Bring on September! Let's Do Stuff!

It's time to embrace sewing again! I had great plans for the summer, but I just didn't get it done. I sewed a few things—mostly bags— and I did a fair amount of mending. September is National Sewing Month.  During September, I'd like to do something sewing related at least 5 out of 7 days each week. 

I'm also going to be continuing my Out With the Old Challenge in an effort to go into fall with less stuff and more organized drawers and closets. I haven't done it every day, but I'm going to keep at it and not give up!

Lastly, I'll be casting on a pair of monster socks as part of the #monsterkal . It's a knit along for monster socks or Musselburgh hats. Monster comes from Frankenstein putting leftover parts together to make his monster. This is for scraps and mini skeins. It's hosted by Sue @smcarn . Watch my Instagram page or my Ravelry page for updates on my socks. 

An example of crazy or monster socks

These are the colors that I've chosen.

So, to sum it up:

Sew 5 days a week for any amount of time.

Declutter one space every day until September 21st. Sundays off.

Cast on my monster socks September 1, and knit along every day until they're finished. Deadline October 15th.

Which goal will you join me in? Everything's so much more fun together!

Hoping for friends to join me!

Laura

Excited about the 'ber months!

Find me online here:

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2025 41 Finished Books Goal 60

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Gift Ideas for the Boys in Your Life ~ Birthday Season at Harvest Lane Cottage!

 

Our gift series continues with ideas for the boys in your life. There's more to life than Legos! Birthday season is almost over for us, but maybe not for you. While compiling this list, I found several things that I hope to purchase for my little grandson as he grows. This year, he'll just be four months old, so I'll refrain. ~smile~

I hope this list gives you some ideas. 

Younger Kids

• Melissa & Doug Wooden Construction Building Set in a Box (48 pcs) Ages 4-6

• Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Solid-Wood Building Blocks With Wooden Storage Tray (60 pcs) - Classic Blocks For Toddlers

• Radio Flyer Classic Red Wagon

• The Original Big Wheel,Blue-Yellow-Red, Giant 16' Wheel Ride On Tricycle 

• NERF Pro Grip Football, Blue, Classic Foam Ball

Older Kids and Teens

• NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Magnetic Marble Run - 75-Piece STEM Building Set 

• NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Rock Tumbler Kit – Includes Rough Gemstones, and 4 Polishing Grits, STEM Science Kit for Geology

• Suspend Family Game (31 pcs) - Wire Balance Game ~ Even my adult kids love this!

• Trekking The National Parks - The Award-Winning Strategy Board Game 

• Ticket to Ride Board Game 

I'll be keeping this list for little Benjamin as he grows! What gifts do you suggest for boys?

Enjoy your week!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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Out With the Old!

 

Hello ladies!

Recently, someone told me, 

"If you don't have it, 

you don't have to take care of it."

That was excellent incentive to begin decluttering again. It seems like a job that never ends. ~smile~

I think it's because, as time goes by, I become more willing to let things go. So, I've challenged myself to go through a drawer, a closet, a shelf, a something every day. 

Ideally, I'd like to do it until at least the end of summer.

Officially—

Fall begins Monday 22nd at 1:19 p.m. central time.

How specific is that?

  Realistically, I am going to see just how many days I can go without missing a day. I do plan to take Sundays off. You can watch my progress on Instagram @lauraofharvestlane . You can see updates on my knitting projects there as well. 

Would you like to join me? 

Please comment below to let me know.

Let's cheer each other on!

 On Instagram, you can tag me:

@lauraofharvestlane 

or use this hashtag:

#outwiththeold 

Have a wonderful week ladies!

Let's make the life we have as pleasant as we can.

God bless you all!

Laura

Out With the Old

In With Whatever God has Next

See my Thrifty Woman's Real Estate Investment Strategy

A Little Randomness ~ 1980

 

I was saved on January 1, 1980 while sitting in my bedroom  watching Jim Bakker of the PTL Club on a little black and white television my grandparents gave me. There was a recovered drug addict on. I recognized later that God had been working on me for awhile. I remember thinking, if God can save a drug addict, maybe he can save me, too. I prayed the sinner's prayer. Jesus did the rest. 

Thank you, Jesus. 

• I was a sophomore in high school.

• Who shot J.R.?

• Hurricane Allen ~ I was visiting my grandparents in Los Fresnos, Texas. We fled to McAllen and stayed in a huge warehouse type building where my grandparents had a flea market stall. They sold used books. We, along with many other stall owners, camped out on the floors with lots of pillows and blankets. My grandma, grandpa, and preschool cousin were there. I remember that I had to drive one of their cars though the traffic to get there. I was so afraid. God took care of us, but it was one of the strongest hurricanes that had hit in many years. 

• The biggest movie was Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. Yes. I went to see it. ~smile~ I didn't have my forever boyfriend yet, so I think I went with friends. 

• Some of the Top 40 songs I remember were: Call Me by Blondie, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen, It's Still Rock and Roll to Me by Billy Joel, and September Morn by Neil Diamond. I cannot remember what my favorite was. It's been a few years. ~smile~ On the country scene, Could I Have this Dance by Anne Murray and of course, Workin' 9-5 by Dolly Parton were a couple of favorites. I went back and forth from country to pop, but I never liked hard rock. 

• My family enjoyed watching the Dukes of Hazard. What fun chase scenes. 
• I remember wishing I that a boy would ask me out. It would be fall of 1981 before I met the boy who became the guy who became the man who became the husband I've shared life with for nearly forty years. 

What do you remember about 1980? Let's share some memories and help others to remember, too. 

Be blessed,

Laura

Time Traveling Through My Memories

A Little Randomness:

• 1972
• 1973 
• 1976
• 1978 
• 1980
• 1985
• 1996 
• 1998
• 2004
• 2017

Find me online here:

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2025 44 Finished Books Goal 60

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Address available by email

Happy Lately #5

 

Hello everyone!

     There have been so many happy things in my life lately. From celebrating my grandson's 2nd birthday to reviving some of my use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without cooking and mending skills. I'm well on my way to Kringling Christmas. I'm knitting and sewing this year. 

Two little loaves made it to the freezer.

The zucchini was given to us. 

I'm almost done with my fingerless mitts. 

These adorable little tops!

I found this yarn in my stash. 

I forgot I bought it for apple picking time last year.

LOVE IT!

I fixed my husband's glasses with a needle and nylon thread.

The lense is not going anywhere now!

I finished my Grape Crush Mitts.

I'm knitting the second sock. These are car knitting.

Lots of good things going on. Sometimes we have to look for them.

What is making you happy lately?

Blessings,

Laura

It's Birthday Season at Harvest Lane Cottage! Gift Ideas for the Girls in Your Life

Harvest Lane Cottage Gift Ideas Series

First up Girls!

 

For Younger Girls

• Baby Doll ~ This one comes in white and black  

• Candy Land 

• Sit and Spin

• Hungry Hippos 

• Spirograph

• Sewing cards

• Paper dolls

• Bubbles

For Older Girls

• A bag filled with flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla, chocolate chips and my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

• Pillowcase embroidery kit 

• Personalized Stationery and stamps

• National Geographic Microscope Science Kit

• Sewing box with supplies

• Fleece Blanket No Sew Kit

• Embroidery floss for friendship bracelets

• Puzzles

• Jewelry making supplies

I hope these ideas will spark some for you when you next need a girl's gift. 

Happy gift giving!

Laura

Amazon affiliate links included

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♥

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2025 41 Finished Books Goal 60

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Favorite Books from Summer Reading

  

Hello everyone!

Here we are nearing the end of another summer. Since I work in the schools, I'm in that in between time of school starting and actual fall. It's a good time to wrap up the summer reading list. I did pretty well. I read and listened to more than I planned. Here are just my favorites. You may see all the books I read in my Goodreads list. 

♥

BIBLE

I finished reading the Bible. 

♥

FICTION FAVORITES:

Dead Sea Rising

Jerry B Jenkins

Dr. Craig Evans, Biblical Consultant

and 

Dead Sea Conspiracy by Jerry B Jenkins

♥

Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche

Nancy Springer

I enjoyed this so much!

She's Sherlock Holmes' little sister.

Here are the others I read this summer:

Enola Holmes Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer

♥

For a Lifetime

Timeless Book 3

Gabrielle Meyer

 I LOVED IT! 

I've enjoyed this whole series.

♥

Every Hour Until Then by Gabrielle Meyer

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

♥

NON-FICTION FAVORITES:

Western Heritage a Reader

Hillsdale College Press

I'm taking the Hillsdale College Western Heritage course for free.

Update 8/5: I am studying the Romans now.

♥

JFK Conspiracy 

Oh! This was so good for understanding the atmosphere of the late '50s and early '60s in the USA.

It's about the assassination attempt while Kennedy was president elect. 

Finished on June 5th.

♥

What have you enjoyed reading this summer? Any plans yet for fall?

Laura ~ Glad for Summer Break!

Find me online here:

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2025 41 Finished Books Goal 60

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*Summer reading list image generated by Canva AI

BRING ON THE 'BER MONTHS!

I love fall!

BRING ON THE 'BER MONTHS! 

I love how in August and early September we get a few cool mornings to give us hope for tomorrow— but then, we get slammed with ninety plus degree days again!

I'm entering birthday season this weekend. It lasts about a month. Three of my children, my grandson, my brother, and  my brother-in-love all have birthdays this month!

A week later, fall will arrive along with all the cozy joy it brings! I plan to cast on a little sweater for my grandson to celebrate the beginning of the 'ber months. I plan to use the Flax pattern by Tin Can Knits. They have an app which makes it easy to follow their patterns. Flax is free.

I've already bought a few new fall decorations. I chose a couple of new garlands. I do love maple leaves. Carthage is called the Maple Leaf City, and we host the Maple Leaf Festival every October with thousands in attendance. We have so many maple trees in Carthage, it's the most beautiful time of the year. 

I look forward to autumn crafting, too. Inspiration is everywhere, and I'm definitely more inspired during the fall months. For now, though, I'm finishing works in progress through the end of August. It would be so fabulous if I just had to start something new, because everything else was finished. Think I'll make it? I don't even know. I'm almost done knitting my fingerless mitts. Next, I'll work on a sewing project that I've started. 

All for now, have a lovely Sunday. I'll have family in, and I'm looking forward to it. 

Enjoy today!

Laura

~~~~~

♥

~~~~~

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As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small percentage from ANY items you place in your cart and purchase within 24 hours after going to Amazon from one of my links. 

It doesn’t have to be an item I have linked here.  

If you’re going to be making a purchase from Amazon this week, I thank you for using my links to support this site!

Find me online here:

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2025 41 Finished Books Goal 60

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Address available by email

Pizza Picnic in the Park

It was an ordinary weekday.

My husband was working from home.

We decided to ride together to pick up a pizza for lunch.

My husband stopped on impulse for

a pizza picnic in the park.

Seize the day!

Blessings,

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

 

Hodgepodge Volume 614

 

I'm joining with Joyce from this side of the pond for the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Click through when you're done here to read other ladies' responses. Now, for this weeks questions.

1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

A perfect summer day...

• Sleeping until I wake up naturally
• Knitting and/or sewing
• Reading or listening to a book
• A drive in the country
• Time with friends and/or family
• Bucket list activities

I've not had a perfect day yet, but I've been able to do at least one of these things each day.

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school? 

• It's okay not to have a boyfriend or go on dates. I had my first boyfriend, and we started going steady, in November of my senior year. We're still going steady over forty years later!

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Now, watch. There will be a mistake in this post! 

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy? What's a trendy food you actually do enjoy and would say is definitely not overrated? 

• Sushi is the most overrated. 
• Gee, I don't really eat trendy foods. Burrito bowls?

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats...

• personal stylist or personal chef? Personal chef

• dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? This big girl likes to dance for the LORD in praise and worship. I hope no one's watching. LOL

• unlimited tacos or free pizza? Tough one! I'll choose pizza if it's a kind I enjoy.

• bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? Genre

• ten minutes late or ten minutes early? I prefer early, but ocassionally I'm late. I always feel guilty if I'm late.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Blast from my past:

"Based on the information available today, and the terms of the contract in force today, benefits will be available if the services are medically necessary."

~circa 1987-1990 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas disclaimer. I was a customer service correspondent.  

 

This was fun! If you want to join us, go to from this side of the pond. The questions come out on Sunday so that we can prepare our responses early. 

P.S. August 7th may be the mid-point of summer, but it always feels like summer's over after Memorial Day to me. 

Enjoy the rest of your week and the rest of your summer!

ஐღLauraღஐ 

...doing what I can with what I've got where I am 

on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~

Find me online here:

@lauraofharvestlane on Instagram

Laura Lane on Goodreads 

2025 40 Finished Books Goal 60

HarvestLaneLaura on Ravelry

Harvest Lane Cottage on Facebook

Email: laura@harvestlanecottage.com

PayPal  

Snail mail address available by email

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