Step One: Decide where to start!

Why hello there! Welcome to my blog =) I have so many projects, ideas, recipes, how-tos,  tips, and "before and after" photos to share with you all! What do you think of the name? Here on the beautiful Central Coast of California we get plenty of sunshine year round and my chickens were the catalyst for me to dive deeper into my homemaking on a budget. I grew up baking fresh bread with my Grandma, canning fish and homemade jams, gardening, and sewing (a little). I like to think my family had a pretty good homemaker before, but I was inspired to be more of a suburban homesteader extraordinaire! All while being a working mommy of two girls... 

 I tend to research things when I have a new interest. A lot. For example, when I decided I wanted chickens I became a cyber-stalker of information at www.backyardchickens.com. My mother-in-law (Nana) popped over to visit one day (as she often still does, lucky for us and our kids) when our second child was only a few months old. I was nursing, and looking at the above website, plotting how to convince my hubby to let me keep chickens in our small yard. Nana asked if I was looking at a mommy forum, and when I told her with a dismissive wave of my hand, "No way, I've done all that. I am getting CHICKENS!!!!" She laughed so hard she went into tears. During my research I found inexpensive plans for building our own coop and run (waaay cheaper than buying one pre-built) and recipes for the fabulous fresh eggs my feathery new friends would be giving us.

 Those recipes branched out to an interest in canning for my family, which included growing my garden to combine cottagey flowers and kitchen functionality. Fresh food is always better. Last summer I canned my little heart out, preserving jams and pickled veggies. I will be adding to my wood working experience by trying some of these uber fabulous (did I mention FREE) plans by Ana White, and painting my way to a beautiful cottage/country/comfy home inspired by Shaunna over at Perfectly Imperfect. I have been trolling their blogs the past week into the wee hours of the night (like 11:30pm haha) and have been so inspired by them! One more fabulous lady pushed me over the edge into having to do this blog, my sister Theresa. She is living my dream teaching English in a foreign country- South Korea! So, there's a little about me, and my plans and hopes for this blog. Stayed tuned as I add the before and after photos of all the work we have done to make this house a home, and watch me try my hard-working hands at some new things!
Ciao!