welcome home.

it has almost been a week now since jeremiah and i officially moved into our new home! and i am in love... i can't even begin to express how much joy it has brought me to have my own home to fix up and make my own. i have been nesting like crazy this whole week. here are few shots of some areas in and outside of the house that i have been working on. please excuse the poor photography. i am in need of a decent point and shoot. at the moment i have a Nikon D1 which is lovely and a great tool for learning how to take pictures manually. there are just two big problems: i only have a 50mm lens which limits my picture taking abilities tremendously and second, the camera is not ideal for needing to take quick, easy shots. but at least i have something!

enjoy my joy!

what front porch would be complete without a couple of lovely pumpkins to go with the season? these beautiful pumpkins just happen to be grown by a friend of mine.

the kitchen was the first room i went to work on and the first one to be almost completely finished. still in need of curtains and a few wall hangings. i also need to get to work organizing the pantry. but for the most part all is settled in the kitchen.

st. francis watching over. jeremiah and i love catholic iconography. mostly because we honor and desire to learn from the lives of "saints" like st. francis.

some pretty wine bottles and a nice virgen de guadalupe candle for our outside table.

i love this bookcase! jeremiah and i found it on the side of the road in noda. it is now a main feature in our living room.

a beautiful wooden frame that jeremiah's brother made us as a wedding present.

can you see the little wire figurines? there is a boy, a girl and a bike. they were handmade for me by my sweet, sweet husband. 

i decided to lay out all my knicks knacks and odds & ends while i decorate so i can easily see what all i have to use. 

come sit for a while.

our fall "mantlescape". i love decorating so much. it brings me a lot of joy. especially, when fall foliage and pumpkins are involved.

one lone mouse that i found on the couch this morning. he went quite well with the colors of the pillow and couch.

i always have an aloe plant handy in the kitchen. never know when you may need some aloe for that pesky oven burn!

for inspiration...

Here are a few websites that inspire me as a cook, a decorator, a seamstress, a gift-giver, a housewife...

36 Shea
Not sure how I came across this site, but I love it! Great source of inspiration for home decorating & sewing projects. Also, it just creates a sense of loveliness.

The Kitchn
Need a recipe or just a desire to cook? This site helps me to get excited about trying a new recipe or reinventing an old one.

Simply Recipes
Another wonderful blog for cooking inspiration.

Apartment Therapy
One of my most favorite design blogs. I just realized that I stole my blog name from their sister blog Re-Nest (oops...) which is a good source for "green" living tips & ideas.

Once Wed
If you're getting married, this would be my top wedding blog suggestion for you. If you're not getting married, it's still a great source for party and home decorating ideas and inspiration.

Shop Goodwill
Did you know that Goodwill has an online shop? Just take a peek and see what you can find!

The Crafty Crow
I used this website a lot when I was planning crafts for an after-school program I worked with last spring. This blog has a ton of great crafts ideas and a ton of links to other bloggers with great craft ideas.

CraftStylish
Need help with a sewing project? A great source for help with all types of handmade projects...knitting, crocheting, embroidering, sewing, etc.

BurdaStyle
Want a new sewing project? Find a free pattern or inspiration for your own design on this blog.

natural living

My next purchase will be Natural Living by Liz Wright. I found this book a few weeks ago when I was trying to pass the time at Barnes & Noble. I was at B&N yesterday and picked the book up again. It took all I had not to just go right ahead and buy it. I knew I could find a better deal online so I mustered up the patience to wait. I have a feeling this book will be a great aide in our quest toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

weekend in amelia

spending the weekend out in the country in amelia, va visiting our family. such a break from "city" life. i love this house & property. plus, it just happens to be where i became mrs. jeremiah austin.

jeremiah and i spent the day helping his mom organize her craft house. yes, i said house. my in-laws home is dated early 1900's and has a servants' quarters on the property. it's a small house with a kitchen, bathroom, living room & bedroom. the living room is the main craft space. the bedroom is the sewing room. the kitchen is where my mother-in-law makes soap for her soap business. it's a crafter's dream workspace.

we also took some time to gather pecans. i already have a basketful and hope to gather a little more tomorrow.

last night i saw more stars than i have seen in quite a while. jeremiah and i were on some country road on our way to amelia and opened the sun roof to see the stars. although it was a little chilly, the sky was so clear and we were able to see an abundant amount of stars. at times, we could also smell the intoxicating scent of burning wood & leaves. it smelled like fall. i love it out here.

the house on our wedding day.

the "craft house" on our wedding day.

our new home.

i have many dreams for this little house...