Warming up the Cottage

The capiz shells I had bought for the Miller Manor guestroom a few years ago were simply too lovely to leave behind, but Zoe Cottage didn't seem to have a spot for them to fit well.  I decided to hang them in the master bathroom window which is shorter and a little wider than the window they hung in before.

I spent some time yesterday afternoon cutting them to the right length and removing all the extra nylon thread holding the remaining shells together. I ended up with 60 each of two different sized shells and did an online search for ideas of how to use them.

In the back of my mind, I kept thinking about a friend who has always made my favorite cookie containers and ornaments at our exchanges, often out of the most unlikely materials. I have known Mickie for several years, (we were in a homeschool group together) but for various reasons our friendship always remained more of an acquaintanceship.  I got her number from another friend and called her up, asking if she had any ideas for the use of capiz shells.

I was really surprised when she called back and offered to come over and take a look in an hour and a half! As I have been off Facebook for several months now and that was our usual contact point, Mickie was (as most of my "friends" are) unaware that we had moved, so we took a quick tour of the house, then settled into the studio for some fun.  Over the course of our conversation, we discovered way more in common than we expected, and decided to start meeting regularly to create together beginning in a week and a half.

It has been 3.5 years since my good friend and crafting buddy Connie passed away, and I have at various times felt the void keenly. To find someone who not only has the desire but is willing to carve out the time to craft and design with me is an answer to prayer.  For her to share similar faith, values and viewpoints is decadent icing!

Ornery and I spent a long time talking last night about Zoe Cottage and how it didn't really feel like home yet.  One of the things I pointed out is that we tried to take all our old things from Miller Manor and make homes for them here, but this house is so different from the other that our old things didn't really fit--either the house or our lifestyle. It is going to take a while --and a willingness to part with things-- to make things look and feel like they belong.  We also haven't really entertained here. The things that made Miller Manor so rich with memories were the parties, informal gatherings, meals and other times when friends and family would join us there.

Zoe Cottage feels like it has been abandoned too often, but we are planning to remedy that as quickly and frequently as possible.  Mickie was our first non-family visitor since we moved in, but later this week three other friends come for brunch, and Jeff and Elizabeth will be coming for the weekend they missed out on over the 4th. We have other acquaintances we would like to develop into friendships, so I will set about finding ways to do that.

Ornery spent quite a while yesterday morning visiting with the man next-door to the south. He is very nice, and came over the day after we moved to greet us. I can imagine a good neighbor relationship forming with them over time. The man to the north of us is not often there, but he offered to help Ornery unload something from the pickup last weekend from just noticing we might need some help.

There is great potential for warming up Zoe Cottage with friends and fellowship, but we will obviously have to reach out to people to bring them in. I look forward to it!