Have you updated your bookmarks/favorites?

http://www.hopechestprinciple.com

If you have a blog you can also grab a button (scroll to the bottom of the page). I surely would appreciate it! :-)

Website Problems

The Hope Chest website is down, along with one of my other sites. Webhost issues. I hope they get it fixed soon!

Come to the Party

One online launch party going on now!

Be sure to drop by every day and pick up your door prize.

See you there!

~ Hopeful

You're Invited!

Okay, folks--the new website is live.

You're invited to an online launch party celebrating the new website, The Hope Chest (www.hopechestprinciple.com).

The Hope Chest provides encouragement, connection, and resources for unmarried women and girls who want to prepare themselves to be excellent wives and mothers. It also provides resources for parents preparing their daughters. 

The Hope Chest is a project of Keeping Home, a business dedicated to

• Promoting Positive Homekeeping
• Helping Keep Christian Homes Healthy and Happy
• Protecting the Existence of Home, Sweet Home, One Family at a Time
  

You can learn more at Keeping Home's website: www.keeping-home.com.


The launch party will run Monday morning (Nov 7) through Friday afternoon/evening (Nov 11). There will be posts to discuss, door prizes every day, and coupon codes. No refreshments but plenty of refreshMENT.

See you there!

~ Hopeful

Update On the New Website

It's almost done!

I hope to launch it in early November.

Changes Coming . . .

I haven't posted for several months, as you can see. That's partly because I have been busy but also because I see that this blog has reached the end of it's useful life. I started it as a personal blog before I knew I would be starting Keeping Home. Now that I have a website with a blog that is as much of a personal blog as I need, I don't need this one.

Also, for some time, I have wanted to do something more with the concept of the hope chest. A new project for Keeping Home has been growing in my heart--and in other ways--for some time and it's time to start the transition.

I hope it will be "big" eventually--not big in the sense of famous or reaching millions, just big in the sense of being a blessing to other like-minded people. Right now, I'm working on a basic website with a resource directory (which will grow). If all goes well, it will be launched sometime this fall. In the mean time, The Hope Chest blog will only serve the purpose of sharing the progress of the new project. :-)

See ya 'round!

Hopeful

Tuesday's Tip: Housekeeping

If you live in a well kept home, pay attention. If you don't live in a well kept home, pay attention. Both are very educational.

Tuesday's Tip: Hope Chests

Some arts and crafts you or your family could use to produce goods for your hope chest:

1. Gardening (saved seeds, dried herbs, garden designs, for example)
2. Cooking (recipe development)
3. Tatting
4. Hardanger embroidery
5. Punchneedle embroidery

Thursday's Thought: Marriage/Relationships

Mr. Right probably has high standards too.

Tuesday's Tip: Learning to Cook

Plan meals first, then learn recipes/foods to go with them. We eat in meals, right? So we need to learn to cook meals, not just individual foods!

Thursday's Thought: Home, Sweet Home

Home is never sweet unless the people in it are sweet.

Tueday's Tip: Hope Chests

Some arts and crafts you or your family could use to produce goods for your hope chest:

1. Hand embroidery
2. Machine embroidery
3. Needlepoint
4. Counted cross stitch
5. Smocking (type of embroidery)

Tuesday's Tip: Hope Chests

 Some arts and crafts you or your family could use to produce goods for your hope chest:

1. Rug hooking
2. Rug braiding
3. Other rug-making techniques
4. Metal working
5. Basketry

Thursday's Thought: Contentment

Contentment enjoys what it has and gratefully accepts what is given to it.

Tuesday's Tip: Hope Chests

Some arts and crafts you or your family could use to produce goods for your hope chest:

1. Knitting
2. Crocheting
3. Sewing
4. Quilting
5. Woodworking 

Thursday's Thought: Marriage

The most important key to success in unselfishness. The most significant reason for failure is selfishness.

Tuesday's Tip: Organization

Store things in logical places—near where you will use them, for example.

Thursday's Thought: Modesty

Modesty is an attitude. It just has a tendency to express itself in the way you dress.

Tuesday's Tip

Haste makes messes.


P.S. Yes, I learned that by experience.

Thursday's Thought: Relationships

Seek to understand other people with the same intensity with which you desire to be understood.

Tuesday's Tip: Prioritize

Prioritize your goals or areas of study/preparation so that you don't always focus on what is easiest or the most fun.

Thursday's Thought: Marriage

Since God invented marriage, he probably knows more about it than anyone else does.

Tuesday's Tip: Hope Chests

If you're preparing a hope chest, remember that your husband may not have the same tastes you do. Be considerate, especially with things he would use or see often, and refrain from buying or making everything ahead of time.

Sale at Keeping Home

Special order sale going on now.

Thursdays Thought: Womanhood

What you are is more important than what you know.

Tuesday's Tip: Children

Church is a great place to observe children and parents, and the interaction between them. Observation is a great way to learn about children (especially for those of us who aren't surrounded by children). Just be careful not to stare! :-)

Thursday's Thought: Character

The way people around you behave is not really a good measure of how people should behave.

Wordless Wednesday: A Very Wild Tulip

Grown by my aunt.

Tuesday's Tip: Work

Be productive and efficient--not just busy.

Thursday's Thought: Experience

When it comes to learning how to do something there is really no substitute for just doing it. 

Wordless Wednesday: Apple Blossoms

Tuesday's Tip: Beauty

Your attitude, whether you like it or not, effects the way you look. 

Thanks, Mom!

With Mother's Day coming soon, I thought it would be a good opportunity to say (although actually, I say it more often than that ~ just not in public) that I am very thankful my mother chose to willingly be a stay-at-home-mom. It was worth it. I'm sure she knows that, but even if she didn't know it, I would. Definitely worth it. Highly recommended!

Wordless Wednesday

When you start wandering around with a camera looking for interesting stuff to take pictures of, you see things you never saw before and never imagined!

Learning and Growing resources updated

As you may have noticed, the learning and growing resources have been updated. You can visit the index here.

Are there any categories you'd like to see? Leave me a comment!

Learning and Growing: Hope Chest Stuff

Anything related to hope chests. Learning AND resources.

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Hope Chest Legacy~ If you haven’t read the book (The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love by Rebekah Wilson) you might want to. It’s actually written for mothers but I enjoyed it. New!

Hope Chest Society New!

The Hope Chest section of my Keeping Home online store. New!

Learning and Growing: Babies (and so forth)

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

The Ministry of Midwifery New!

Making Home ~ blog that has some baby/motherhood/parenting posts. This blog is worth getting acquainted with. New!

American Academy of Pediatrics New!

La Leche League International ~ breastfeeding education and support organization. New!

Learning and Growing: Cake Baking and Decorating

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Teaching Good Things has a cake decorating DVD New!

Wilton ~ famous cake decorating book and supply company. New!

Clothing the Family ~ Inspiration and Learning About Girls' Clothing

Good places for just viewing styles of clothing for girls. Good for helping you figure out what types of clothing you would approve of your daughters wearing and possibly what types of things you'd like to learn to make.  Also, if you're still in girlhood, these might be just as helpful as the women's list(s)! This is for all ages of girls. 

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

B & B Blueprints ~ sewing pattern company

Bonnie Blue Designs ~ sewing pattern company  New!

Chez Ami Childrenswear~ retailer  New!

Christa Taylor ~ retailer

Hanna Andersson ~ retailer of modest clothing

Hannah Lise~ custom sewing of modest clothing

Kwik Sew pattern company ~ sewing pattern company

Lilies of the Field~ custom sewing of modest clothing

Love and Stitches Home Page ~ sewing pattern company

Maja's Heirlooms~ sewing pattern company

Sense and Sensibility~ sewing pattern company

The Children's Corner ~ sewing pattern company New!
 

The King's Daughters ~ custom sewing of modest clothing and sewing pattern company

Clothing the Family ~ Inspiration and Learning About Boys' Clothing

Good places for just viewing styles of clothing for boys. Good for helping you figure out what types of clothing you would approve of your sons wearing and possibly what types of things you'd like to learn to make.  This is for all ages of boys. 

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Chez Ami Childrenswear~ retailer  New!

B & B Blueprints ~ sewing pattern company

Bonnie Blue Designs ~ sewing pattern company New!

Hanna Andersson ~ retailer

Kwik Sew pattern company~ sewing pattern company

The Children's Corner ~ sewing pattern company New!

Clothing the Family ~ Resources for Learning About Men's Clothing

Resources for learning about men's clothing. 

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Kwik Sew pattern company~ sewing pattern company  New!

Carhartt ~ clothing company  New!

Learning and Growing: Clothing the Family

TThis post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.


Sub Sections
Inspiration and Learning for Women/about women's clothing ~  List of good places for just viewing styles of clothing for women (good for helping you figure out what you like and don't like, will wear and won't wear). These are sites I have found helpful in my study. New!

Inspiration/Learning about Men's Clothing ~ Resources for learning about men's clothing. New!

Inspiration/Learning about Girls' Clothing ~ Good places for just viewing styles of clothing for girls. Good for helping you figure out what types of clothing you would approve of your daughters wearing and possibly what types of things you'd like to learn to make.  Also, if you're still in girlhood, these might be just as helpful as the women's list(s)! This is for all ages of girls. New!

Inspiration/Learning about Boys' Clothing ~ Good places for just viewing styles of clothing for boys. Good for helping you figure out what types of clothing you would approve of your sons wearing and possibly what types of things you'd like to learn to make.  This is for all ages of boys. New!


Related Posts

Learning and Growing: Sewing

Clothing Care
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House~ It's a big book: get the hardback edition if you can. Extensive section on textiles and laundering. She also has a separate book on laundering, called Laundry: The Home Comforts Book of Caring for Clothes and Linens. I'm not sure exactly what it contains but I'm sure it's good.

Modesty-related Resouces A variety of modesty-related resources ~ could be any aspect of modesty for anyone (and I may or may not agree with it).  

Modesty Matters ~www.inplainsite.com~ One woman's thoughts on the subject. It has been so long since I read it that I don't remember what she said, but I remember is being useful in my study.

The Rebelution: The Modesty Survey ~ This is the original announcement for the survey. I see there are links to other posts about the survey in the sidebar.

Feelin' Feminine ~ ministry   New!

Other Aspects of Dress

Resources related to other aspects of dress, such as femininity, comfort, healthfulness, durability, simplicity, convenience, etc. 

Feelin' Feminine ~ ministry   New!

Clothing the Family ~ Inspiration and Learning for Women/About Women's Clothing

Good places for just viewing styles of clothing for women (good for helping you figure out what you like and don't like, will wear and won't wear).  These are sites I have found helpful in my study. 

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.
I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

April Cornell Online ~ designer and retailer
As Lilies Sewing ~ custom sewing of modest, feminine attire
DownEast Basics Clothing Catalog ~ retailer
Feelin' Feminine ~ ministry  New! 
Hannah Lise ~ modest clothing company
Kathy's Modest, Sewing Patterns ~ sewing pattern company and retailer
Kwik Sew pattern company ~ commercial sewing pattern company
Lands' End ~ company and retailer
Lilies of the Field ~ custom sewing of modest, feminine attire
Loes Hinse Design ~ independent sewing pattern company
Martin McCrea ~ made to order Victorian/Western dresses.

Sense and Sensibility pattern pages, examples, and vintage images library. Designer of historical/history-inspired sewing patterns.

Silhouette Patterns ~ independent sewing pattern company.
Tall Women's Clothes ~ retailer

Textile Studio Patterns ~ independent sewing pattern company.

And specifically for plus-size women (since I haven't needed this personally I don't have as many links but I will look/try to remember what I've seen):

Kwik Sew pattern company

Petite Plus Patterns

Learning and Growing: Sewing

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Threads Magazine ~ I've heard it's a good magazine but I've never read it. I do know that they have wonderful online resources, including short articles and videos for beginners.

PatternReview.com ~ reviews of sewing patterns, discussion board, reviews of sewing website and sewing notions, sewing information, and more. They even have classes, but those aren't free. Great resource!


Patterns and Using Patterns
Burdastyle ~ pattern downloads. Some are free. New!
Keeping Home ~ the retail store. My own store which features sensible and modest sewing patterns for clothing and the home. My goal is to help women outfit their homes and clothe their families with dignity. The styles for clothing are classic-modern ~ sometimes a bit trendy, sometimes a bit old-fashioned, but mostly in between (and never extreme!). I have some sewing patterns especially for beginners! I do completely endorse this one. ;-)

PatternReview.com ~ reviews of sewing patterns, discussion board, reviews of sewing websites (mostly stores) and sewing notions, sewing information, and more. They even have classes, but those aren't free. Great resource!

You Can Make This ~ pattern and tutorial downloads. New!

Fabric Sources

Fab Shop Hop and Fab Search ~ find fabrics and sewing stuff (a lot of quilting)  New!

Fabric.com ~ A wonderful place to visit! Sells discount quilting, apparel, and home dec fabrics. Some types of fabrics stick around consistently, some don't. Easy to navigate, so it's a great place to learn about fabrics and what's available. There's also a small fabric glossary that I have found helpful.

Denver Fabrics ~ sells discount fabrics. A bit difficult to navigate.

Joann.com ~ I generally buy my thread here (Gutermann). They have all kinds of sewing and craft supplies.

PatternReview.com ~ reviews of sewing patterns, discussion board, reviews of sewing websites (mostly stores) and sewing notions, sewing information, and more. They even have classes, but those aren't free. Great resource!

Sewing Forums

Sewing Forum ~ at GardenWeb

PatternReview.com ~ reviews of sewing patterns, discussion board, reviews of sewing website and sewing notions, sewing information, and more. They even have classes, but those aren't free. Great resource!

Sewing Mamas ~ has a forum. You have to join to read. Very active.

Everything Sewing Forum ~ Small but nice.   

Learning and Growing: Curriculum, Classes, and Clubs

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Future Christian Homemakers  

Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home by Ann Ward. Seven-year curriculum for girls in book or CD format. Do a search for "training our daughters to be keepers at home" and you will find sources and reviews.

Home Economics for Home Schoolers series.

Hope Chest Society New!

The Book of Household Management by Mrs. Isabella Beeton ~ an old book available for free here.

American Woman's Home by Catherine Esther Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe  ~ an old book available for free here.

Home Economics I and Home Economics II curriculum by Christian Light Publications.

Self-Made Scholar ~ has a list of free classes and a list of self-education resources. 

Teaching Good Things ~ Equipping Families with Practical Skills for Life

New! Here's something that may help. Below are links to high school/college/university departments, programs, course catalogs, etc. that may be helpful in planning your study. They are both Christian and secular, public and private ~ just whatever I have found that might provide ideas, inspiration, and guidance, whether you are planning a homeschooling program, independent study college program, or just a personal education study program. These links do not include homeschool curriculum. Look at the courses offered, and if possible, actual course descriptions.

Oakwood College Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Virginia Tech ~ Department of Human Development

App State ~ Family and Consumer Sciences.

Learning and Growing: Cooking and Baking

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Cooking.com~ Recipes

All Recipes

Recipe Archive

Local Harvest

Hillbilly Housewife  New!

Tammy's Recipes New!

Learning and Growing: Health

This post/re-post is a resource list designed to aid in the education of women in homemaking and womanhood lines, particularly in keeping with the purpose of The Hope Chest. You can always find all of my resource lists in the sidebar.

I don't necessarily endorse these sites in their entirety. In fact, some of them I may not endorse at all! They are here because I believe they are useful for educational purposes.

Center for Science in the Public Interest ~ watchdog organization. New!

CSPI Canada New!

FDA (US Food and Drug Administration)  New!

Northern Lights Health Education ~ a few recipes and LOTS of good health information.

Three Angels Broadcasting Network ~ they have some healthy cooking shows. You can watch online or print the recipes.

Nutrient Database

The Ministry of Midwifery New!

Uchee Pines ~ Lifestyle Center, Training Programs, and Health Resources

WebMD  New!

United States Department of Health and Human Services New!

USDA.gov - United States Department of Agriculture New!