Posts tagged with home made lovely:
Beth’s Holiday Home Made Lovely
Hello, everyone! My name is Beth! I am a mom to four, wife to Big Daddy, and all around crazy girl. You may remember me from my previous “Home Made Lovely” tour, or my blog-diggity, “Odd Girl Out”, which I have shamefully abandoned. These days you’ll find me trying to decide if I am going to go back to work as a speech and language pathologist in the school system or wondering if I should stay at home just a bit longer and see where my little photography business takes me. You know, nothing major! :)
During this time of advent, I can’t help but count my many blessings, and I know how lucky I am to have the luxury to take my time in making all these major life decisions. Even though this is such a hectic time of year, I have made a conscious decision this year to carve out quiet moments in which we can pause and take it all in: family, friends, comforts, joys. In my little corner of this crazy thing called life, there is no short supply of either, and it is all because of a bouncing baby boy born so long ago.
One pleasure of the season for me is decorating our home. So, with that said, won’t you come in?
I also need color in my holiday arsenal! I am not a red and green purist by any means, but I admire those that are. I just can’t seem to follow that rule.
This year our fakey tree means a little bit more to me than usual. {One day we’ll get the real deal!} She isn’t the prettiest thing, but I let the kids decorate it entirely on their own. I didn’t move one ornament or reposition one garland. For anyone that knows me…this is a HUGE breakthrough. That’s sad, isn’t it? {{Sigh}} I will forever be a work in progress. They are so proud of that tree, and I’ll have to say, as haphazard as it looks, it warms my heart every time I walk in the front door.
This time of year, my sewing machine is usually out on the dining room table 24/7, unless it’s dinner time. I thought that I’d put it away especially for all of you. :) Aren’t you lucky?
I love kitchens, but especially at Christmas! I bake a TON more than usual this month. It just seems like the right thing to do. If you don’t have a black and white cookie or some fudge available at all times to have with your coffee, it’s just not Christmas. You know?
I think some people {which I won’t name, but am married to}… think I went overboard on twinkle lights in the family room, but honestly, when it comes to twinkle lights, I don’t believe there is any such thing. It’s hard to tell in these images, but they are pretty much everywhere.
This year, I spread the yuletide cheer to our bedrooms. Nothing crazy, just little trees we used to use outside. Who knew a little baby tree would make the littles so crazy happy? Or that a Charlie Brown tree would make me so happy?
We love opening our home to family and friends all year long, but particularly at Christmas. I want people to feel comfortable and happy here. Nothing is more precious in this house than the people within its walls. There are little daily reminders in and around our home all year long that reaffirm our faith, but particularly at this time of year I hope the special things that come out of dusty boxes from the basement help us recall the very reason we celebrate Christmas at all, and that is the prophecy that was fulfilled through the birth of Jesus. Let us all marvel in that!
Merry Christmas from our home to yours! xo
Megan’s Holiday Home Made Lovely
a little collection of previous Home Made Lovely blogger’s that have come back to share how they make their homes lovely…for the holidays.
hey there. i’m megan. i blog over at contented sparrow and run a little etsy-shop called sparrow mercantile. i was honored to be a part of heather’s home made lovely almost exactly one year ago. (why IS it that the years pass more and more quickly every YEAR?! i sound like a grandma when i say, “it seems just like yesterday”, but it’s so true!) anyhoo, heather asked if i would share a bit of my Christmas decorating with you today. and i was happy to say YES!
for me, Christmas time means two things as far as my home goes….a time of advent waiting and a time of cozy nostalgia. a mix of the two. foremost in our minds is what Christmas IS. the grand celebration of Christ’s coming. a time of soaking in His Story and reflecting on its wonder. a time of thankfulness for the goodness of His grace.
but besides that, or rather right alongside that, Christmas triggers a deep nostalgia in me. a desire for coziness found in baking and board games and twinkling lights and and bing crosby tunes. the 40’s and 50’s resonate with me, i love A Christmas Story & White Christmas and i feel like that comes out in my decor a bit. we aren’t blessed with a fireplace in this home so i use candles and Christmas music to replace the feeling a cracking fire would give me. (maybe even on dark & rainy spring days, too.)
so, i think my decorating reflects both aspects….the advent waiting andthe Christmas cheer. things meaningful. my heritage is swedish so i bring a lot of traditional scandinavian items into my mix of vintage decorations. you won’t find santa here simply because we’ve always wanted to keep the focus solely on CHRIST.
i truly wish i could have you all over for strong coffee with a titch of peppermint creamer and my grandma’s lemon fluff or something chocolately if that’s your fancy. sadly, the photos will have to suffice. (a sidenote: in my mind, i walked around and snapped just a few pictures but when i went to edit them i realized, holy cow, i took a LOT of pictures! so i apologize in advance for blowing heather’s blog up because it was way too hard for me to whittle it down!) winnie, our groomed-too-short goldendoodle is your welcoming committee saying, “c’mon in!”
(true love print by my soul-beautiful friend, dee, of red letter words.)
thank you to heather for inviting me to invite you in for a visit!
merry, merry Christmas to you and yours!
“o come, o come, Emmanuel!”
Courtney’s Holiday Home Made Lovely
a little collection of previous Home Made Lovely blogger’s that have come back to share how they make their homes lovely…for the holidays.
Hello! My name is Courtney and I blog over at A Cottage Family. I blog about my family, crafts,and my love for vintage. My blog has been pretty quiet for the last few months but I’m not gone for good! I was so happy to be a part of Heather’s home tour last Spring. I’m not the type that decorates much for every holiday that comes around but Christmas is one I get excited about! We live in a pretty tiny house with tiny rooms to boot! Most of my decorating goes into our living/dining room. It’s the hub of the house and where we live most of the time.
But first welcome! My sled and skates are my Christmas time standby. Cute and easy and involving no electricity! (My luck with getting Christmas lights to actually light up out there this year is zilch!)
I’ve seen these little toy trucks with the trees all over the web and thought I’d add one to my decor this year. They are so cute I want to put a tree on every car my kids have!
The corner by the door holds the Advent calendar, a Pottery Barn knockoff I made a few years ago. I still need to stuff it with goodies, mostly activities for the kids and a few candies here and there. It was lost until today so I am a bit behind on getting it filled!
Little vignettes on my kitchen shelves. A card from Heather’s shop…I love it! Such a beautiful reminder that it is Jesus that we are celebrating this season and everyday! Little DIY snow globes and miniscule deers decorating my plants.
Jars full of Christmas treats tempt little hands and mine on the kitchen counter. A “Merry” banner and the number 25 are reminders of the season on my window.
Well, that is just a little peak at my home during the Christmas season! Thank you Heather for inviting me to be a part of this fun little series!
Merry Christmas to you friends!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
Katy’s Holiday Home Made Lovely
I grew up with my mom decorating for every holiday. Every little nook & cranny of our home was always so warm and inviting with special heart behind every item in their designated places. I always knew I wanted to be that way, but when I got married, the desire to decorate for Christmas was even more important to me. I kind of think my husband is half elf. He loves Christmas more than any other human being I know. So when November 1st hits, he starts talking about it, and starts dreaming up the entire season. So for me, decorating for the holidays brings lots of cheer to this home. I love it that way.
Bonnie’s Room Made Lovely
Welcome to Room Made Lovely, part of the Home Made Lovely series.
Hello to all of your wonderful Life Made Lovely readers!
I’m so happy to be sharing my little space with you. My name is Bonnie and you can find my writing and photography over at A Golden Afternoon. I love to make things…all kinds of things. My husband, Ed, and I have been married almost 10 years and we have 3 littles. I am originally from San Diego and thankfully am still able to live here! I get to spend a lot of my time in the kitchen and school area I am going to show you today.
I’ve been a follower of Heather’s home series for a LONG time and have soaked up so much inspiration from it, haven’t you?
We have lived in our house for 4 years and have been gradually changing it from not cool 1975 colors, to a fresh and clean look. We remodeled our kitchen a few years ago and I feel so blessed to be able to design it the way I wanted it. We definitely splurged on a few things but I do cook almost every meal we eat in this space so it’s a little more justified, right? That’s what I tell myself, anyway. I wanted open shelving for easy access to my most used items and to give the space a more open feel. I also chose most of my lower cupboards to be mostly deep drawers instead of doors. I love being able to find things better than reaching back into the dark corners of a cupboard. I also was able to get the oven of my dreams: the double WOLF oven. So thankful for this piece. I use both ovens almost every day. The top of the range also has a french top which is perfect for canning things like strawberry jam in my HUGE pressure cooker. I highly recommend this range!
I have been collecting fun vintage things for as long as I can remember. My mom taught me a lot about finding good deals. Whenever my husband is out-of-town, we still love to go estate sale shopping together on a Friday or Saturday. I like a mix of handcrafted things and old-time-y, sweet things that carry stories and reflect upon a time that is no more. My most favorite items have memories or family attached to them somehow. I use my grandpa’s old clay pot for my utensil storage. The owl seen in my school area pictures below is one of his creations, along with his brother, for their company, Twin Winton. I was never able to meet him so these items are very special to me.
A few things and where they came from:
- If you are a fan of Liberty of London, you probably notice that it’s all over my kitchen. I went a little crazy when they finally released their prints through Target. It was a line to remember, for sure!
- My sink is another favorite. I was so excited to get the deep sink so it can hidehold many dishes. (Shaws Sink)
- My pot rack came from Ebay. I bought it from a sweet older couple who took salvaged barn pieces and made them into lovely things like pot racks (couldn’t find it online).
- Block prints from Pike’s Place Market and Victory Garden of Tomorrow
- My favorite soap product, Caldrea, is always found next to my sink.
- My most used pans are Le Creuset and All Clad Copper Core
- Most used olive oil and balsamic vinegar come from St Helena Olive Oil Company
- old spool for kitchen twine
- kids drink area marked with washi tape. They keep their cup on their color :).
- I re-finished an old door for my pantry door. I kinda love it a lot, especially the handle.
When I think of my home, I think of comfortable. I have always wanted my home to be a place where many gathered. I like people to feel comfortable, loved, and for their hunger to be satisfied. Some favorite foods of my guests have been Shepherd’s Pie with Guinness, Oatmeal with Browned Butter, Cheese-its, and the always popular, Monkey Bread! Food definitely brings people together and I am so happy this happens on a regular basis in my home. I know cooking can be intimidating, but don’t let it stop you from inviting people over!
You won’t regret that time, even with all of the hours of cleaning it may bring.
Now, for the school area across from the dining room.
We have this random space that has become our school area. The room isn’t its own distinct space, but more of a walk-through area between our dining room and side patio area. It was too far to walk from the kitchen to put the table there so it sat empty for a while. Last fall, I started homeschooling and became thankful for this random space. We have filled it with our nature hike finds, our maps, and our favorite vintage encyclopedia set that we use ALL the time. The banner serves as our history timeline which has worked out really well. I’m not a fan of plastering my wall with random papers.
I’d love to keep this party going! Come find me on my blog, A Golden Afternoon or Instagram:
I’m @agoldenafternoon.
Thanks for letting me hang out here and share with your readers, Heather!
