Ask The Helpful Housewife

"Club House"

Here's what has been floating through my mind the last couple of days...   A Housekeeping Club.  This wouldn't be related to the Housekeeping College at all, this is something different that I'm picturing in my head. 

If you participate in Amy Karol's "Mail Order" then you have some idea of where I'm going with this.  I love what she has done for a crafting club and it's absolutely amazing to get a package in the mail with the club-like goodies in it.  It has inspired me.  I don't want to copy her, or anyone else that has a similar thing, but I like the idea of a club.  For housekeepers.  Not a chat room club or a forum style club where we all post and talk and yada yada yada....  No, I want a CLUB where you get a membership card and other goodies and you have to know a secret pledge and all that good stuff!  Think back to when you were in second grade...that type of club!  But for housekeeping, not selling cookies and earning campfire badges.  I have more thoughts on this in my head.  And I want to have every little detail figured out before I would start one, but if I DID start one, would anyone be interested in joining?  I'm thinking membership cards, a member's only apron, a handbook and a few other things could be in the initiation packet?   Yeah, I'm going to do it.  It's just too fun not to!  Drop me a line and let me know if you would be interested.  I'm going to get to work on the details.  As soon as I have it all figured out, I'll send out the info!

New Address

The new official email address for this site is:  thehelpfulhousewife@hotmail.com

All future emails and questions should be sent to this address.  Since typepad won't allow me to change the previous email link to this address, I simply removed that link from the sidebar and will be sure to include this email link in the closing portion of each post.  That way it is always accessible to click on it!  Be sure to add it to your address book!

A New Corner Post

It's been a while since I posted the kitchen as a corner entry, so I thought I throw another one out here.  Since this is the cleanest room in the house at the moment, and also the prettiest, I'll give you a glimpse into Attie's room...

All of the bedrooms in our house are odd because there is this little built in desk area in each of them (except the master bedroom).  When we bought the house, it was one thing I already knew I wanted to change, but we haven't yet.  They came in handy as built in changing tables for babies!!!

Originally I had planned to decorate her room in a Dick Jane & Sally theme, and even framed some prints to hang in her room.  They ended up in this little alcove, athough, because I fell in love with something else for a decor. 

   

The Dick and Jane idea was really cute, but then I spotted this set one day when out shopping and knew that I was going to end up going with the pretty, floral, feminine look she could grow up with:

   

You gotta love Rachel Ashwell!  (Especially when it's affordable for a change!)  I had an old book case that was falling apart and rebuilt it/updated it to give the room a little girl's feel.  That way the floral wouldn't feel too much  like an old lady's room!

I lined the back inner panel with a dainty floral fabric and then gave the whole thing a coat of fresh white paint. 

   

Then I took craft paints and put little designs on the top and a tree swing scene on the side.  It took all of a half hour when I did it.  (Minus the time for the coats of paint to dry!)

 

Now, I just have to do something with our bedroom!  The girls' rooms are all done for the most part -- Annika's and Aelin's room needs some wall decor, and the nursery is done until Andrew is big enough to be out of the John Lennon stage.  Our bedroom is the only one we haven't done anything with.  We don't even have matching furniture, so I may never ever ever put it out here!

Cookies for School, Among Other Things...

It's almost 3 am, and I just finished packaging up cookies for Attie to bring to school tomorrow.  (Aren't I the dedicated Mommy?  June would be so proud!)  She wanted to bring a treat to celebrate her birthday with her class, even if it is two days later.  Of course, we couldn't say no! 

I haven't posted in two days because we were busy celebrating that birthday on Sunday, and also because I've been busy busy busy, working away at my sewing machine.  Here's what I've been up to:

I just have to say that I have the cutest model ever for my kid size creations!  Attie was a pretty good sport to pose for me.

Not bad for 2 days in my work area?  Plus, I spent some time boxing up my very first sale!  The first knitting bag and needle nanny set sold on Saturday!!!  Yay!!!  I just had a hard time getting it packaged, and that took up some of my morning.  But it's in the mail on it's way to San Francisco.  I feel pretty good about all this sewing now.  It's actually "paying off".  (Ha Ha!)

The March Apron for Tie-One-On

Here it is, Attie's "American Girl" apron!  Do you think we conveyed the folksy retro kitsch look we were going for?  I'm going to have to start doing these monthly apron themes more often.  This was fun!