Cottage Keeping

Thanks for stopping by for another Saturday morning edition of Cottage Keeping! I’ll share some real-life updates, favorite recipes, and some fun things I’ve found on the web this week!

The Cottage Keeper’s Thoughts:

The biggest news at our house this week is that we are officially in the build process for a home here in Auburn. I can’t wait to share this journey with you all! I’ve never built a house before. We’ve bought two builder spec homes in the past, so this is sure to be an adventure. I did the design meeting this week and other than needing to add a window blind to a window I didn’t really think needed one, we’re all set! We aren’t planning to move in until April or May so we’ve got a long time to second guess our (my) design choices!

Not only are we building a house, we’re also about to put a house on the market! We’ve had a house in the Fort Hood area for about 11 years that has been a rental for the past 7. With the market being pretty hot for sellers and with our need to buy a home, it’s the right time to unload it! So if you know anyone moving to Fort Hood, we have a 4 bed/2 bath that will be available soon!

We leave this week for a few days on the Gulf Coast. We’re hoping that the storm will have moved out by the time we arrive. I’ve been agonizing over bathing suits and now it looks like it may rain a good bit while we’re there. Ugg! I did end up with a couple of good bathing suit options, finally.

On top of building a house and selling a house, I also have big news on the Yellow Cottage Living Business front! Starting in July, Yellow Cottage Living will once again offer on-site services in Huntsville, AL. Still many details to work out, but we’re excited about the possibilities! If you know anyone in the greater Huntsville area who needs a Professional Organizer, send them my way and we’ll get the ball rolling for them!

Once again, the blog has been pretty quiet this week. I’ve definitely hit a summer slump and my momentum for growing the blog has slowed significantly. Taking on the One Room Challenge Back Porch Makeover endeavor required a lot more time and mental energy than I imagined. Thankfully, that comes to an end this week and we can get back to some regular content and with more emphasis on organizing and other smaller projects! If you missed it, you can check out my week 6 Spring One Room Challenge Post to see the transformation so far.

What the Cottage Keeper is Loving This Week:

The kids and I are going to make these Copy Cat Lofthouse Cookies as soon as I get myself to the store for some shortening. Do you keep shortening in stock at your house?

It’s time to start gearing up for 4th of July! How cute are these Shabby Chic American Flags?

This DIY Pottery Barn Brooks table may be one of our first builds for the new house!

Check out this Cottage Style Pantry Makeover! Proof that a well-organized pantry doesn’t have to be all white or acrylic!

I already have plans for peel and stick wallpaper in the new house so I’m going to be pinning this How to Hang Peel and Stick Wallpaper post for future reference!