Nice to meet you.

My name is Caress Lee Carpenter and I do not regret to inform you that I am, indeed, as country as the name would lead you to believe. I was born 'Caress Lee' but in October of 2012 I married my love, Kev. (I'll post a wedding photo album later so you can have a tiny insight into just how DIY obsessive I am, and believe me, it has only grown since then.) Together, we've spent over half a decade building this little life we have.

Kev is my guinea pig when I'm trying out new, never-before-attempted, don't-try-this-at-home, from-scratch recipes. Actually, not recipes. In fact, if the word 'recipe' had an antonym, that's what these concoctions would be. I am my Mother's daughter when it comes to "a dash of this and an ounce of that". Sometimes, Kev is the fortunate first taster of an incredible culinary masterpiece and sometimes ... he is not. Let's just say that, on the rare occasion, I have been guilty of over-seasoning. Blame it on my aversion to moderation. Regardless, I promise that this blog will showcase both ends of the spectrum - it's only fair.

Kev is also my go-to when it comes to carrying out the many, many, many around-the-house, do-it-yourself projects that I dream up. I tend to lean towards the country, rustic, shabby and chic of things when it comes to decorating our home. I am forever armed with mason jars, burlap and twine and, as of recent, I have taken a liking to refurbishing old, junky, throw away furniture into pretty, unique pieces. Kev helps me with pick-ups and unloads. I'm currently just over 6 months pregnant, so I am temporarily rendered useless when it comes to the heavy lifting.I'm also trying hard to keep my distance when it comes to using paint removers, wood stains, and all of the other goodies that scare-you-shitless parenting articles strongly advise against.

Much of what I want for my own home - and my own life, really - was inspired by the way I was raised. I am one of my parents 4 daughters and we all grew up on our family's Century Farm - a hundred acres on the outside of town. It was that very property that Kev and I got married on and the same property that, eventually, we want to build our 'forever home' on. In many ways, my upbringing on the farm was one that most country kids can relate to. My Dad spent long hours in the field and my mom spent equally as many hours keeping up the home - both of which are no easy tasks when you are perfectionist, over-achievers with no hired help. In every way they are different they are just as many ways the same and I can thank both of them for many of the little habits that I have in terms of caring for my own home and my own family. For instance, I do tradition. I do family dinner at the kitchen table. I do back roads. I do natural. I do it because for a very long time I didn't know there was any other way and after learning there were and then faced with the opportunity to choose other ways, I realized there was no better way. There are a million little things that I carry with me from my childhood, as most people do, but I never realized how home-grown I was until I left the farm.

I chose to start this blog, partially, so that I could document all of the little home grown, do-it-yourself, and from-scratch moments of my little life. I also started this blog because I’ve always been fascinated by other lifestyle blogs and how other women have been able to share the triumphs and tragedies that come along with being working wives and mothers (amongst other things) in one, neat, little, organized place with a catchy font and pretty matching side panels. Another reason I started this blog is because so many of my friends and family members have told me that I should keep track of my recipes, house projects and decorating ideas and compile a book. Well, it’s 2014 and starting an online blog is the next best thing. I figure if a handful of people around here find the things that I do on a daily basis inspiring, maybe there is another handful out there somewhere. Lastly, I started this blog because I, too, am an over-achiever.  The thought of being a brand new, first time mom, chairing a couple of community fundraising campaigns, actively volunteering for a few local organizations that I hold close to heart, keeping up our home , coaching a local sports team and taking part in a number of professional development courses once September's maternity leave rolls around just wasn’t enough.

I came to the conclusion, long ago, that the absolute best and most beautiful things that have happened in my life have come from less-than-ideal, overwhelming and messy places.

This is the little life I've built, From Scratch.