Settling In

We have been here, ever-so-cozy in our teensy apartment, for 3 weeks. We have learned our way to the grocery and the farmer's market without constant GPS guidance, and we have begun to identify some of our favorite spots in town.

This apartment will be our home for a few more weeks until we move to a longer-term space. Until we get our worldly possessions out of storage, we are living with only the temporary provisions we crammed into the van on our trip to Indiana ... augmented by some necessities borrowed from Jay's generous parents.

Yes, all of our needs and many of our wants are met. We have comfortable (if inflatable!) bedding, a table and chairs that we inherited with the apartment, and a few comfy spots from which we will indulge in Olympic viewing.

Nevertheless, I felt out of sorts this past week. One night during dinner, I realized the problem: I was missing a sense of "normal." This out-of-a-suitcase lifestyle was losing its novelty. As I wiped my hands on a paper towel, I knew exactly what would easy my mind. NAPKINS!

It's the little things that make a house feel like home. For our family, cloth napkins at mealtime are one of those delights that help us know we are ... well ... home. With all our napkins packed up in long-term storage -- along with every shred of fabric and all my sewing tools! -- I got creative. With some entertainingly dull scissors, a cozy flannel sheet from Goodwill, and straight lines measured along our laminate floor ... I got to work.



For the next few days, I always brought my stitching when we went exploring. Little by little, the stitches accumulated.



And now, just one week later, we are feeling more settled. The thrifting has resumed (check out that sweet hand-stitched Holly Hobbie!), the library provides abundant warm-weather diversions, and we now enjoy mealtime with a set of hand-stitched napkins.

Frankly, as long as I'm with my family I feel like I'm home. But you know what? These handmade and vintage comforts certainly help make our home a little bit cozier.