SO easy and a great one for a beginning cook.  My husband commented on … continue reading

16
May

Sleepover Ruffle Pillowcase Tutorial

Sleepovers are one of my fondest memories as a little girl.  I loved staying overnight with my girlfriends, watching movies, giggling and trying to see if we were able to stay up the whole night (which never actually happened).  I had a really neat sleeping bag that I took to sleepovers and I always felt really special when I brought it over to my friends houses. So, here's a tutorial to make your darling little lady her very own "special" sleepover pillowcase.  This pillowcase would also be great as a special "travel" pillowcase or would be super-cute for a … continue reading

14
May

Sleepover Pillowcase Tutorial – Guest Post at My Four Monkeys

Just wanted to let you know that I'm blogging over at the Craft Bonanza at My Four Monkeys with my Sleepover Pillowcase Tutorial.Head over to My Four Monkeys and learn how to sew one of these super-girly ruffle pillowcases!  Don't sew?  Well, I just listed these pillowcases as part of the Toddler Naptime Set in my etsy shop - come pick one up for your darling little lady! … continue reading

11
May

Jambalaya Egg Casserole

This morning I was scheduled to host our bi-weekly playgroup.  The group is pretty large, with 12 Mama's, 12 two-year olds, and several younger siblings.  Typically the playgroup host provides some type of breakfast/brunch for everyone.  I wanted to try something new and saw a recipe on the back of the Zatarain's Jambalaya mix that looked very interesting and right up my alley. I modified the recipe ever so slightly, but I must say, I thought it turned out pretty darn tasty and so did the other Mama's. Jambalaya Egg Casserole (Serves 8-12) Ingredients: 1 … continue reading