There’s something so satisfying about pulling out all my pretties and actually getting to use them. I love the idea of using my best china and silver for every day, but I’m too lazy to wash the dishes by hand all the time. Every once in awhile though, it’s worth it! Setting the table with special dishes, silverware, and linens fills me with an unreasonable amount of joy. I’ll admit I’m not really that great at making fabulous table settings–I just love all my pretties and the memories they represent. I am definitely not a minimalist and with two hutches filled with china, silver, linens, and the like, the most…
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Table Manners ~ Lessons from the Past
Table manners and etiquette tips from the past can be as useful today as they were 100 years ago. I have a couple of useful table manners tips from various sources and time periods ranging from the 1850’s to the 1960’s. Some of the advice will sound strange and formal to our uber casual sensibilities, but I think if we dig a little deeper to find the core purpose behind some of these guidelines, we’ll be able to apply the principles to our modern manners. If our actions are rooted in the desire to promote the comfort, convenience, and pleasure of those around us, we will invariably be on the…
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Why Manners Still Matter
How to Not Be a Jerk – Etiquette Tips for the Holidays People are jerks. I’m sure most of us have been both on the receiving end of rudeness and, unfortunately, the giving end. It seems like the difficulties of this year have given people license to behave with appallingly bad manners and a lack of common decency towards their fellow human beings. Taking a peek at some of the etiquette and manners wisdom from years gone by can help us to reevaluate some of the habits that have turned us all in to a bunch of mean girls from high school. “Fanny Reaching” as described in the Oregon College…
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Tea Party for 1…
There are some days where the only thing to do is have a little tea party with yourself. When I am feeling drab or a little flat, nothing cheers me up like a little tea party. I’m not talking about a teabag thrown into a mug–I mean a full scale fancy teapot, bone china cup, loose tea, sugar, cream, and maybe even something tasty to eat all on a pretty tray. I know it sounds like a lot of work especially if you are already feeling a bit low, but there is something about taking the trouble to do something that makes you feel special.
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Pound of Flesh
This is something I have been thinking about for some time, and while it may not seem to fit with some of the other topics on this blog, I feel like it is an important part of “learning contentment” and living my “best life” whatever that might mean. I wrote this last summer after seeing a picture of myself that jolted me into reality and was so much more upsetting than I expected. I began to think about why I was so distraught. I needed to try to stop the cycle of beating myself up and learn to be content in my own body and headspace. For everyone who has…
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Knitting, Netflix, & Hand Warmers
Let me start by saying that I am a completely amateur knitter. I do things my own way and am not by any stretch a perfectionist when it comes to knitting or sewing or probably most things. So with that disclaimer out of the way, I can share the perils of combining knitting and Netflix. I know there are many knitters that can combine these 2 things with ease and come out with a perfect knitted item. But alas, I am not one of those knitters. The Perils of Combining Knitting & Netflix I decided to make a pair of fingerless gloves or hand warmers for my daughter. I pulled…
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The Pocket of the Mind
Hmm. What luxury to be left alone with one’s thoughts–like forest animals scurrying around going about their business. I wonder if in this digital age of constant screens & entertainment we have lost the ability to appreciate simple things like weak January sunshine breaking through the clouds or even simply turning our thoughts over and over like shiny marbles. Maybe there is a connection to the anxiety felt by so many of us and the lack time we spend on simple pleasures and thoughts. Of course dwelling on negative thoughts is not a good thing either. But perhaps if one took the time to evaluate it for what is was,…
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Taking Time to Breathe
Why is it when life gets too hectic and busy, it starts to feel like claustrophobia? Little shallow breaths, not enough oxygen, too many things to remember, not enough time in the day- it’s as if I’ve forgotten how to breathe. I decided to make a little mental list of some things that help me to feel calm in the midst of chaos. Everybody’s list is different, but here are some of mine: reading a good book, listening to music, working on a creative project (sewing, knitting, writing, etc), talking to my mom on the phone, laying outside in my lounge chair soaking in some vitamin D, having a cup…
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The Lost Art of Dress ~ A Book Review
One of the hazard of my former job at the Library is that I can never keep up with my “to read” list. The latest book that I just finished and thoroughly enjoyed was called The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish by Linda Przybyszewski. It’s a fascinating mix of early 20th century history and an overview of the principles taught by the so called “Dress Doctors”. I learned quite a bit about everyday American fashion in the 20th century as well as the history of home economics courses and books that taught women about style and fashion. I also was inspired to dress a…
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Learning Contentment
Contentment… Ahhh… What an interesting word. Most of us know what it means at least in theory. And many of us might even say that we are content at least some of the time. But goodness! If I listen to myself complain on any given day, it’s pretty embarrassing. I have always considered myself a fairly optimistic person, but I’m ashamed to admit that I complain far more than a person who claims to be optimistic ought to do. So what is contentment? And how does one go about learning it? Dictionaries usually say contentment is a state of happiness or satisfaction, but my favorite definition included the idea of…
