The Love of Keeping Home ~ Life in Seasons

Country Cottage Living

As it should be.

What is your favorite style? I happen to love country cottage.

Fresh airy, clean, soft, floral patterns whether on curtains, wall paper, bedroom linens or furniture.

English influence is best to describe.

I am noticing as I browse home boutiques the reappearance of light blues, antique cream and patterns. I am excited to

to see floral and stripes making there way back into vogue. :)

When Spring dawns, I am always itchy to revamp, update (this can mean simply moving an accent chair to the other side of the room), repaint, change out curtains to compliment the season or rearrange my accessories and nick knacks.

This is called merchandising. Something I am very good at (apparently) since my husband often comes home wondering where this is and that was. It's an illness, I know. Perhaps that's another reason for wanting a Psychology degree.

God bless him for his patience. :D

Have you hung your Spring wreath on the front door yet?

By doing so you can cheer up and brighten your end of the neighborhood by forcing spring flowers on them.

Go to your nearest craft store, I like Michaels or Hobby Lobby, purchase a grape vine wreath then pick out some Forsythia silk stems and entwine them into the wreath.

~~It's a great way to bring a little sunshine to your front porch.

I used to make silk and dried arrangements, mostly wreaths and swags years ago. I love it when I come across a strangers door, whether driving down the road or out walking, to discover "hey I made that wreath." I'm always pleased it is still holding up and hasn't fallen apart.~~

By brightening some of the corners of your home, you can begin to fall in love with it all over again.

It's easy to loose interest in your home. We become busy with our lives. But I firmly believe that loving our home and fluffing our nests should be a priority. Careful not to let it rule you but certainly it should be important. Please don't become a "why should I dust when it will only become dusty again" kind of girl. "Why then eat if only to become hungry again." Was the reply I gave this woman. I'm sorry, it had to be said! Lord have mercy, forgive this sharp tongue.

Someone once said to me that a house is just a house. What a shame. Essentially, this statement is ultimately true. But why should it be? Meaning, a house should be more than just a holding pen for your possessions or a pit stop to the loo or a hole in the wall to feed your face and throw tacos and fries at the kids in. (no offense to tacos, I love them and fries... come on, they're the best!)

It should really be our sanctuary, our retreat, our refuge. Where once through the door off goes the shoes, on goes the slippers; off go the jeans and on go the soft pants; off goes the clip, down comes the hair...you get the idea.

A home does not need the finest furniture or the best dishes either. I love "junking". This is what my mother calls it when we shop at consignment stores or antique stores to discover old pieces we can make into new.

The majority of the things in my home have been awesome findings. For example my huge white kitchen hutch was found at an estate sale. It was an ugly dark brown. I bought it for $10! It's now the staple piece in my kitchen and we love it. I have a wall going down the stairs that I hang various black and white pictures of my growing family in antiqued white frames.

All those frames were 25 cent finds at the second hand store. I just painted them with craft paint and Viola! And most importantly, I love the little vignette I made for mere pennies. Again, the little things!

~~~~Home is where the heart is~~~~

Home is where the heart is. When take the extra time to freshen up our homes we create a sense of respect and dignity that is conveyed to our children. The respect to wipe off the counter when made a mess, the dignity to tidy their rooms and take care of what they have. I want my children to really take care of their things. If it's broken, don't throw it away~ fix it! Or go without.

It's hard to be at peace and focus on our families when our homes are filled to the brim with stuff and clutter. It can stress you out. Trust me I KNOW. For us, our bedroom seems to be the catch all place for things unwanted. When I look around and see stuff misplaced and strewed all over, I feel overwhelmed and frazzled. Usually at this point some little darling calls my name and I reply with a short response. I don't quite understand why this seems to happen, but I do know that it does so when all the corners of my life are cluttered.

I try to have designated spots in my home. We have two desks. Our roll top is for our family and Montana finances. "My desk" is what holds all things important pertaining to our Washington finances and matters. So when the mail man delivers, what seems like 50,000,000 envelopes, rather than setting them on the table to pile up and get lost, I file them accordingly. I just began doing this recently and I can't stress how easy it is and how the flow of keeping track of "it all" has improved.

Many times by the end of the day I notice toys, paper, school work, debris, clothes, blankets, etc. scattered all over the house. Rather than reverting back to my old ways, I have begun this regimen. I tell the kids that what ever is left on the floor conveys they don't care about it and so when I pick it up, I throw it away. Trust me, you won't find faster moving children. :D

But for the rest of the stuff that's been set down and not put away, I grab a basket and gather all of the contents into it. Later when I have more time, is when I then put them away accordingly. This is also a good time to pray for my family. As I put away Audrey's toys, I pray for her. As I fold Alex's lost sock to the found one I pray, as I place Hailey's headband back into the drawer, I pray. As I put David's pens and pads away I pray. It has taken the burden from this time consuming task and made it something I kind of look forward to.

When we become a little more organized with our time and things, we gain more time back. We find more ways to begin our day with His word. We become happier wives, because we are less likely to feel any guilt for having not accomplished our daily tasks.

We become a bit more patient with our children because some of the chaos is contained. We free up much needed time to spend on friends. We tend to not allow ourselves to be spread so thin. This is a gift to ourselves so that we may focus on the important details of our lives.

Do you collect things? But aren't sure how to merchandise your collection? In order to contain your collection to a designated place in your home, try rearranging them into a vignette. Perhaps arrange them on top of a book case or a short cabinet. I had a fetish for clocks years ago, I still do, and rather than containing them in one place I would hang them through out the entire house in every room. My husband would feel he was losing his mind at the ticking that would follow him where ever he was. Long story and many evenings of bickering later, I took them down and put them into a vignette similar to what's above. He was right though, it was TOO much and overkill at best.

My hearts desire is for my home to a place where my family wants to be. Not to avoid or run from. I want them to know this is where they can come and rest. Leave the world at the door step and relish in tranquility of home.

I want them to feel secure and loved.

My hearts desire is for them to always long for home. Even when they are grown and raising their own families. I hope they will look back and gleam to what was good about "Home".

I want them to know how much I loved them while they were growing up and that all the hard work poured into their well being was my honor.

I don't want them to think back and remember a grumbling complaining mother who was crabby all the time.

I do want them to see that God was and is my strength through the easy and difficult times. That He was my refuge from life's discrepancies. That by creating a home full of warmth and comfort was perhaps my feeble way of conveying the need for refuge. True refuge in Jesus.