Showing posts with label Pretty Living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pretty Living. Show all posts
I was so excited to see this topic because one of the things that I have loved doing no matter where I have lived is to add in the element of "coziness" to my surroundings. I want people who walk into my living spaces to feel warm, welcomed, and embraced in love for the amount of time that they are there. Growing up my parents had a motto of wanting their home to be a refuge and a place like heaven on earth no matter what was going on in the outside world and that has carried over to how I view my living and work space.
To me it is not about whether or not you have a whole home that you own or are sharing a room in college or you are simply renting a room somewhere... it is about creating an atmosphere that reflects the beauty and love of God. I read the following quote in college and it has stuck with me, encouraged me, and given me a freedom to love well the people who walk into my living space...
"If you have been afraid that your love of beautiful flowers and the flickering flame of the candle is somehow less spiritual than living in starkness and ugliness, remember that He who created you to be creative gave you the things with which to make beauty and the sensitivity to appreciate and respond to His creation."
Don't you just love that?? It's simply a wonderful reminder... so today I wanted to share some of the ways that I have made my living spaces cozy with that in mind. I have lived away from home and had huge two bedroom apartments to living in a tiny studio apartment in Washington DC to now living back home for a time with parents due to health reasons. In each of these situations and in the future here are the things that I have found to make a living space cozy. (If we are connected on Pinterest- and if we aren't drop me a comment with your link - I would love to connect with you- you can find some of my inspiration for making your living space cozy and refreshing on my boards entitled lovely pretty living (click HERE) and Mingle (click HERE).) So here are 10 ways to make your living space cozy...
1. Lights
Over the years we have expanded the way that we have used lights throughout our living space. At Christmas time we always added lights and candles around our house growing up and over the years we started to add little white lights to our porch in the evening, making it a wonderful cozy and relaxing space. Last year (for the party in the woods for my sister's engagement party) we added some lights into the trees. I loved it so much that I said I wanted to do it again for the 2nd Annual Party in the woods, but enjoy them throughout the summer. It was one of the best ideas. We absolutely loved it and many of our neighbors commented about how welcoming and warm it made our entire property. We just took them down for the winter months, but it is definitely one of the first things that we will put up next year.
I love how people use lights creatively to add a touch of warmth and coziness to their living spaces and look forward to adding more of this throughout the home in a tasteful and decorative way.
2. Organization
This is probably not one that you think of right off the bat when it comes to coziness (and definitely not one that I did well as a teenager *smiles*), but over the years I have learned that having a living space organized helps to bring a sense of peace and calm to a setting. As the above pictures show (from my craft room which you can see HERE), I don't believe that organization needs to be so extreme that you don't live in a space... I just mean organization where you don't spend your life trying to find things. I think for different people this looks different at different stages, but taking a few moments to clean up each day is something I have found gives a space the opportunity to be joyfully lived in instead of a place to dread being.
3. Cozy and Pretty Throws and Blankets
I found this pin (with the picture above) on Pinterest a couple of years ago and yet I still love it. I love having pretty and cozy throws and blankets around in my living space. Sometimes when I would have people over they would wrap up in them as we sat and chatted about serious issues of life or just laughed our heads off over the tiniest things. There is something about a cozy and pretty blanket or throw that just invites you into a home and into a heart.
4. Music
If you have been around the blog for even a few moments of time than you know how much I love music. Throughout the day I love listening to different music. It doesn't always have to be loud, but I love having music as a backdrop in a space. I feel it brings it alive.
5. Books...and more Books
While we may all dream of having a book wall with the ladder (*swoon*) in a home someday, I have learned to not let that stop me from displaying and having some of my favorites on hand to read even in this season of life.
As an author I obviously love books and words, but I have found over the years that a welcoming book can set the stage for a good heart-to-heart conversation or just be a cozy comfort after a long day when I feel weary. I shared on the blog a couple of years ago about some of the books that have impacted me the most and these books you can find surrounding me in my living space pretty much at all times. And in the meantime, I continue to dream about that library wall... *smiles*
6. Pretty Plates
As some of you know there is a story behind my growing collection of pretty mis-matched, vintage plates. Someday on the blog I will share it, but in the meantime this is something that brings me happy and cozy feelings as they bring beauty to everyday meals.
7. Cozy Pillows and Comfy Chairs
I love how pillows and chairs can set a stage for giving a comfortable and cozy atmosphere don't y'all? One of my favorite places in the world to spend time is on our front porch (it definitely inspired the title of my health updates- "notes from the porch") and I love the story behind how we purchased the porch furniture... it has reminded me that you don't have to spend a lot of money to achieve a beautiful, cozy, and welcoming look. (You can read the story behind it HERE.)
8. Flowers
Okay, so y'all know how much I love flowers. A note to the future hubby... she doesn't like chocolate that much, but go pick her a flower and she will love you. *hahaha* I love bringing prettiness inside and creating an atmosphere of joy even through flowers. I also know that there is not always the money to just go purchase a bouquet of flowers each week... and that is why I love that you can even just pick dandelions to bring the beauty in. One of my favorite ways to have flowers or nature inside is inspired by the picture above that I found on Pinterest. It is simple, it's sweet, and it is free... all you need is a field of wildflowers. Not in season or it is the winter? I love to go outside and cut a few green branches and add some twigs to it. It gives a gorgeous and simple look for free.
9. De-cluttering
This kind of goes along with organization, but one of the best ways I have found to make a living space cozy is by de-cluttering the things that I don't need. I haven't always done the best job of this to be frank, but over the last four years of fighting for my health I have learned the hard way how important it is to not allow things to be the focus. Instead, I have learned to let go, give away, and keep things that I only love or that are extremely practical. I have loved how this has opened up my life, given me more time and freedom (less things to clean or wash or put away) and has transformed other areas. Moving from a huge two bedroom apartment to (now) living temporarily at my grandmothers extremely small home where my bedroom is used for numerous things, I have found to really keep the things I love and get rid of all of the rest.
10. Pictures
I love having pictures around my home of travels, of loved ones, of special memories and of the gentle reminders of God's love and mercy each new day. Pictures flood my surrounding space and I am blown away by the love that surrounds me. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, "My past life is incredibly full of God's love and mercy..." such a true statement that I see as I look at the pictures that surround my life.
At the end of the day I feel that these 10 ways to make your living space cozy are just the beginning steps to creating a haven that is uniquely yours. I love finding new and creative ways to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere... whether that is taking the time to bake a favorite meal or just spend a few extra minutes listening to someone's story... each and every act that we do- big or small can create a cozy living space. What about you- what are ways that you make your living space cozy?
I love how people use lights creatively to add a touch of warmth and coziness to their living spaces and look forward to adding more of this throughout the home in a tasteful and decorative way.
This is probably not one that you think of right off the bat when it comes to coziness (and definitely not one that I did well as a teenager *smiles*), but over the years I have learned that having a living space organized helps to bring a sense of peace and calm to a setting. As the above pictures show (from my craft room which you can see HERE), I don't believe that organization needs to be so extreme that you don't live in a space... I just mean organization where you don't spend your life trying to find things. I think for different people this looks different at different stages, but taking a few moments to clean up each day is something I have found gives a space the opportunity to be joyfully lived in instead of a place to dread being.
I found this pin (with the picture above) on Pinterest a couple of years ago and yet I still love it. I love having pretty and cozy throws and blankets around in my living space. Sometimes when I would have people over they would wrap up in them as we sat and chatted about serious issues of life or just laughed our heads off over the tiniest things. There is something about a cozy and pretty blanket or throw that just invites you into a home and into a heart.
Cozy blankets and pillows of course add a lot to any bedroom environment too. If you start to look at what you can do to make your bedroom cozier, there’s infinite choice! Something like the right material for your curtains and the right curtain rods can make your space look warmer, especially brown colors and wooden materials. This ultimate guide to draperies and curtain rods can get you started, but if you want to stay cozy, throws and blankets provide that essential foundation.
4. Music
If you have been around the blog for even a few moments of time than you know how much I love music. Throughout the day I love listening to different music. It doesn't always have to be loud, but I love having music as a backdrop in a space. I feel it brings it alive.
While we may all dream of having a book wall with the ladder (*swoon*) in a home someday, I have learned to not let that stop me from displaying and having some of my favorites on hand to read even in this season of life.
As an author I obviously love books and words, but I have found over the years that a welcoming book can set the stage for a good heart-to-heart conversation or just be a cozy comfort after a long day when I feel weary. I shared on the blog a couple of years ago about some of the books that have impacted me the most and these books you can find surrounding me in my living space pretty much at all times. And in the meantime, I continue to dream about that library wall... *smiles*
As some of you know there is a story behind my growing collection of pretty mis-matched, vintage plates. Someday on the blog I will share it, but in the meantime this is something that brings me happy and cozy feelings as they bring beauty to everyday meals.
I love how pillows and chairs can set a stage for giving a comfortable and cozy atmosphere don't y'all? One of my favorite places in the world to spend time is on our front porch (it definitely inspired the title of my health updates- "notes from the porch") and I love the story behind how we purchased the porch furniture... it has reminded me that you don't have to spend a lot of money to achieve a beautiful, cozy, and welcoming look. (You can read the story behind it HERE.)
Okay, so y'all know how much I love flowers. A note to the future hubby... she doesn't like chocolate that much, but go pick her a flower and she will love you. *hahaha* I love bringing prettiness inside and creating an atmosphere of joy even through flowers. I also know that there is not always the money to just go purchase a bouquet of flowers each week... and that is why I love that you can even just pick dandelions to bring the beauty in. One of my favorite ways to have flowers or nature inside is inspired by the picture above that I found on Pinterest. It is simple, it's sweet, and it is free... all you need is a field of wildflowers. Not in season or it is the winter? I love to go outside and cut a few green branches and add some twigs to it. It gives a gorgeous and simple look for free.
This kind of goes along with organization, but one of the best ways I have found to make a living space cozy is by de-cluttering the things that I don't need. I haven't always done the best job of this to be frank, but over the last four years of fighting for my health I have learned the hard way how important it is to not allow things to be the focus. Instead, I have learned to let go, give away, and keep things that I only love or that are extremely practical. I have loved how this has opened up my life, given me more time and freedom (less things to clean or wash or put away) and has transformed other areas. Moving from a huge two bedroom apartment to (now) living temporarily at my grandmothers extremely small home where my bedroom is used for numerous things, I have found to really keep the things I love and get rid of all of the rest.
10. Pictures
I love having pictures around my home of travels, of loved ones, of special memories and of the gentle reminders of God's love and mercy each new day. Pictures flood my surrounding space and I am blown away by the love that surrounds me. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, "My past life is incredibly full of God's love and mercy..." such a true statement that I see as I look at the pictures that surround my life.
At the end of the day I feel that these 10 ways to make your living space cozy are just the beginning steps to creating a haven that is uniquely yours. I love finding new and creative ways to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere... whether that is taking the time to bake a favorite meal or just spend a few extra minutes listening to someone's story... each and every act that we do- big or small can create a cozy living space. What about you- what are ways that you make your living space cozy?
Enter in a wonderful find at Goodwill! Don't you just love thrifting? I adore thrifting and finding unique and wonderful pieces at affordable prices! It took some time to wash, clean the chairs, repair rips in the fabric, and get everything set up but after two summers the porch came together like a dream! *smiles*
One of my biggest pieces of advice for anyone new to thrifting is not to be afraid to see the potential in things you find! Often times you can really find a treasure! My mom and I first found the chairs for the porch at a half Price Thanksgiving Sale at Goodwill in 2010. There were four large chairs and three matching footstools. While they were in "struggling" condition we knew with a little lot of love and work we could show the treasure that they were!
My mom stored the chairs in the garage at their house and once the 2011 summer arrived we went to work on the first two chairs that we took to New York. The first thing that we did was take out the original stuffing from the cushions and then work on the sewing projects that we needed to fix from some of the ripped material. Next we washed every cover twice. I had done some research and had learned that it was best to stuff pre-made fabric cushions while the fabric is still damp. This allows the fabric and the stuffing to mold together. [You don't want the fabric to be wet- just damp.] I am not going to lie it took some energy to stuff those cushions!
After we stuffed the cushions we set them in the sun to dry while we went to work on vacuuming the chairs and washing the wood.
After everything was dry we set up the porch with the first two chairs for the 2011 summer. [*happy sigh*]
We loved the two chairs that we had brought and had originally intended to use the other 1/2 of the set at my parents house but everyone loved these chairs to sit on so we quickly decided that we would need to bring up the rest of the set the following summer.
So in the summer of 2012 we repeated the same process of cleaning and stuffing that we had done in 2011 and ended up with our finalized porch chairs. I had also found some additional (small) pillows that matched the chairs (at a Goodwill in another state!). Isn't the final product delightful? We have so enjoyed these chairs! What a fun and wonderful find at Goodwill!
As the years have passed we have loved these chairs more and more. This old porch that was originally built in 1901 has been refurbished but kept its original charm and these chairs that we found at Goodwill have only added and not taken away from the charm of the porch. As time has passed we have enjoyed so many conversations with friends and family, played numerous board games and card games on these chairs, spent quiet time with the Lord here, and I have worked on school work and numerous blog posts from these chairs. (In fact, the title of my personal health updates, "Notes from the Porch" was inspired by this location!) They have truly been a blessing!
What a blessing this Goodwill find has been!
These past two weeks have brought beautiful springtime weather and the reminder that Spring is truly here and winter has left us. Flowers and trees are showing buds and beginning signs of gorgeous views ahead. Many flowers and bushes are already blooming. Truly Spring reminds us of the truth that it always arrives no matter how long or dark the winter.
One of my favorite passages of scripture in this health journey comes from Song of Solomon 2:11-12: "For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come."
The beautiful knowledge and truth that Spring is an example of God bringing "new life" to all situations comforts and encourages my heart each and everyday.
This has brought such comfort to my little heart as it has been a difficult couple of weeks. The hope and truth of these verses has encouraged this little heart of mine greatly.
I pray that as we enter into this Easter weekend that you feel the comfort and grace of our Lord meet you for each and every challenge you may be facing. May you be strengthened by the truth of Song of Solomon 2:11-12. Spring will come friends- in all areas of our lives.
With Love,
Happy Saturday friends! Today I am excited to share with y'all my personal altered planner for this upcoming year. It was so much fun to create, pray through the upcoming year, and be excited for all that God has in store! I hope that you have had a wonderful first few days of this new year and that you have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the pictures!
Those of you that know me well know that I truly love this time of year. (Yes, I do seem to say that about every season. There is such joy to be found no matter the season! *smiles*)
As we welcomed "fall" officially this week I am reminded of all of the amazing things that autumn brings with it. The changing leaves are always gorgeous (like the picture I showed on instagram- so beautiful!) . The crisp fall air brings thoughts and memories of bonfires and hikes in the woods. The falling leaves bring fond
memories of childhood leaf raking "parties" and hours spent happily jumping into the huge piles that were raked up! There is the cutest fashion that is warm and cuffy with lovely sweaters and fantastic
scarves. And of course there is thoughts of yummy coffee drinks, hot chocolate, hot apple cider and delicious
tea. There
are wonderful farmers markets which are so fun to explore and long walks outside admiring the changing colors! Don't you just LOVE all
of the colors of God's creations?
While the light fades with the last rays of summer, I look forward to exciting new times the Lord has in store for us during this new season. Even as a kid I have always enjoyed the change of seasons. There is great hope in this beautiful act of God that reminds each of us that no matter what life brings our way God is still in control, always faithful, and ever present. Every year when summer comes to an end we can count on watching leaves that will change into beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors. And we can depend in the same way (well those of y'all that are up north or in the Midwest*smiles*) for the winter snow to come. After the winter (snow) we can count on the beautiful spring flowers. Life is unpredictable -sometimes in glorious ways with long-anticipated dreams coming true and sometimes with harsh winds that we never would have asked for. But isn't that the beautiful promise of fall though? No matter what changes or circumstances come the Lord is at work and is transforming us to be more like Him. Change can bring a deep beauty and unexplainable joy that we would never have experienced. Change can reveal the leaves turning a different color that was hidden all along. Change can reveal the faithfulness of God in ways that we have never seen Him before.
As we watch the colors change and the leaves start to fall off the trees we are reminded of the beautiful promises of God's unchanging love. Hold fast to Him sweet friends and may He bless you abundantly as you reflect on His faithfulness through whatever change you are experiencing. I pray that each of you has a wonderful Autumn!
While the light fades with the last rays of summer, I look forward to exciting new times the Lord has in store for us during this new season. Even as a kid I have always enjoyed the change of seasons. There is great hope in this beautiful act of God that reminds each of us that no matter what life brings our way God is still in control, always faithful, and ever present. Every year when summer comes to an end we can count on watching leaves that will change into beautiful red, orange, and yellow colors. And we can depend in the same way (well those of y'all that are up north or in the Midwest*smiles*) for the winter snow to come. After the winter (snow) we can count on the beautiful spring flowers. Life is unpredictable -sometimes in glorious ways with long-anticipated dreams coming true and sometimes with harsh winds that we never would have asked for. But isn't that the beautiful promise of fall though? No matter what changes or circumstances come the Lord is at work and is transforming us to be more like Him. Change can bring a deep beauty and unexplainable joy that we would never have experienced. Change can reveal the leaves turning a different color that was hidden all along. Change can reveal the faithfulness of God in ways that we have never seen Him before.
As we watch the colors change and the leaves start to fall off the trees we are reminded of the beautiful promises of God's unchanging love. Hold fast to Him sweet friends and may He bless you abundantly as you reflect on His faithfulness through whatever change you are experiencing. I pray that each of you has a wonderful Autumn!
"Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives AUTUMN...in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest."
-Jeremiah 5:twenty-four
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
** Due to my health that keeps me from going out and this rigiourous treatment plan- the pictures in this post are from a couple of years ago. While I am not able to go out and experience a "typical" Autumn the Lord has blessed me with sweet mercies each day. I remember with thankfulness the old memories and look forward to beating these diseases and hopefully next fall making even more special memories!**
These last few days have been an absolute whirlwind of packing, orders, and resting. As I mentioned the other day in my post that I am at my grandmothers house (about an hour away from the cabin) due to the unusually cool weather that we are having in these parts. It is a little bit of a weird "limbo" that I am in as my parents are still working hard to close up the cabin and I am not there but we aren't home in the south yet.I am treasuring these moments with my grandmother before we go away. I have also been editing, editing, editing and re-editing the final edits for one of my books that I have coming out (it is CRAZY to think that is the stage I am at!!) and finishing final rough draft edits on the second book. By the end of the day yesterday my brain was simply "mushy". *smiles* I am so grateful to report that my body is slowly healing from the reaction to the new medicine and I am able to sit up now and also walk very short distances! PRAISE THE LORD!! Please keep your prayers coming as every day I see the Lord answer them in big and small ways! I am also overwhelmed by the gracious donations that have come in to my Go Fund Me Page. Thank you so much for all of your love and support. I am so incredibly humbled.
Today I am excited to share with y'all some pictures from a couple of weeks ago from a beautiful sunset in Shelburne, Vermont. We had to make the trip to Vermont for an appointment and the sunset was so gorgeous as we waited for the ferry to arrive. We were literally in awe. I hope that y'all enjoy these pictures!
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