Day 18: Top Five Basics To Own

I know this from experience.  If I knew what I know now, I would love to go back and start over and build pieces of furniture that would be great basic pieces for the long haul.  If you are newly married or just wanting to have workable items for your home, I am suggesting these finds.  Yes, of course, you will also get what is basic...a sofa, maybe a coffee table, your bed, side tables and chest of drawers, but after that, here are some suggestions.

You will want to use these ideas using your own personal style.  Whether it is traditional, modern, eclectic, mid century modern, french country, etc., these pieces can be workable for you.

Here is my 5 picks:

Number One:  Bombay Chest or Entry Table Size Chest

Number Two:  A Great Mirror

Number Three:  A Set Of Nesting Tables

Number Four:  A Set of Matching Lamps

Number Five:  2 of these:  Ottomans

Other Suggestion:  An Etegere':

Nearly every item here is from Wayfair.  Visit here for great buys.

Good Night.

Day 16 & 17: Galveston & MeMe Time

Gary and I left yesterday and caught a late breakfast in Seabrook on our way to the Marriage Retreat sponsored by our church.  Destination, San Luis Hotel on Galveston's beach front.  The weather was awesome and our speakers, Keith and Janice Sjostrans were fabulous.

View from our room:

One of my favorite vignettes in the hotel.

(Below) Sending pics to my stylist daughter to pick out the right ones.  LOL ...what happens when you are buying Ross found last season shades.

It was so great to get back home to sweet our Abbey.  Abbey has learned how to draw people.  You will see all of her important people in her life when she is with us.  She's a sweetie.

This is Abigail Summer Madden, my sweet granddaughter.

Good Night.

D A Y 15: French Kitchen Decor

Super busy day ending for me and my husband as he completes the October 15 deadline for clients who filed income tax extensions.  Today comprised of breakfast at El Ranchero, some work at home, styling a kitchen for a client, crock pot spaghetti and time with my sweet Abigail.  I am normally a real night owl but I think I will be getting to bed early tonight.  Tomorrow we look forward to a retreat in Galveston.

 Here are some photos of today's French Kitchen Styling:

Good Night All!

D A Y 14: Sarah's House One

As Ladies Director at the Church Triumphant, I was contacted by the director of Sarah's House of Pasadena.  They were hosting an appreciation luncheon and I was invited.  We had recently hosted a Table in the Wilderness event for our Heartstrings Ladies Ministry and contacted Sarah's House to be recipients along with others.

At this luncheon, we were exposed to the needs and ministry for homeless women.  They were moving into a new facility and we were able to tour.  Once seeing a once elderly home, I was impressed to bring my interior design talents to help bring a little cheer.

Thanks to others who caught the vision, we were able to raise funds to help facilitate our desire to help this worthy cause.

I decided to break up the dollars into several vignettes.  Here is the first one.  It is a simple seating area but brings in a lot of life and cheer to a very plain setting.

Here you are seeing what was once a drab heavy plastic type canvas stretched over a great frame construction.  This print will make more sense when you see the rest of purchased items.  We bought a little over 2 yards which made a perfect fit for this frame.  We stapled it tight and it made a great back drop for this seating area.

Chairs are from Marshalls found for $89. each.  The fabric from Hobby Lobby in the Duck Cloth section.  The table a find at Ross for 19.99 and the plant from Marshalls for 29.99.

I am looking so forward to bringing in the next area's decor.  Stay posted for Sarah's House Two.

Day 13: Berry, Don't Be Afraid

When it comes to color, don't be afraid.  Searching some inspiration for this berry color, here are some inspirations I found.  In this photo, the green is a great complimentary color.

I love the deep gray which tones down the bright color sofa and lets it take the show.

Even better, I love the neutral sofa and the pop of berry color on the wall.  There is no better way to give your room a lift than paint, the biggest bang for the buck.

Paired with this charcoal sofa, it looks great!

Here's an example of using the berry just as a pop in this would be neutral space.

Today, shoulder to the wheel, I got A LOT done.  Looking forward to a church design/decor job coming up.  Have a great Wednesday!

Day 12: Nothing Like an Inward Cleansing

It was great to have one entire day to do nothing but do some cleansing in my own home.  After watching a Barefoot Contessa cooking show yesterday and getting a recent nudge about organizing in our Ladies Fall Fest, I was pumped to dive into the heart of our home and get to work.  It's been a long time coming and something that just has to be done every so often.  Mine was long over due.

I decided to make my hard work reach a higher level of satisfaction, I really needed a few things to make everything look nice.  I went to Target, which I almost never shop.  I went down the kitchen organizing stuff...which I rarely ever look at.  I came home with my storage solution for my spices and few other things.  I first shopped online for tins for my spices as I buy from bulk at HEB and most of them are in zip lock tiny bags or flimsy plastic boxes. 

I decided on some 4 ounce Ball jars and an additional purchase of some plastic lids.  I went to Michaels and found some chalk black labels and fine point chalk with a holder.  ♥  

In the middle of my work, the UPS man came and delivered a package for me I had won as a random pick from my 31 Days of Writing Challenge.  See the photo below.  It is really nice and has some positive affirmations that I will see every morning when getting my coffee.

When it seems like no matter what you do to the outside, and you still feel you are lacking, it just may be you need a real cleansing on the inside.  Like my post on "It's Never too Late", old habits is our greatest enemy.  But here it the tip that works....  I have seen hard core sinners come into our church and instantly become changed and new.  I myself, once meeting God, seeking Him and receiving His Spirit in my own heart, instantly became a new creature.  Like His Word says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new".  2 Corinthians 5:17

The power to change is indeed possible.  I CAN do all things through Christ which strengthens me!

Good night.

Day 11: Clean Out The Ashes

A few years ago, I heard a sermon that really stuck with me.  This conference speaker shared that as a boy growing up, it was his responsibility to clean out the ashes in the old stove every morning before his Dad built a new fire.  You see, in order to make a fresh new fire, the old ashes had to be removed in order for the best fire to be kindled again.

Sometimes we want blessings, more things, when our lives are completely cluttered with too many things.  It has a way of snuffing out every bit of breath your home may have or, how ever you want to apply this.

I also know of someone that was praying for a husband and lived her life as a single person.  Her home and everything she did, did not have a space for another person.  For example, her garage had only one space for a car because it was only her.  This brought to her attention, she cleared space for another vehicle in hopes this would move her closer to her dreams.  And yes, it attracted the very thing that she had longed for.

It's kind of like churches, I have heard when they get 80% full, it is time to begin a building program less your congregation begins to decline.  I am not sure just why, but proven.

I have found for myself joy when I have one drawer that is empty, one large bowl sitting on a counter completely empty and extra hanging space in my closet.

So that being said, I am on the path to begin decluttering my home and cleansing.  Instead of purchasing another accessory that I really do not need, I want to purchase tin containers to put my spices in and replace hodge-podge bowls, etc. with some fresh sets just to begin with.  This will take some time and money but mainly discipline!  Ew, that's a word we really do not like.

I hope you have had a great week end as I have had.  Looking forward to what this coming week has in store.  Good night.