Sunday, August 8, 2010

book love, vintage goodness, and a giveaway!

So somehow here I am writing my 100th post! Supposedly shy and quiet me.

I know I surprised many people by starting this blog, and I myself am surprised by how much I have enjoyed it. I had no idea what I was getting into, never thought that someone might come read what I was going to write, and I certainly never expected to meet so many wonderful people in the process!

So as a bit of a thank you to everyone who comes here to visit I am happy to be having my very first giveaway!

I have been waiting to share this book with you all for a long time now. It is called the Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney. Have you heard of it before?

It is one of the most wonderful books ever. Surely that is clear just by looking at that sweet picture! I have my own copy from when I was little and just a year or so read it with the girls for the first time. Now we have read it several times, Chloe often picks it up to read a chapter to herself, I cannot begin to tell you how much she loves this book! It is so nice also because it was perfect for both my 5 year old and my 9 year old, a great family read aloud book.

Really though I find myself at a loss for words when trying to explain the sweetness of this book. So how about a couple excerpts from the first chapter, A Home View... (and by the way, this book was written in 1881 so the language is sometimes a bit different...)

"The little old kitchen had quieted down from the bustle and confusion of mid-day; and now, with its afternoon manners on , presented a holiday aspect, that as the principal room in the brown house, it was eminently proper it should have. It was just on the edge of twilight; and the little Peppers, all except Ben, the oldest of the flock, were enjoying a "breathing spell" as their mother called it, which meant some quiet work suitable for the hour.

"To help mother," was the greatest ambition of all the children, older and younger; but in Polly's and Ben's souls, the desire grew so overwhelmingly great as to absorb all lesser thoughts. Many and vast were their secret plans, by which they were to astonish her at some future day, which they would only confide - as they did everything else - to one another. For this brother and sister were everything to each other, and stood loyally together through "thick and thin."

Polly was ten, and Ben one year older; and the younger three of the "Five Little Peppers, " as they were called, looked up to them with the intensest admiration and love. What they failed to do, couldn't very well be done by anyone!"

Wonderful I tell you! Please, go find this book to read with your little ones!

Of course I have to include some handmade gifts as well...
I have so much fun sewing with my vintage feedsack fabrics. They are mostly smaller pieces so I juts go through the stacks pulling out colors that catch my eye.

This day I was obviously inspired by turquoise! I think this may be called a trivet? Sure, that's what I will call it. Perhaps you could set your tea there, or a pretty vase of flowers.

I also have this little bag I made, more feedsack fabrics combined with organic cotton poplin. And then a small set of feedsack pieces for you to make something on your own.

Oh, and I should say, I sure am not giving away my own childhood copy of the book, but we have an extra one (an extra extra one, Chloe has her own special copy now too.)

So please do leave a comment if you would like a chance to win. I will also offer an extra entry if you follow my blog and another extra entry if you mention the giveaway on your own blog. I want to share this book with everyone! I will accept comments through next Sunday and announce a winner on Monday.

Hoping to get a couple other posts done this week too, feeling like I have lots to say these days, though really you will probably just be getting lots of pictures.

Happy beautiful days to all!


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77 comments:

AmyDe said...

How completely adorable - both your lovely work and the charming book. We are also book lovers and read everything we can as a family. Thank you for the opportunity an for sharing such a sweet book. (I follow your blog and am so glad I do)

angelina said...

thank you for the chance!

angelina said...

following you..

Beth said...

Renee, I remember that book! I loved it as a child, my mother introduced it to me as one of her own childhood favorites along with the
Betsy~Tacy books and the Boxcar Children. Thanks for bringing back memories!
xo
Beth

softearthart said...

Looks like a cool book, I was surprised by the amount of interest in my blog when I first started, just like you. It sort of hooks you in. cheers Marie

Linda said...

Congratulations on your 100th post Renee:) What a wonderful little book! Your handmade gifts are so pretty:) Please enter us in your giveaway. I am off to Tweet it on Twitter:)
xo
Linda

Grace said...

I think this must be my lucky day. I JUST heard about this book yesterday and had it on my list to look for this week for my daughter. This book seems totally perfect for her - she loves these types of books. Wow, got my fingers and toes crossed!

Love your feedsack creations as well.

Congrats on your 100th post. I have so enjoyed your blog since I found it.

W-S Wanderings said...

Vintage feedsack fabric! I'm in love :-) Beautiful work, and an utterly charming book with a handy "greatest ambition". I'm so pleased to already be following.

Blessings...

Tonya Gunn said...

I have enjoyed your blog so very much Renee. Thank you. You have reminded me to keep things even more simpler and to be mindful in my every action.
What a generous giveaway. Warm wishes, Tonya

Tonya Gunn said...

Hi Renee,
I just became a follower - you should be celebrating your 100th follower soon too!

Mama Ash Grove said...

Hi Renee, what a sweet giveaway! I have had my eye on that book and wondering about it- now whether or not I win your giveaway I plan to find this book for my children!
And I love the fabrics!
<3

the nest said...

Hi, Renee! Thank you for the book recommendation; I'm always on the look out for something sweet and new (to me). Have you read any of the Noisy Village books by Astrid Lindgren? We like them a lot. Also, thank you for the giveaway! The patchwork pieces are a great inspiration piece...

best ~ annri

momma rae said...

i am so very glad that we both started blogging. i had no idea that it would help me feel connected to you when we are so far away. i also had no idea that you would talk to so many people about your life, but that is one of the wonderful things about the internet! i am grateful to be able to visit you here.

i actually don't believe that i own anything that you have made. can that be true? i would love to have some treasures made by your sweet hands. You also have me fully intrigued by that sweet book! :)

love you!!

renee ~ heirloom seasons said...

Rae, oh my goodness, now I feel kinda bad, I have never made anything for my best friend?

But I think about making things for you all the time!
XO

Restless Prairie Farm said...

Thank you for mentioning the book. I have heard of it, but never picked it up. Now it is on my library list! Yay!

And your give away is beautiful, thank you for blogging.:o)

Wendi

Hullabaloo Homestead said...

Oh my gosh Renee, what a completely souleful and compassionate giveaway! That book looks so great and to get a couple of handmade by you creations would be so exciting!

:)Lisa

FrontierDreams said...

Renee, thank you so much fo the chance! It's all so PERFECT!

Gail said...

Renee,
I am so glad you started blogging. I enjoy your posts very much. I found you through Farmama awhile back. The description of this book is so sweet. I have never read it, but I would like to. Please enter my name in the giveaway. I am also a follower. Blessings to you from Kansas! Gail

melody said...

Oooo...I think it was you who told me about this book before, and now I really want a chance to read it! And lots of lovely homemade to boot?? Sign me up!

Chiska said...

I love this book! Thanks for reminding me of it. What a delightful blog!

rose.wickler@yahoo.com said...

What a sweet little book! I also love the items you've handmade as well as included for some lucky mama to win and make her own items out of that beautiful material. Great giveaway!!
Thanks Renee for the opportunity to win :D

Sara said...

Renee, congratulations on your 100th post! :) Everything looks so lovely! And the book sounds like something my children would adore-- they love the old stories so much. xo

Grace said...

Forgot to say.. I am a follower too.

Moment to Moment said...

That book looks so wonderful, I am sure I shall have to get it if I am not fortunate to win this lovely giveaway. What lovely little hand made gifts as well:) Christina

6512 and growing said...

Renee,
I loved your homeschooling post. That farm book your daughter made is beautiful, such a nice story.
Becoming a follower, now.

Maranda said...

I just found your blog and LOVE IT!!! You giveaway is precious!!!!

Maranda said...

I just became your 100th follower=) Cool!!

Tahara said...

Congratulations on your 100th post Renee!...You also have 100 followers to go along with those 100 posts :-)

Look forward to reading your nest 100 posts!

ONe PiNK FiSH said...

Of course, I would love to win. The feedsack fabric is classic. i love the little bag you made. Too cute!

ONe PiNK FiSH said...

I follow your blog through pageflakes.

one pink fish @ yahoo dot com

princess pin said...

No entry please but this blog is a wonderful gift to all of us. i love you.

momma rae said...

you know i have followed you since before i even knew what that meant. ;) i blogged about your sweet giveaway.
xoxoxo

Tan Family said...

Congrats on the 100th post! This little book looks lovely. I will FB about it, too! :)

sarah said...

Congratulations on the 100th post! I'll get there on my own blog someday (although not at the rate I'm going!) The book does sound super-sweet and would be adored by my 8 and 5-year old daughters...thanks for sharing! The fabric is so lovely, too. The bag and trivety-cute-thing are absolutely perfect :) Thanks so much for the opportunity!
(Oooh, and I'm your 101st follower now, too! Woot!)

Cadi said...

Blogging rocks! :-)
Congrats on your 100th post.
A toast to many more!
Thank you for your inspiration.
And thank you for having a giveaway. :-)

Cadi said...

And I'm pretty sure I follow you, 'cause you pop up in my blog roll.

Julie said...

So sweet! Congrats on your 100th post.

Hallie said...

This book looks like exactly the kind of book my girls would love! We are very into vintage literature lately! Thanks for the chance to win it!

www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com

Hallie said...

I'm a follower!

S said...

The book looks so delightful Renee. I found you through mamma rae and am following now too. I am about half a dozen posts away from my 100th and i have a special giveaway set aside for the celebration, it will be my first too ~ great minds think alike!

Bending Birches said...

ohhh fingers crossed!

leaningapplemama said...

happy 100 posts...!! i am glad to have found your blog and really enjoy reading about you and your sweet family. thanks for the chance for your giveaway and i hope you keep on posting:) love, pennie

Unknown said...

Hi Renee, so wonderful to have read the few posts that I have, I'm sure all 100 are just as wonderful. The little book looks precious, I'm sure my children would enjoy it. Your beautiful sewing projects make me want to learn how to sew,, I only know the basics:)

Heather said...

Your sewing is amazing, and what fun it sounds like the feed sack fabrics are. I have actually not heard of this book before, but I will be on the look out :)

Kelly said...

Just to say how much I always enjoy visiting here, Renee. Thank you for sharing snippets of your life with us. You are such a gentle, inspiring mama and a very creative person too.

Joy said...

Ooh, I would love a copy. I've actually started a book blog recently and it would be fun to review this on there. :)

Kate said...

What a beautiful give away. Your feed sack fabrics are beautiful.

twigandtoadstool said...

A beautiful giveaway from an absolutely beautiful mama and blog keeper! Would love to win!
xo maureen

Artful Gathering said...

Oh my... what a wonderful book. I'd love to have it to read to my grandkids. I just love old books. How special your story is as well. I will definately become a follower and mention you on my blog. Yippie... A new friend.. yeah...
Dawn
pine-ridge@triwest.net

Unknown said...

I know my daughter would love this book - I think it was mentioned in the Little Farm on Rocky Ridge Book (from the Little House Rose series) that we just finished reading.

Brooke said...

so cute! I love the old vintage books, they seem so priceless!
I am also having a giveaway on my blog!

Wendy said...

I love this book. We just listened to it as an audiobook on a recent trip. Definitely one of my favorites.

Mary Beth said...

What a wonderful giveaway! I love the handmade goodness and that book. I am sure I read it when I was younger--the title is so familiar. Would love to win this. Thanks for the chance!

Anonymous said...

very sweet lil book!

Tracy said...

what delightful giveaways. The book looks like a great read that my daughter would enjoy. And your craftery - how nice.

Kate said...

Ah--my goodness, I have heard of that book, but it had escaped me until now. I would absolutely love to share this with my two girls! The "trivet" is lovely too--that style of patchwork is on my to try list. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!

Lael said...

My mom used to mention this book - I think she had it as a child, but I don't ever remember reading it or having it read to me, so I am assuming it was lost somewhere along the way. It would be wonderful to have a copy.

Jenny Lake said...

What a wonderful book review. I've never read this story before. I just put it on reserve at the library. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a wonderful giveaway! That book looks awesome and I would love to have it to read to my littles! :o)Clarissa at clarissarwest@msn.com

Kim said...

Found you by way of Shivaya Naturals and oh-so-glad-I-did! The book looks so charming...exactly the kind of story we like to read at my house! I look forward to reading your blog from now on!

Karin said...

Congratulations on turning 100! (A century Blog?) I just wandered in here, for the first time. I have a new found appreciation for older childrens stories. We are currently enjoying Elsa Beskow who wrote many picture books in the beginning of the 1900s. I love getting a glimpse of the everyday things my grandmother saw as a baby, in the illustrations (An infant playing with a metal spoon, pine cones and wooden bobbins--- Still current!) This one I've never heard of before, I'll have to check our local library. Thanks for the tip!

kyndale said...

look at you Renee, all these people that love you! I would love to win! I'll follow you too and get a mention of your give-away on my next post! Have a great weekend!

Unknown said...

I've never heard of that book, but it looks very charming! I love the bags too. Very pretty.

Amanda Bohl said...

I have heard of this book, bit have somehow never managed to read it. My family would enjoy a copy very much.

Johanna said...

Oh how I do cherish books! Especially ones that have just been discovered again. I would love to read it to my little girl.

andy said...

Here by way of Shivaya... Lovely blog - love your crafts as well!! And, if I am not so fortunate to win, I will check this book out at our library! Thank you!

Andria said...

Who wouldn't love a new book for the littles? Especially one that looks so sweet!

Andrea said...

I just saw a very old and worn copy at my thrift shop a few weeks ago and was intrigued. It is on my Amazon wish list now.

Jen said...

Oh how beautiful! I love vintage books - heard about your giveaway through Momma Rae and would love to be entered! Thanks so much and congrats on your 100th post!!!!

gardenmama said...

I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! ; )
Renee, this giveaway is absolutely beautiful! The book is incredibly sweet, reminding me of a few that we have. The name of this book sounds familiar... I love the fabrics that you chose, everything you make looks so gentle and peaceful the same way that I know you to be. Lots of love xoxo

Anonymous said...

I remember reading that book as a child. It would be wonderful to share it with my own family. Love the fabrics too.
Cathy at trahans dot net

Nicola said...

Renee! Sweet sweet give-away! Congrats on your 100th (that number makes me realize how much I babble)! Your handiwork is gorgeous and look at all these entries!
Your friend, Nicola :)

suzanne said...

Dear Renee

A little too late but most definitely will try to find this book...

All our love from Down in the meadow.
X
Suzanne

kendra said...

i know i am too late, but i wanted to chime in - i read this book as a girl too! my mother's copy, i think. wonder if she still has it around. congrats on your 100th!!!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to try! What a nice giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Awesome giveaway!!

michellelfarr@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Following your blog!!

michellelfarr@yahoo.com