What I Learned in 2018 | Strength
Wow, you guys. I have not touched this blog in over three years. It seems so strange that this little piece of my heart has just been floating around on the internet untouched for so long. So much has transpired during that time and I have learned a lot about myself. One thing I've learned is how my heart longs to be creative. And I love having this outlet to share with you.
This post won't have a lot to do with home decor or DIY, but come back tomorrow for a fun Valentine's Day project!
Today I just want to get my feet wet in the blogging world again.... you know, see if I still know how to do this thing.
In 2018 I turned 40. That is a big milestone - one I was actually excited to reach. I feel like a bonafide adult now. It was a year of self reflection and I feel I learned a lot about myself. Because of that journey, my list will mostly be things I learned about myself. Maybe you can relate?
I am strong.
Yes, this is a bold statement. It's one I have mulled around in my head for quite some time, but have never said outloud. I don't know if it's women in general or just my personality type, but I have had a hard time admitting that
I am strong
. In 2017, I started really building my physical strength and that has been an incredible journey. But I was strong long before I had muscles. I think if we all take a look deep inside ourselves and reflect on our lives, we will realize what has been dealt our way takes an incredible amount of strength to deal with. For me, sometimes being a homeschooling mom takes all of my strength. Holding up our home and taking care of our family while my husband is literally across the world requires strength for sure. Moving every one to three years is not for the weak. And losing my dad quickly to cancer while my husband was in Afghanistan and I had a one year old at home definitely took every iota of strength in me. I know there are many people out there who face much more difficult things every single day of there lives. But I think it is important for all of to stop an recognize that we have a mountain of strength inside us.
*When I started this post, I had intended for it to be a list: one post and done. But I got to writing about the first thing on my list and discovered I have a lot to say. So, I decided to make this a series of posts.
One Room Challenge | Week Two
Our entire home is painted the same neutral color.... although I don't think it is truly, truly neutral. I kept saying to myself and others the paint was too much of a yellow base and I wanted a cooler tone. But when I really got to looking at it, I realized it has a green base. Not pretty and definitely not neutral. I've been leading a campaign in my home to update our paint color for a few months now. Unfortunately, the mayor of my town wasn't having it. I finally convinced him to let me try out paint on our master bath. I am convinced when he sees how amazing it looks, he will let me do the rest of the house.
Thankfully, the mayor happens to be away on business at this time and I have been free to paint the bathroom my own way and deal with the mishaps on my own terms. I'm mostly thankful because the first color I chose {and painted half of my bathroom in!!} was a total disaster. I don't why I kept thinking I wanted white. But I did. So, I bought it. And, well, here it is....
I thought I wanted white. When I got it up on the walls, I hated it. It just looked so stark against the creamy floorboards and the warm tile & marble.
This is the part where I had to really evaluate the look I was going for. Why did I want white walls? How could I achieve what I really wanted?
I knew I wanted a gray. As you can see, the tile and marble in my bathroom are very warm colors. So, I hopped on Pinterest and searched for warm grays. I analyzed grays all night and all morning. Then, I headed back to Lowes for more samples. When I got home, I painted several different colors on different parts in our bathroom where the light hits it differently.
Once I the samples on the walls, it was an easy decision. I kicked myself repeatedly for not doing this the first time! I went with Homestead Parlor Resort Taupe. It is a fantastic color from Valspar. It looks warm and cream colored in certain lights and then a great gray in others.
I could not love it more.
I apologize for the quality of the photos. I snapped them quickly with my phone as my family and I were running out of town. {notice the suitcase}
It is amazing what a difference half a gallon of paint can make!! Once the paint was done, I was beginning to see my vision for this room come together and I am so excited! Next up I will be working on some new accessories, shelving and light fixtures. I hope you join me in the journey!
One Room Challenge | Week One
Just last week I was scrolling through Instagram and was introduced to the One Room Challenge. I was intrigued, so I hopped over to Linda's blog to find out more. The One Room Challenge is a concept created and run by Linda of Calling it Home. Linda hosts the challenge twice a year in April and October. This amazing idea is actually in it's eighth season. I don't know how I have missed out on it thus far! In a nutshell, a designer will work on updating or even renovating only one room for six weeks. Each week, progress is shared on the designer's blog. You can read all the juicy details on Linda's gorgeous blog.
I am so excited to participate for my first time this spring. So, let me introduce you to the room I will be working on for my first round: our master bathroom.
Our home is only two years old. We are the first owners, though we did not have it built. We won't live in it forever. It will likely only be a total of four years or less. I'm telling you this because I feel kind of silly updating anything in our home. I mean, it's practically brand new! But here's what you also need to hear: It is important to make your home your own. No matter how new it is. No matter how long you will live there. Home is the heart of our families and our lives. Make it your haven.
Now, on to the plan!!!
1. First things first. I plan to start with the easiest, most inexpensive fix there is out there: PAINT. I'd really like to do a warm gray of some sort, but not entirely sure on the shade yet.
2. Next up, I'm looking to replace our light fixtures. Again, they are new and they are very nice. But they just aren't our style. I would really love to have some sort of industrial farmhouse fixtures over the vanity. Also, in my dream design, I'd LOVE a chandelier over our soaking tub.
3. Because of all the wall space in this room, I think the addition of floating shelves would be great. Luckily, my hunky hubby is a fantastic wood worker and he is happy to help me with this. I plan to stain them in a dark, rich hue. I love the mix of natural elements and industrial pieces. {source}
4. Finally, accessories!! This is my favorite part of any room. I want to find some luxe rugs to add warmth and depth to the marble tile. I'd also love to add some greenery and maybe an antique mirror or two.
So, that's it! I hope you join me on this exciting journey. I'm already looking forward to using our new and improved space!!
{BONUS: a selfie shot!}
Our home is only two years old. We are the first owners, though we did not have it built. We won't live in it forever. It will likely only be a total of four years or less. I'm telling you this because I feel kind of silly updating anything in our home. I mean, it's practically brand new! But here's what you also need to hear: It is important to make your home your own. No matter how new it is. No matter how long you will live there. Home is the heart of our families and our lives. Make it your haven.
Now, on to the plan!!!
1. First things first. I plan to start with the easiest, most inexpensive fix there is out there: PAINT. I'd really like to do a warm gray of some sort, but not entirely sure on the shade yet.
2. Next up, I'm looking to replace our light fixtures. Again, they are new and they are very nice. But they just aren't our style. I would really love to have some sort of industrial farmhouse fixtures over the vanity. Also, in my dream design, I'd LOVE a chandelier over our soaking tub.
3. Because of all the wall space in this room, I think the addition of floating shelves would be great. Luckily, my hunky hubby is a fantastic wood worker and he is happy to help me with this. I plan to stain them in a dark, rich hue. I love the mix of natural elements and industrial pieces. {source}
4. Finally, accessories!! This is my favorite part of any room. I want to find some luxe rugs to add warmth and depth to the marble tile. I'd also love to add some greenery and maybe an antique mirror or two.
So, that's it! I hope you join me on this exciting journey. I'm already looking forward to using our new and improved space!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I know it's not a super huge holiday, but it's fun. I put up just a few touches of decor around our common living areas that I'd like to share. If I was on the ball, I would have shared this post a week or two ago to inspire you. Alas, I am quite the procrastinator. {I like to think most creative people are.} Hope this inspires you for next year!
ABCs of Decorating | I
You know, over the years there have come times when I've been asked to describe my style.... and I can't.
I generally say "French Country," but that's not entirely accurate. I also have some elements of "Farmhouse" style and a touch of "Shabby Chic." But there are some really amazing "Boho" accents as well as just a pinch of "Industrial." So, here's the thing: My style is just that: MINE. And I love it. And my family loves it. It feels good and it makes us happy. And that is all that matters.
To see the rest of the posts in this series, click here.
To see the rest of the posts in this series, click here.
Facelift Friday | Sheet Music Cabinet
Last summer I found this beautiful piece at a local antique shop.
Regretfully, I didn't get a picture of the tapestry covered cushion. When I removed the fabric, there was a LOT of dust. I knew this piece was very old.
You may notice one of the legs is a bit shorter than the other. I actually like that because it shows the authenticity of the piece as well as the fact it was likely handmade.
This piece immediately struck me as English, though I don't know why. {I'm guessing it was the tapestry covered cushion.}
The bottom portion of this bench is a door that opens to reveal several compartments. After a bit of research, I discovered this is a sheet music cabinet. These types of pieces were used in the early 1900s to store sheet music. This was during a time when nearly everyone had a piano or organ in their home.
After the introduction of file cabinets in the 1950s, these pieces of art became much less common.
According to serious musicians, a sheet music cabinet is actually a very disorganized way to store music in contrast to a file cabinet. I can understand that completely!
To makeover this lovely piece, I covered it in two coats of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Ironstone. Because of the thick varnish on top of this piece, I definitely needed the bonding agent.
On top of the Ironstone, I added a coat of Schloss; a lovely gray with almost a purple hue. Schloss is one of the six colors in Miss Mustard Seed's new European collection.
After everything dried, I sanded the piece quite heavily. My hopes were to reveal some of the original stain, as well as the Ironstone paint underneath.
As for the cushion, I added new foam and reupholstered it in a drop cloth. Yes, a drop cloth! I love the faux linen look and texture of these for a fraction of the cost of real linen. It's such a perfect neutral that is goes with most anything. {Make sure to wash and dry before use to soften it up!}
I love the way this piece turned out. It's beautiful, subtle and striking all at the same time. I initially planned on selling it, but my hubby and I both fell in love with it. It fits flawlessly with the rest of our decor, so it has now become a permanent piece in our home. {For now.}
Facelift Friday | Bulletin Board Upcycle
How many times have you seen something like this at a garage sale or thrift shop and passed it up?
I finally stumbled upon this blog post by Chelsea at two twenty one and fell in love with the idea.
I had the perfect black and white stripe fabric that I picked up at IKEA this past fall. I used spray adhesive to attach the fabric to the bulletin board and then secured it with upholstery tacks I picked up at a big box craft store. The only thing I did different then Chelsea was to separate the tacks a bit more.
I simply used the wood frame as a guide for where to place the tacks.
I love how chic it turned out. I think it looks fantastic vertical or horizontal.
And I took this a step further! The upholstery tacks are a bit longer than regular push pins, and I worried about them sticking out on the backside. So, I found a lovely black trim to cover the back.
Voila! A reversible bulletin board!!
ABCs of Decorating | H
Decorating for holidays may seem like a silly extravagance. But what it actually does is make your family and visitors feel like you went above and beyond to make them feel special. How does it make you feel when you wash your hands at a friend's home and the guest towel you reach for is a beautiful reminder of the current season God has blessed us with?
Think beyond Christmas.
For Valentine's Day:
Put together an easy sweater wreath with your kids.
Add a simple banner to a mirror or large picture in your child's room.
These delicate hearts couldn't be easier to craft.
You can even add super subtle decor for St. Patrick's Day. {See what I did there? Four leaf clover wreath, green hydrangeas.}
Celebrate Easter with inconspicuous figurines sprinkled in your everyday decor.
Use forced bulbs to add the fresh feeling of spring in a windowsill.
For Easter: Make a centerpiece using a nature inspired nest with faux eggs.
Display tea towels and fabric napkins with simple Easter embroidery.
You can even pick up very inexpensive dinnerware and serving pieces at big box discount stores. {I love these from Target!}
And of course, for fall, I have tons of ideas and past posts.
Use neutrals to lend a sophisticated touch to the usual Halloween decor.
Take a cue from nature and add elements that are appear all over at this time of year.
February Darlings
A few of my favorite things.....
French Bottle Rack | I have been obsessing over these amazing French country staples for months now. I don't know what it is about them. I love that they are a little bit industrial looking, yet still so elegant. They are super functional, but add such an unexpected element. I finally cracked and bought one when they were featured on Antique Farmhouse. It's a very small one and I am positive it's a reproduction. But I thought it would look so pretty on my newly refinished telephone table. Right now we use that area as a hot cocoa/cider station and it would be perfect to hang a few mugs on it.
Vintage French Canister Set | I love to use anything vintage in my kitchen. If something I find is too old and worn for it's original use (such as holding flour or grains), I will repurpose it. Vintage canisters are perfect to hold utensils, napkins or even herbs. The patina on this particular set of tin canisters is just perfect. This set is still available on Etsy.
Method Laundry Detergent in Lavender Cedar | Laundry isn't my favorite thing to do, but it's a necessary chore. Using this fantastic smelling detergent helps. I love Method because of their commitment to use the least amount of chemicals possible. Of course I love the lavender scent and the cedar in it just adds such a refreshing feeling. Currently, I am receiving all of my toiletries from ePantry. I love them not only for the convenience, but because of their commitment to the environment. They only partner with other brands who are equally committed to the environment. That is important to me as well. {If you shop through my link, you will receive $10 off your first order!}
She Reads Truth Lent Devotional | Lent is something has become of great importance to me the past several years. I've gotten to where I appreciate Lent and the anticipation of Easter more so than any other holiday during the year. It's a time for quiet reflection to remember what Jesus did for us and what He gave up. I discovered the She Reads Truth app during the fall and I absolutely love it. It actually was a website first, but using the app is so perfect for me and my crazy life. With each study, they offer a physical book along with beautiful prints and scripture cards to be purchased on their website. I typically don't buy the book, but for Lent, I HAD to. This book is beautiful. Daily, there is a classic hymn featured that corresponds with the scripture and devotional. I know it is only day 2, but I could not love it more. *I just saw that the Lent devotional is sold out. Don't worry, you can still follow along via the website for free or on your iphone or ipad for a small fee!
Potted French Lavender | This is just something simple I am thoroughly enjoying right now. I picked up a French lavender plant at my local grocery store for $12. It smells heavenly, but not overpowering like English lavender. French lavender is a delicate mix of rosemary and traditional English lavender. It is easy to care for and beautiful.
* This post contains affiliate links which I may be compensated in a very small amount for. ** My thoughts on ePantry are 100% my own. I have not been contacted or compensated in any way, shape or form for my opinions.