Comfort....

 "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves!"

 Sharing fun times with family!

 A cup of comfort~with a pure heart no less!

Just around the corner....you could be the very sunshine to brighten someone's day and fill it with comfort and joy!

This is the time of year when we begin to settle down, evulate all that we still need to accomplish in this year before the holidays....which will soon be here.  October is winding down and this has been a full one for my family as we are all planning a gathering next week!  I have to pinch myself to realize it is actually going to happen!  All my family will be together under one roof!  YEAH!  To me, this is comfort.  Just seeing someone you love and being with them brings a settled and comfortable feeling.  I so look forward to this time with those I love!  As a mother, I live for these special times now because they do not come daily....they are truly treasured times.

What brings you comfort?  Comfort is closely connected to peacefulness which we can find in our homes and lives when we take the time to slow down and cultivate an atmosphere of love and peace.  For me, personally, this comes from the grace and peace given daily by God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  II Corinthians 1:3~4  What a wonderful blessing to open the Bible and find words offered to nourish our soul and give us peace.  When we are filled, our hearts are open to nourish and comfort others that may be going through trials or uncomfortable experiences.  Praying for these dear ones is a valuable gift.  The Lord hears even the smallest prayer when uttered in sincerity.

Who do you know who needs an extra dose of love and comfort?  Perhaps a child, a friend, your spouse, a co~worker?  Being loved, unconditionally love, is a yearning we all have.  Age does not matter.  The tiny baby to the oldest adult.....love is necessary.  I hope today you can comfort another with your ability to love, to share, to enjoy their fellowship.  I promise, this will bring SUNSHINE to your soul!  Blessings on your day sweet friend!!!

Sweet Angels.....

 ~Our little angels....Ava Grace, Olivia Ann, Mary Isabel, and my neice's daughter, Catherine Claire will wear these beautiful little dresses as flower girls....soon~

 ~The back of the dress is as beautiful as the front~

 ~Since the wedding will be outdoors, we plan to fill these little natural baskets with beautiful white rose petals for the flower girls to drop as they walk down the isle....this will be a sweet moment for sure~

~Two lives become one and then the celebration begins as Sara and Steven commit their lives together for a lifetime~

I love weddings!  The blessing of having four daughters, has been to help in the planning of the dream day...their wedding day!  Each one, that is married, has had their dream come true.  But now, our son is getting married my role has been less and I have truly enjoyed listening to my son and his sweet Bride share a little of what their special wedding day will involve.  It will be one filled with love and happiness!  They are so excited to become man and wife!  Steven just keeps telling me he's ready to be married!  So....assured of the love of his life and she describes Steven as her "twin". 

One of my areas of help has been to find flower girl dresses.  We found these beautiful dresses above and now all that is lacking is the girls wearing them on October 27th!  They will be adorable and precious!  I found the baskets for the four of them inexpensively and they are the perfect size for their little hands!  So very sweet! 

 ~Kristen's Wedding, her program attendants~
These sweet girls are all in the 20's now!

 ~Clayton was barely three when he was ring bearer for Kacie's Wedding in Seaside~

 ~Kara's Wedding Reception was outdoors at The Jekyell Island Club Hotel off the coast of Georgia~~

 ~I made the sweet dresses for the flower girls in Kara's Wedding~
This is one of my favorite pictures EVER~

~Ava Grace in all her sweetness, captured in a moment at Kara's Wedding~

Children are angels!  They are sent to earth as special gifts!  I believe that each of us and especially little children have their own private guardian angels.  Dr. Billy Graham observing the plural in the text found in Psalm 91:11~12 concludes that each believer must have at least two angels whose assigned duty it is to protect.   The Scriptures say..... "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone."  The text goes on to say" his feathers" and mentions that we as Believers are under his "wings".  Since God has no wings or feathers, these passages must refer to our guardian angels which protectively cover us to keep us from falling, getting lost, or stumbing into unknown dangers in the unseen realm of the spirit.

These beautiful thoughts are good because it is fitting that these sweet little angels, dressed in white on Sara's Wedding Day to Steven will "float" down the aisle. like feathers before her, inviting the Spirit, quieting the guest gathered for the High and Holy Moment of two beautiful lives being joined as ONE!  I can hardly wait to share with you later in the month the beauty and joy of their day!

Stay tuned!!!

Looking Through the Glass.....to beautiful SKIN!

Creamy White Roses

Obagi Products ~ Life Changer.......

Wouldn't we all love to have skin as beautiful and as smooth as the creamy roses above? Beauty, Health, and Wellness continue in this post because as we age, we hope to head off early signs of aging.  My previous post about the attention to skin~care that the beautiful Esther was given to enhance her physical appearance took place over months and years. Exposure to the sun depends upon where we live in the world.  Looking back in my life, I think I would have stayed out of the sun more and especially listened to the advice of dermatologist and heeded the advice regarding sunscreen to prevent damaging sun rays to my skin.  I did not go to a dermatologist back then because specialist were only for those who had the privlege to afford such a physician.  I would see the solar lentigines ~or age spots~ on my grandmothers and aunts but I thought those were for old people.  Fast forward a few years and I now understand that they begin forming early in our lives if we over expose our skin to the sun without protection.  Today, I slather on sunscreen daily in hope of preventing more spots. 

Two years ago, I arrived at a point in my life where skin care became important to me.  I wanted my skin to be healthy.  I was not concerned as much about the type of make-up or the shade of blush or the color of the foundation.  Those products can only go so far......underneath is the important part.  I discovered a lovely lady who had a beautiful French accent (wouldn't you know I would like this)  who specialized in helping women, men, and young adults understand the importance of healthy skin~care.  With her intense knowledge, she educated me on Obagi Products and I was hooked.  The wonderful part is that you only use a small dot of the product each day and the results are almost immediate.  Although I do not have perfect skin, I am grateful that my skin has improved and I have learned to protect and encourage others to do the same!

There are many products available for purchase, so select what works best for your budget.  I would say, less make up is better.  Drink water....lots of it!  If you can afford a facial, even if you feel it is a luxury afforded only to the rich, think again.  I see it as an investment in my overall health.  Perhaps you could do it once a season!

You could easily spend lots of bucks trying drug and department store creams until you find success but I am convinced that the investment in a good facial jumpstarts the process!

Like the previous post on Queen Esther......real beauty comes from within....no matter how hard we try, we can only cover up so much, then the real person comes through.  I don't know about you, but I want to be a real person.  Someone who sees the best in others, someone who cares about the lives of others, someone who desires to share in the happiness and joy of those around us. The Sacred Scriptures speak clearly in Romans 12:2, encouraging us "not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Today is a good day to get started!

Travel Size is a perfect way to begin!

HOME.....What is behind the door?

"A home is our intimate space where things are not necessarily seen by others or perfect but it is where we create our art, we go inward, we build our nest and family values, refresh our souls and spirits."

~Rachel Ashwell~

Beautiful Women.....

Three Beauties.......

There is nothing quite like the essence of a woman who is truly beautiful!  As someone interested in interior design, the room decorated with balance and beauty give a similar sense.  Today's designers in fashion and beauty follow in the foot steps of other noted designers who changed the world by their desire to make the world a more beautiful place.

Most women desire to be as lovely and as beautiful as possible.  Poise, grace, goodness, and modesty in dress and style keep a woman looking beautiful and elegant, even when no one else is looking. It seems what we place inside and outside (covering our body) is truly important.  Fashion changes daily or so it seems to me!  The hour glass figure does not last forever (no matter how hard we try) but the beautiful feminine nature is God-given and it is meant to last the entire duration of ones life.  God, by design, made woman a beautiful creature!

Over the past few days, my readings have taken me to the life of a beautiful woman, Esther.  Esther was an orphaned Jewess who became the Queen of the Persian King, Ahasuerus.  Her life was not always full of joy and honor but she was used by God to preserve His people from ruin.  Yes, God used Esther to save her people, the Jews.  Her story is found in the Old Testamant and during this period in history, palaces and courtyards were used for lavish entertaining.  The references speak of "white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turoquise, and white and black marble."  Esther 1:6  Any designer would enjoy this description of beauty.  It was just at this palace where Esther first found favor in the sight of all who saw her.

  "The young woman was lovely and beautiful."  Esther 2:7

God opened her destiny for a purpose, perhaps she did not fully understand but her spiritual commitment and her sense of perspective reflected the heart of true inward and outward beauty.  I find it interesting that she was also given beauty preparations and personal care. (We think of cosmetics of something as a current product line)  She was attended by a woman who was the custodian of women. (you know the counter expert at your favorite line of cosmetics :)  Perhaps this person attended her lovingly like a mother would in caring for a daughter.

I like to think that investments in our daughters and even our grandaughters contribute to their inward beauty.....this my friend is what makes a beautiful woman. Outside products can only go so far and then......... the fragance of a beautiful woman fills the room LONG AFTER SHE IS GONE.

There is a purpose for each life, your life!  A beautiful strong and lasting purpose will hopefully touch the ones who come behind you.....something to think about beautiful one!

"Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this."

Esther 4:14

Giving & Provision.....

 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...."

James 4:8

The fall season reminds us of seedtime and harvest!  I love the fall colors and the rich hues of orange and brown in flowers and of course, the pumpkins in the fields!  The beauty of this season remind us that nothing in life remains the same.  Our lives change, circumstances change, our surroundings may change.....but we are reminded that God does not....Praise His Holy Name that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow! 

It doesn't matter what our circumstances are, we can freely draw near to God and invite Him to work in our lives by His unlimited power within our limited circumstances and resources.  First, scripture teaches us to give something out of our need.  This is the kind of giving that involves faith.  When we give, this giving activates the miracle of the supply of God flowing back into our life.  Our giving causes something to happen according to God's eternal principals of seedtime and harvest.  As the season of fall continues to remind us of harvest, you and I can trust that God has something to multiply in all our lives....we first have to draw near and listen for His voice! 

 There is a beautiful true story in the Bible of a widow who lived in Zarephath, (on the Mediterranean coast in Phoenica) and gathered sticks for either cooking or warmth (we don't know).  But what we do know, is that the prophet Elijah on a journey, traveled there and asked her for a little water in a cup and some bread.  She told him she did not have bread only a little flour in a bin and a little oil in a jar that she had planned to use for herself and her son.  He listened to her and continued to ask her to prepare some bread for herself, her son, and him and shared with her a promise that the Lord God of Israel would not let her jar of oil run dry or the bin of flour would not be used up. For many days, she and her household ate from what was left after she shared.  She gave and God multipied an unfailing provision. 

I Kings 17:8~16

May love and joy and provision fill your home this beautiful season!

Decorating Talents.....of Shelly

Shelly's New York Apartment

Shelly's Savannah Apartment

Home is where the heart is.....or so they say!  Whenever I get the opportunity, anyone who knows me, knows that in a moments notice I can pack my bag and head to one of our adult children's homes!  I wish it were possible for me to do this more often but as their jobs and lives have led them to far away places, it now takes a little more notice and effort and planning.  It is still worth it though and of course, I am always ready to GO! I am hopeful it is a season and one day we will all live closer.....but for now, I am keeping that bag handy!

One of the many qualities I admire about my daughter, Shelly, is her ability to take what appears as "junk" and make something artistic and interesting from it!  I could listen to her for hours, even though she is a girl of few words, to her stories of finding something trashed on the curb in New York or Savannah or now Los Angeles and making it a "new" work of art! 

I could not resist sharing two photos above of two different apartments she has artistically decorated as her own homes.  They are truly jewels in which a pretty room has become even more beautiful as each piece of art or furniture is well placed like a "bouquet of flowers"!

Shelly has definite ideas about how to display pieces of furniture, photos, books and art.  She can even incorporate plants and nature and can always be counted upon to make grand impressions with anything green!

Influenced by her education in art throughout her life, she takes the most simple piece of furniture and places it in the most tasetful way! 

OCTOBER 2012 COVER

This month's issue of ELLE DECOR just arrived in my mailbox and the cover brought me back to Shelly's New York apartment, above....the color of the walls especially!  In fashion, in style, in decor......she is always ahead of the curve.  She was wearing vintage finds long before it became chic'......that is our Shelly!  So special and so loved!!!!

As a parent, we should always invest in creative outlets.  Personally, that is to me what sets a person apart in life....education can only take us so far and then the real soul of a person is drawn out from their life's experiences.  She is the child who saved her own money, traveled abroad with three changes of clothes and a few maps and brought back experiences which continue to shape her career and her life.  May I encourage you to think about your own creativity!  The dividends are remarkable always!  It is never to late to begin something new and creative unless you are not breathing!!!  Thank you, Shelly, for always sharing your life, your servants heart, and your educational pursuits with us!  Life is so fun because of you!

~Celebrating her LIFE on Montana Avenue~

~Jeremy and Shelly~

Happy Birthday.....Steven and Kacie

 Kacie Elizabeth

 The love and respect our kids have for one another fills me with awe!

Kara, Kacie, Dad, Shelly, Kristen, and Steven!

So much fun and laughter when they are all together!

 September is always a special month in our family because we have the joy of celebrating the birth's of two of our five children!  Steven's birthday is September 1 and Kacie was born on September 9th!  The joy these two have brought me personally and to our family is amazing!  Both of them are kind, beautiful, creative, musical, generous, funny, and bright!  They continue to amaze me with their lives and their contributions to the lives of their family and friends! 

I celebrate them both and pray that their lives continue to be blessed with good health in body, mind, and spirit!  Happy Birthday Kacie Elizabeth and Steven Konrad!  You are loved with an everlasting love!

Steven....his love for music and his talents continue to inspire me!

A Mother's Legacy.....

 A Mom has many treasured moments but nothing more special than the day of a child's wedding day!  Rarely do I put photos up of myself, but the joy I felt on this day is one  to pass along to you!  What a joy to encourage our children to be united through the covenant of marriage, passing on a legacy of faith in Christ!

Yes, I am enjoying these years too.....my husband is still my best friend....one of our blessings is praying for our children, grandchildren, and other family and friends we are blessed to know.

I still feel very young!  Perhaps it is because nutrition and fitness are a good part of my life and I still enjoy a routine that involves health in body, mind, and spirit.  Lately, my thoughts have been about how the "years" go by so quickly in our lives! For me, these are positive thoughts because so much is continually going on in my life.  I stay very busy with our family and our exteneded families of Steve's Mom and my parents and others who we love lending a hand to, when called upon in need.  When we're young (in age), our lives are filled with the physical needs of life.  Our pursuits such as education, jobs, church and social activities, travel take up much of our time.  If we've been blessed to fall in love and find happiness in creating a home, then many times our next focus most often becomes the children recieved as gifts in our home.  Even a single Mom or Dad, experiences the same desires.  Life isn't the same for each person but WHO we trust with our lives is the same, if our lives are centered in the Lord.

The legacy I hope to leave my children involves many dimensions.  I want to give physical things that have been sentimental to me, such as antiques, jewelry, and items passed on to me by my grandmothers and others in our family.  These are treasures for sure, but the greatest treasure that I have to pass on is my faith in Christ. I am praying each day, my children, now all adults, my grandchildren  and other believing men and women I know who are cheerfully impacting their own children will be encouraged and blessed for their service to their families each and every day!!!  What a joy to be a mother or father passing on the legacy of faith through serving the family.  

Our choices greatly influence those who follow us. When our babies are born, it is a chance for renewal as we thank God for the beautiful child He has given.  We pray for wisdom to know how to take care of him or her and we also ask for wisdom to help honor God as we raise them.  The daily choices, as I said, that we make for the rest of our lives are going to affect our children.  Work is a part of life and that is a good thing to be industrious and fulfilled, but our spiritual mothering at all stages of life can continue to be a major focus of time, energy and life!  Passing on our trust and love for our Heavenly Father can always be available to others.

Below are some passages that have blessed me and my husband throughout our parenting years!  I hope they will bless you too as we wind down our summer and begin to look into a new season......fall!  Enjoy each day my friend....what gift!

Cherish Your Children

Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.  Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.  ~  Psalm 127:3~5

Bless Your Children, and Envision Their Future

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.  Amen.  ~  Luke 24:50~53

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them.  He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him.

Genesis 49:28

Guiding Your Children

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in your heart:  And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.  And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.  And you write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6~8

Inspirations......

 In this archway, leading into Norwich Catherdral from the side, the aging beauty of stone that was once fully white is beautiful!  I see so much potential in decorating a room in shades of cream and even adding a touch of grey.....

 This lovely window seat, and of course the beautiful window, was snapped inside a tiny cottage in England.  The once white stone has aged to a beautiful cream!

 Stroll down any street in Paris and every turn is a picture!  The white on white with the pop of red flowers says......BEAUTIFUL!

 Another Parisian photograph of blonde wood Entry Doors against ecru stone!

 This treasured pillbox hat was a gift to me from my Grandmother's treasures!   I can just see her now wearing this beautiful hat to church on any given Sunday!  The off white color inspired me this week to change a few things in one of my guest rooms where the hat now has a place of promience.  The pillows below in the following pictures are all made from cream linen in different weaves!  I used a French edge on all of them!  Sewing is so much fun......in just a few hours you can transform a room!  The seashell is a mushroom coral I found this week at our local shop that sells seashells! 

 The beautiful painting of the Angel was a gift from my daughter, Kristen, that she painted and gave to me after I helped a few days after the birth of her little girl, Olivia!  I love the whites against the blues! 

After finishing my pillows of cream, I needed a little pop to finish off the decor' so I found this scrap of fabric from another pillow I had made and realized that cream and grey  do look pretty good together!  One rule:  Never throw away scrap fabric...you might find it useful!

Beauty found in nature and the natural, unattended beauty of earth's creation is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind!  In His wisdom, God gave us such an inspiring and beautiful world to live in! The natural colors of the stone, wood, seashells, and fabrics used above are so beautiful to me and extremely calming.  Decorators are using less and less of color and more and more of natural creams and whites!

I  so enjoy  helping other people create homes that are comfortable and beautiful! I like to do this because the home is where my heart is! 

The beautiful people that live inside your home look to you each for inspiration too!!!  Who inspires you?  What inspires you? Where do you search for encouragment and direction when you need an answer?   As we are about to begin a new week, let me encourage you to  arrange your days so that you create an environment in your home where others are loved and nurtured. A house decorated with LOVE is the most beautiful!  Before the day begins, you and I have been given a clean slate! Thankfully, it is calm early in the morning. Turning toward the Lord gives direction (not perfection) for our day. 

We can begin each day by rejoicing in Him and being thankful for all the blessings around us.  As you begin your new week, may I share with you a passage from His word than sustains me daily as I look to Him for guidance.  In His way and In His time, He truly is able to make all things in our lives beautiful!  From the scraps of our lives, He is making something beautiful....even inspiring.

"Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every sitaution, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable~if anything is excellent or praiseworthy~think about such things."  Philippians 4:4~8

May your week be blessed and may your home be a haven or blessing and peace!!!

Crossing the Bridge

Last year, I snapped this photo of this beautiful bridge at Stourhead Landscape Gardens in England.   Does it look familiar?  It is the bridge that Lizzie ran across in the film Pride and Prejudice. It's not a very long bridge but in the film the impact of her crossing leaves a life changing moment for her.  Bridges help us pass over rivers, streams, or valleys that we would otherwise be unable to cross.  We want to get to the other side safely and quickly.  My life has been full of bridges I crossed!  To draw a comparison,  we want to cross over life bridges quickly but sometimes we must wait until it is safe and we have a peace to cross.  For centuries and before bridges were safe, people passed by boat or ferries, or rafts!  Those passages took patience and often, much waiting.

In our lives as we wait for God to bring to pass all that He has promised we can depend upon His faithfulness and the promise that He will answer and lead us over the bridges.   In His faithfulness we must TRUST that He is constant, reliable, steadfast, unwavering, devoted, true, and so dependable.  At the right time, He will provide the bridge for us to cross over to what He has planned next for us.

As we wait, we are encouraged and called to pray, a earnest and sincere prayer. This kind of praying changes both body and soul for better.  We learn as we pray. We learn to be silent before God, to clear our hearts and minds of the petty things of this world that really do not matter tomorrow or most importantly eternally.  Prayer can be a way of life that teaches us more of God's faithfulness as we wait.  God has precious truths that often He wants to show us or change in us before we cross the bridge to what will be before us next in our lives....sort of like a preparation.   Deuteronomy 7:9 says "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

In our lives, as we go through each day, we can rest assured that God is already in tomorrow.  He knows the plans and He knows us so well...... He will fashion each day to move us more into His image if we will allow Him in our day.  Let Him take your hand and guide you safely over the bridge of today and all your tomorrows.  Every morning His lovingkindess is fresh and new my friend!  What a glorious heart of praise we can have!!!  Enjoy your new day my friend!!!!

Lamentations 3:22-23

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness."

ANGELS.....

Blessings come in many ways and so do needs! God is always ready to do great things on behalf of those who place their trust in Him. Pastor Chuck Swindoll has always been one of my favorites because of his practical wisdom as he teaches what scripture is saying. He writes....."Let us be thankful for angels. Angels exist as supernatural creatures in and about heaven, and they are frequently dispatched to earth in human form to bring encouragement and assistance. God's special messengers are often invisible but never impotent. It is amazing how many of us have stories of divine deliverance to tell yet seldom take the time to do so. Take time. It will strengthen your faith". "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you". Psalm 91:11

Clean Lines and other thoughts......

In a trend toward clean lines and modern spaces, many decorators are embracing all things slip covered or lighter fabrics in upholstery. The idea can be easily embraced if you have antiques you do not want to paint or white wash by adding a slip cover (a less expensive way for change) This was just what I did in my dining room! I created a beautiful, comfortable, and functional decor with fabric I purchased for five dollars a yard!








For several years I have enjoyed the look of a beautiful oriental rug, in my dining room, that I purchased while living in Jackson, Mississippi. It is a beautiful rug and one I am sure my children will inherit ( by drawing straws) when I am gone! :-). But the mood just came over me to finally take it out of the dining room and relocate it to the bedroom! I know we will enjoy it there for its beautiful colors and weaves! Sometimes beauty emerges from restraint and the urge to seek comfort rather than style. Rugs are great for that grace and ease, especially in a bedroom.


I love working with silks, and this lovely home I have featured before for the homeowners desire to give some of her darker wood pieces a pop with lighter paint on the walls and the cool colors of the curtains. She purposefully purchased lighter drapery fabrics for all her window treatments. I enjoyed sewing her window treatments and look forward to assisting her again in her new home. She moved with the drapes in hand! (so glad)


These silk ball gown draperies gave the same affect. The result is a livable, grace and ease in the more formal dining room. A beautiful space! Simple and elegant!


My next bold move is..... by December, I hope to have a pair of wing chairs covered in a beautiful creamy white! I know white is not a practical aspect for mothers of young children but it is an aesthetic that I am thinking might be good for the soul! No matter where you are in life, individual beauty in your home comes from a soul flooded with light and a pure spirit! I always find direction from God's words on how to clothe my spirit each day. His words sometimes are a challenge but if we come humbly before Him, our spirits are lightened and lifted so that we can set about our duties of the day more in keeping with a life well lived. His supply is endless!!!


A while back I found this inspiring home on a blog and cannot get it off my mind! I love how it has aged both gracefully and beautifully! I hope as you embrace your day and the weeks and years ahead that you too will brighten the dark places in your home ( and perhaps your life) with light and love! Enjoy your day! It is a gift from God to use for His magnificent glory and grace! Isn't all of creation grand? As the door opens into your home, may the first impression be that your guest are welcomed and that you have been waiting for them!!! May they feel your thoughts, "welcome to my home"!!!