The Little Book of Cottagecore: Traditional Skills for a Simpler Life

by Emily Kent

Unplug, relax, and return to the simpler life with these easy, step-by-step ideas for your favorite cottagecore activities including baking from scratch and easy container gardening.

Returning to the simpler life has never been easier. If you’re craving the aroma of freshly baked bread, spending more time in nature, or seeing the sunlight filtering through homemade curtains, then cottagecore is for you!

The Little Book of Cottagecore helps you make simple living a reality with delightful cottagecore activities you can enjoy no matter where you live. Whether you’re interested in baking pies from scratch, basic sewing and cross stitch, gardening, beekeeping, or making candles and soaps, this book is full of fun, hands-on activities that make it easy and enjoyable to unplug from modern life.

Full of step-by-step instructions and homegrown inspiration, you’ll find fun, practical ways to enjoy rustic and relaxing cottagecore activities in your everyday life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Lifestyle, Crafts, Self Help, Nature, How To, Adult

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2021

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even know who this book is for. I was hoping for a broader look at the cottagecore movement or something, but it is literally just a chapter each on different things like baking bread, making candles, beekeeping... Things that, if you actually want to do them, will need much more than just a single chapter with few illustrations in a kind of vague book.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Don’t bother with this one. You receive a little book of instructions, very little prose, and, if you’ve gone the Kindle route, zero illustrations. All, and I mean ALL of the information in this book can easily be googled and/or YouTube’d for clearer understandings. It took me two whole days to get through the instructions for curtain-making (curtain-making!) because I kept falling asleep. Eventually, I just skipped the section when she started in on making tab-top curtains. None of the material was presented from the author’s viewpoint—no personal experiences of her own while pouring candles or whipping up a batch of soap. This book is a collection of curated info the author snagged from online. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. Instead, invest in Jane Brockett’s “The Gentle Art of Domesticity,” or any of “The Foxfire Books.” This “Cottagecore” book is a terrible disappointment!

[Conny Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Cottagecore is a movement centered around the simple existence of pastoral life,” Emily Kent writes in the introduction of her book, The Little Book of Cottagecore: Traditional Skills for a Simpler Life.

~ What ~
This two-hundred-and-fifty-six-page hardbound targets mainly women who want to destress and relax by finding true joy doing the simpler things in life. After an introduction, it contains eight chapters, ending with US/metric conversion charts and an index.

With a focus on authentic cottagecore hobbies, the book hones in on hands-on activities that make the doer value and find peacemaking homemade products and items while taking time to appreciate a simple life. The first chapter is about gardening and beekeeping while the next is how to brew a perfect cup of tea. The third section discusses baking bread, pies, and cookies, and the fourth covers herbal remedies. While the next chapter involves candle making, the following two chapters are about cross-stitch, sewing, quilting, and embroidery. The final one has soapmaking. Several recipes, bullet-point lists, small drawings, and blue highlighted sections are included.

~ Why ~
It is always nice to use one’s hands to create, especially when it produces food, clothing, or an appreciative gift for a loved one. The lists are helpful in discussing different garden planting options, tea choices, baking recipes, herbal concoctions and their uses, and patterns to sew. I enjoyed reading the sections on making remedies for colds, flu, and cough as well as saponification in soap making.

~ Why Not ~
Those who do not like do-it-yourself projects will not understand the simplicity of making something to enjoy. Since this is a beginner’s book, it may appear sophomoric to seasoned gardeners, crafters, bakers, and artisans. There are no photographs of finished products and a limited amount of examples.

~ Wish ~
Since I have done all projects listed in the book except bee-keeping, I wish it contained more examples, instructions, and pictures. Because it concentrates on health-related topics, I expected it to include promoting soy wax over paraffin as the latter emits carcinogens.

~ Want ~
If you are looking for a beginner’s book to destress, relax, and enjoy making or doing the simpler things in life, this may make a nice gift for the person who needs to slow down and take a break from the stressors faced daily, especially during a pandemic.

Thanks to Bookpleasures and Simon & Schuster for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was clearly “written” by copying and pasting lots of how-to articles from the internet (I’m guessing about 60% of it came from The Spruce), and I am not even sure that Emily Kent is a real person. So there’s that. It’s not that the information is bad or even spurious—some of it is useful and interesting, if you are interested in doing more DIY shit around the house—but to call it a book seems like a stretch. It is more like someone printed off a bunch of articles from the World Wide Web and handed them to you.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute, but not what I was expecting. I skimmed it since I already know how to do many of the things mentioned in the book. I did really enjoy the chapter on tea. I think this would be good for someone who is interested in cottagecore, but not experienced.

[Brittany Viklund · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm… while this book offered some interesting DIY insights I felt overall uninspired. I was looking for more of a philosophy or approaches to the cottagecore movement rather than a series of (rather complex at times 🥴) DIYs. The tea chapter was interesting, the bread chapter was meh, the quilting/sewing chapter inspired me to whip out my machine but the candle making & soap making reminded me why I prefer to purchase those through local makers (& thus support their efforts!). I may revisit some of these concepts/DIYs here but really the best part of this book might just be the cute cover… 😅

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have recently started purchasing materials for the Public Library I work at, so when Cottagecore came across my list I wanted to look into it further. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was available for an Audible credit, well I love Hygge, Medieval History, Conservation, and Crafting so this book on how to craft a simpler life will be a great addition and culmination of all of my interests. I listened to the audiobook version and read the accompanying PDF so my perceptions might change slightly if I had read the physical version. It does do this, sort of. If you are using this with a background knowledge of some of these subjects, reading the Caveats at the beginning that this is not medical advice, and being willing to take a much deeper dive on these subjects before trying the projects outlined then this is a good book for ideas. If you are going into this as a completely new concept, skipping the prelude before the introduction (as I would have if I were reading a physical copy), and without a gardening/crafting/herbalism background knowledge then this book could very easily end up in a poorly made quilt, some medical problems from improperly made/consumed tinctures, and I shudder to think about Apiary (beekeeping, which the author does encourage you to go into a deeper dive on this topic before starting), windowsill gardening, etc. attempted using these scant instructions. In the quilting the author mentions that "It is advised that you do not iron your quilt..." Then proceeds to advise for a pretty wall hanging go ahead and iron it. In this book about traditional skills the author mentions using materials like synthetic cloth for a like-new look that will last longer rather than worrying about the environment (or taking into account the quilts that we have that are over 100 years old).

I completely understand where this author is coming from. It takes a considerable amount of time and expense to do things the natural way, to learn the proper methods for hand piecing, or even machine piecing a quilt sourcing organic materials so that you do not get the puckers that the author is advising you iron out. Kent does advise that you consult a doctor in the text before the introduction, I believe that this should have been re-iterated in the chapter rather than having the advise as a legal disclaimer in the beginning. I am sorry to say that I can easily see individuals reading this short book, stopping medication to use tinctures, and skipping speaking with their doctor. This book attempts to help the reader 'short-cut' a more natural and simpler lifestyle. However the reader is losing out on many of the benefits of this type of lifestyle by taking those shortcuts. If you are thinking about taking up a Cottage Core Lifestyle, or even just want more information about it, I suggest you look up several of the key components that interest you about that lifestyle and research each one individually, take a deep dive, work on learning one skill, then move on to another aspect or skill. If you are willing to take the advice in here with a grain of salt and just want to learn some of the basics without consulting pinterest, then take a look at this book. I'm not buying it for the library, however. I hate writing negative reviews, however I just cannot endorse this book. If there was a book that went into the tenants, reasons for, thoughts behind, benefits of, etc. cottage core perhaps with some lovely anecdotes, I would buy that in a heartbeat.

[Emily Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars but I rounded up to 3. Super disappointing. I thought this was going to be a cozy book that would teach about the importance of living simply and how to make a cozy home. Instead it was “hey, you know that smell of fresh baked bread when it comes out of the oven? That’s yeast!” NO DUH! Or “did you know that 99% of a cup of tea is water?” OBVI. These are basic kitchen skills 101. Nothing really Cottagecore about this book.

[Lindsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is very Marie Antoinette - Le petit hameau territory. The introduction revolted me, and it got worse from there.

[Lucy Marincel]

This book has a very cute cover. The content is somehow both too general and too specific.

[Megan]

This book has an adorable cover, but other than that it didn’t really contain anything I needed to learn. Probably much better aimed at those who’ve lived their entire lives in a city/have a newfound interest in crafts. As someone who grew up in a rural area with an incredibly popular “Wool Fest” each year, I’m very familiar with “cottagecore” as a country way of life for so many families I grew up with. It’s just what people do. 😏

Cottagecore Skill Assessment: Meg

Expert: embroidery, knowledge of herbs/spices and ability to make healing foods.

Medium: candle making, container gardens.

No interest: quilting, expert-level tea brewing.

Banned by Chris: BEES. 🐝 Although I’m incredibly grateful to have family that have bees and sling honey. It’s delicious.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was wanting to know a bit more about the cottagecore movement itself?
The tag line on the front of the book says "bake bread, sew curtains, garden in containers, make soap, hand pour candles, and more!"
And that's exactly what's in this book, a chapter on each subject.
I've naturally done all of those things throughout the course of my life, so I guess I'm feeling a bit disappointed because I wanted more. Like beautiful aesthetics and photography, etc.
It might be a book that's better for beginners.

[bookswithanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich hab leider den Sinn nicht so ganz verstanden 😂 ich hatte mir erhofft mehr über Cottagecore an sich zu erfahren und weniger wie man Brot backt, wie man Tee trinkt, wie man Gemüse etc anbaut. Es kam nicht wirklich was zu diesem Lifestyle rüber, warum er so toll ist, seit wann es den gibt, was ihn ausmacht etc. das hätte ich erwartet

[Adi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute ^^

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very basic book with terribly primitive drawings, no actual pictures or detailed drawings to illustrate the different steps in processes like making soap, candles, quilts, and curtains. I was thinking this book would go into more of the concepts of the cottagecore movement, why people are being drawn back to this kind of lifestyle, simple ways to incorporate cottagecore into your life, etc. Nope, it was basically a crap little primer on consumer homesteading (because you will have to purchase a lot of materials to make your herbal remedies, candles, etc.), one in which, when you find yourself thoroughly confused by the instructions, you will need to find further resources to guide you on your journey.

[Bloodorange · Rating 1 out of 5]

An atrocity. Working on a unit on the Marlboro Man ads for my 11th-graders I had an idea that cottagecore is a female-gendered version of the simple-life illusion. THIS BOOK IS PURE EVIL, and convinced me that cottagecore could only be conceived by a person who never owned a cottage (my family has, including some land, an orchard, and an apiary). With seven pages of text on beekeeeping, this makes keeping bees look easier than baking bread, for Pete's sake!

Props for the publishing house for cannibalising their previous titles - this book rehashes material from six how-to guides previously published under the Adams imprint.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5
When I picked this book up, I imagined learning a lot about the cottagecore lifestyle, instead most of the book consisted of long instructions on how to garden, to make candles, to brew tea, the usage of herbs... It was interesting but at certain times a bit too textual and I felt as if a lot of content was just taken from the internet and put in this book. A lot of information was just knowledge about certain things that is probably not required when you want to live out that cottagecore lifestyle. Moreover, I really wished on more illustrations on how the named herbs may look like, or the recipes or soaps you can make.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this was more a broader view on the lifestyle with a dive into the history, instead it is more like a craft/cooking how to. Like cool to learn how to make bread, candles, soap, quilts, etc.

[Poppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huh. Who knew I’ve been doing this cottage core stuff for forever now.

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is like an old fashioned homemaking primer. Honestly, it's more like a pamphlet. There's no personal stories from the author.

It has reasonable ideas for creating a more eco-friendly and cozy home without demonizing modern culture and products. Useful ideas for implementation. Worth the read for those interested in this sort of thing. Definitely a beginner's introduction, with no mention of the cottage core movement.

I was hoping for photos and illustrations. So I have to knock off a star for that.

[Charlotte Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I didn’t actually finish this book I got almost to the end and just decided it wasn’t worth my time anymore. It was too vague to actually produce an end product from any of the explanations and a lot of the materials called for are toxic or not sustainable which feels icky and not comfy at all. Cute idea poor execution.

[Grace Boone · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's probably my own fault for not knowing what this was, but I was still letdown LOL. This is like a cookbook for rustic living, and I wanted it to be more of a brain dump of bucolic pleasantries. I'd still likely reference this if I was going to, say... make a batch of lavender candles or start a beehive... I guess....

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ik had meer verwacht van dit boek dat alleen wat suggesties oppert en waarbij je vaak nog recepten moet zoeken. Geen diepgang of verhalend geschreven. Gewoon losse hoofdstukken met korte how to's over bijen houden, brood bakken, kaarsen maken, quilten, thee zetten en gordijnen maken.

Misschien heb ik me toch te makkelijk laten verleiden door de mooie kaft.

[preistiereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cute little book that I wish had been around 12 years ago! I love the explanations to every craft/skill and how everything is worded. It’s a really cute, great guide for someone starting out on their own for the first time and wants to be more handy and crafty at home!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't have much use for the gardening parts, but I made a lot of the recipes, and took some advice about dealing with stress and brewing really good tea.

[Eline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute introduction to simple living, but overall it feels scattered and rushed.

[Teri Stich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little book. It is a great introduction to many aspect of self sufficiency including, breadmaking, simple sewing, container gardening, and more. Let this lead you to simple experimentation and a starting out place.

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute handbook for making things like, soap, bread, candles, quilts, and more. There’s also a section on how to bee keep.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an instruction manual.

I realized l'm into the aesthetics of cottage core, not going back in time. Although I do want my own garden.