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.
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 | 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.
ABCs of Decorating | G
No one lives in a state of stillness. No one. Our lives are forever changing. Up and down, left and right. We never know what is laying in wait around the corner of tomorrow. And in that spirit, our home needs to be filled with grace.
We need to extend that grace to our husbands, our children and even ourselves. Yes. You and I need grace too. Sometimes I need an extra large, heaping dose of it. Thankfully, grace is unlimited.
When I began this series, I aimed to post each new letter on a Wednesday. I've been pretty true to that schedule. All along, I knew G would be for grace. As life does, mine got busy with keeping up with my booth and homeschooling. My blog suffered. I took several months off. When I decided to only do consignment beginning this month, I was happy to return to my blog and this series. As grace would have it, G fell on Ash Wednesday. How appropriate! I was excited to publish this grace filled post on a day that we remember we are nothing without our Father; that we have hope because of the grace He has given us. Well, as God often does, He reminded me how much I need grace. I became sick yesterday and spent much of the day in bed. Nothing got done. I crocheted and that is about it.
This morning as I was sitting at our kitchen table working on spelling with my middle, I looked around at the chaos of our home. It reminded me life happens here in our haven. Everyday.
Life ebbs and flows. Right now, it seems
As I write this, I overhear my two youngest laughing and playing. That is what matters. I don't want to hurt them or belittle them in pursuit of perfection. Their hearts are the ultimate goal in this life of mine.
As a wife and mother, I want this home to be a HAVEN. A haven is a defined as a place of safety or a refuge. This is a place of safety; a place to hide; a place to built up and loved. Yes, cleanliness is often much more comfortable than a messy home. But truly, truly there are times in life where it just isn't possible without paying a price.
Facelift Friday | Telephone Table
Today's facelift is one that took me completely by surprise. We've had this telephone table for years. We picked it up at least eight years ago on clearance at Hobby Lobby. It's always been a great foyer, hallway or bathroom piece. It's tall, neutral and not too deep. In my opinion, accent furniture doesn't get any more versatile than this.
I wasn't looking to replace this piece as it fit perfectly in our foyer between the coat closet and the half bath. But then one day, I stumbled upon a beautiful piece that would be an even better fit. So, I set out to spruce up our telephone table and had planned to sell it.
But then I fell in love with it.
This totally happened by accident and it was amazing. My awesome hubby cut a piece of wood into six equal pieces for me to use on a chair frame. They ended up being a smidge too small for the seat. One day when I was trying to find any possible working space organizing the garage, I placed these boards on the telephone table and realized they were a perfect fit!
I stained the boards and finished with Miss Mustard Seed's Antique Wax. After that, it was the simple task of gluing them to the table top with wood glue. And it looked so pretty, I couldn't imagine selling it.
So, just last night as I was laying in bed thinking about where I'd photograph this piece, I had the brilliant idea of placing it between the counter and the armoire in our kitchen. This is the space where we keep our hot cocoa/lemonade station. I love this piece here. I love the element of the wood in our kitchen. I love the height it brings. And I love the functionality of it.
A super simple, stunning fix to an outdated piece of furniture, no? What are you going to fix up today?
The ABCs of Decorating | F
F is for Fresh flowers.
I know you think they are an indulgence. {and they kind of are} But so is that latte you get at LEAST once a week.
For the same $5 you spend on one latte, you could get yourself and your family something beautiful that will last at least one week; usually two; and sometimes even longer.
Fresh flowers, no matter how little you spend on them, give the feel that you went that extra mile. They give the impression of something extra special.
Skip the latte once this week and add some beauty to your home.
Client Review | Dining Room Decor via Text
Dining Room Décor via Text Messages
{Today's post is guest written by my lovely little sister. She and her family moved into a new, larger home last summer to accommodate their growing family. As it was quite larger than their previous home, they had several rooms they needed to design from scratch. I've had fun sharing the experience with her via text throughout that time. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she has amazingly classic taste!! I asked her if she would mind sharing the client's point of view in a guest post and happily, she agreed! I hope you enjoy it! xo, robyn}For a year and a half the only thing in our dining room was a table. I decided that was long enough, and it was time to finish the room.
I started by looking for some type of buffet or sideboard to go against the big empty wall, and had sticker shock for everything I liked. I began the Craigslist hunt, and quickly found a great credenza and hutch. I knew I liked it, but wasn't sure if it would go with the table. So what did I do? Text pictures and send the ad to Robyn Harry Designs for help.
She gave me the affirmation I was looking for, and said she thought it would be great in the room. I was still having second thoughts about it, and found another piece on Craiglist that I kind of liked. I sent the pictures to Robyn to get her take.
She helped me see that size and scale of the first piece were a better fit for the space, so I pulled the trigger, and sent my husband and his truck to pick it up. When we got it in the space, I was so happy with the choice we made.
Next, I wanted to fill the hutch up, but I wasn’t sure with what. I knew I wanted to have some of my everyday dishes in there, but I also thought about doing wine and some glassware. After putting a few pieces in, I sent a picture of it to get Robyn’s opinion. She advised me to go with big, bold opaque pieces, and assured me that a hutch full of cream pottery was “dreamy.” I was glad to hear that because after 8 years, I’m still in love with our everyday dishes we got for our wedding, and I’m excited to now have them on display.
The next thing I was anxious to buy was seating. I found some great chairs at World Market, and they just happened to be having their dining room event, so I was able to get them at half price. Score!!! Before actually purchasing them I sent a picture to Robyn to make sure they would coordinate. She said they would, and challenged me to get a few round backs and a few square backs but I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to stay in my little safe area, and she happily let me camp out there. I got 6, and continued on.
The next thing I bugged Robyn about was window treatments. I was stuck between an ivory color or an oatmeal color. She said she would go with oatmeal since the room was already filled with a lot of ivory color in the chairs and pottery. I agreed. I found this 96inch curtain panels for $9.99 at Ross. Yes!! Not sure if you can tell, but I live for bargains.
After consulting her on every step of the way, I wanted to try to make the last purchase on my own. This little bird felt ready to fly. I picked these great captains chairs for the ends of the table, and I could not happier with them. Of course they were on sale at overstock.com. What do you think Robyn? Did I make the grade?
So here is the completed room, and I LOVE it!! I love walking down the stairs and seeing this dining room finished, and seeing it finished with pieces and touches that make me happy.
I loved doing this process with my sister. She was so incredibly helpful. I always feel pretty confident in the design or look I’m going for, and still I used her at every step. Having another set of eyes on what you’re doing helps a lot, and I really felt great about having her affirmation for choices I was making, because after all, she is a designer.
Did you know that I live in Texas and she lives in Florida? I completed this entire room with her help, and she never once saw the space in person. Everything was consulted on using iphone pictures, and few short phone calls.
If you are creating, redoing, refreshing, overhauling, or transforming a space, I highly recommend asking Robyn Harry Designs for help along the way. She will guide you and make suggestions for you in a style that you want and like. I feel tons of ownership over my newly completed dining room, but I know I couldn’t have done it without her help!!!
The ABCs of Decorating | E
E, oh E, what could E be??? Quite honestly, I didn't have to think about E too long because it is something I do often.... And you should too.
Editing is an important part of your home decor process because our tastes and styles are always evolving.
Think back to when you first decorated your own space. It could have been your first apartment, a dorm room in college, or the first home you and your spouse put together. Is your style the same? Do you still draw joy from things you did at that time in your life? Most likely, the answer is no. Sure, when it comes to the foundation and core of who you are, you may be similar. But the little things change. You may have added family members, a new career, discovered new passions, or cultivated new interests. While some things remain, many things have changed. As a result, your surroundings, the things that bring you comfort, should change as well.
I remember being at a friend's home in college and seeing a picture of her as a baby in the same home..... with all of the decor EXACTLY the same. Her parents had a gorgeous home, but the accessories were very dated. You know what? You could feel it. The home didn't wrap you up like a welcoming hug. It was merely a place that time raced circles around. Don't let this happen to your home.
- Glance around the room and anything you spot that you do not love, get rid of it.
- Rearrange vignettes to make them more appealing to you.
- Occasionally rearrange furniture to improve the flow of the room.
- Change out throw pillow covers.
- Change out the accent color of a room.
All of these things are easy and inexpensive.
Lastly, I'm going to share pictures of our living room over the last several years to give you a sense of the editing I do in my own home. I hope this helps spur you into editing your own space!
1. Troy, Illinois
This was the second home we had this furniture in. Unfortunately, our first home was prior to digital cameras. :) We obviously loved red at this point. The accent colors for our living spaces were red, sage green and a very neutral tan color.
2. Grand Forks, North Dakota
As you can see, we still have the same major pieces: Leather sofa, chair and ottoman; black armoire and side tables. When we moved to GF, we kept sage green as an accent color and added robin's egg blue. We changed the curtains and pillows as well as a few accents. We kept a touch of red for a while, but slowly transitioned it out. It was our second year in North Dakota I bought our zebra accent pillows and rug. It was a needed change away from my comfort zone.
3. Newport, Rhode Island
This was a bit of a different situation for us as we were only there ten months. The house we rented was a colonial reproduction and window treatments felt wrong, so we left it as it was. I don't really have any good photos of our living room either, but it stayed the same.
4. Simmozheim, Baden-Wurttemberg
We still have the same main pieces. The accent color is still a robin's egg blue, but it appears the sage green and red have been completely edited out. Creams and tans are starting to make more of an appearance at this point.
5. Patch Barracks, Germany
When we first moved on base in Germany, we kept the robin's egg blue curtains and pillows. One day, I'd had it with the blues. I made a trip to IKEA and bought flax curtains, white lace sheers and all white pillow covers. Sadly, I cannot find a picture of the change, but it's basically what our living area looks like now.
6. Current living area
This makes me sigh with relief. Whites, neutrals.... they make me calm. I kind of feel like I've found my niche and I don't expect to change again anytime soon. (though I am constantly editing the accents!) Who knows? That is the entire point of editing after all!!
Facelift Friday
Giving new life to a mass produced end table.
I recently picked up a run of the mill end table much like this one:
It was super cheap and I'm sure it is hardly solid wood. But everything in this life deserves a second chance, right? I like the idea of rescuing pieces that most wouldn't give another thought to.
For the first coat of paint, I used a homemade chalk paint in an antique white. I wasn't entirely sure the direction I'd be headed with this piece.
The second and third coats of paint are Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Typewriter. I am in love with the soft charcoal pigment of this paint.
I knew right away I'd want a damask on the top. I found a pretty image at www.thegraphicsfairy.com, but it was a little taller and thinner than I prefered. A simple manipulation in PSE fixed that.
I painted the damask with a very dark grey latex paint in hopes that it would withstand a heavy amount of sanding. It worked. I sanded quite a bit on the top of the table so the antique white would come through.
The result is a beautiful image that looks as if it has survived many years of love and wear.
The final step to complete this table was new hardware. An antique bronze cup pull was just perfect.
The final result is just lovely. I hope you are inspired to breathe new life into something this weekend!
sharing at MMS Milkpaint Masterpiece Monday
Settled in, but not settling.
As you probably all know by now, our family relocated to Florida last summer.
It was a rocky start. There were many delays and mishaps and problems.
But when it was all said and done, we had gained a beautiful home that is just perfect for us.
Our entire family has enjoyed crafting and creating personal spaces that are just right.
Slowly, I've been making our home feel as if we've lived here forever.
But, there are still so many things I want to do.
I hope you'll join me as I begin to share more about our new place.