This was not the year for me to be spending time at the water's edge, wiggling my toes in the soft warm sand. Yet, my heart was yearning for the beach. What's a girl to do? Create a coastal vignette! It all started with my glam clam that had a makeover. She looked mighty fine on the sideboard sporting her new color combo along with a sea of shells and beach glass. There was one missing element, though. A seascape on the wall. My stash did not include a lovely painting of a lake, beach, or sea. But, my stash did include a picture that I picked … [Read more...]
It's summer time and the livin' is easy....or so the song goes. One of my favorite summer time treats is a cool slice of watermelon. Remember eating it as a little kid with the juice dripping down your elbows? Yuuuuum! A few weeks ago, I was enjoying a lovely inside picnic (thank you Mr. Thunderstorm) at my friend's home and she served watermelon two ways. One...an amazing Watermelon Salsa which I shared along with the recipe here. And the second....Watermelon Cookies. The kind that make your mouth water and one is just not enough. Watermelon Cookies are … [Read more...]
A song. A psalm of David. 1 My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. 2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 108:1-5 NIV Speak these verses out loud. When I did.... God became bigger. I became smaller. He became mighty and glorious. My faith … [Read more...]
"Never lose an opportunity for seeing anything that is beautiful; For beauty is God's handwriting -- a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, And thank God for it as a cup of His blessing." - Ralph Waldo Emerson Have you taken time to go for a walk? Not the kind where you try to see how quickly you can get the miles in. But, the kind where you try to see how much beauty you can take in. I dare you to play "I Spy" with your walking partner. I think Emerson had it right. Beauty is God's handwriting. Just look at … [Read more...]
Want to bring the beach and summer to your tiny corner of the world? You really can enjoy coastal decor in small spaces. All you need is a spot to evoke the memory of wind on your face and waves splashing on the beach. It could be the corner of your desk, a spot on your bookcase, or the top of your piano as I've shown here. There are just a few necessary ingredients. A container. Beach or play sand. A sea shell or tiny piece of driftwood. This is a vintage turquoise glass bowl that has been sitting in my cupboard, for years, waiting. Waiting to show off. … [Read more...]
I couldn't wait any longer. It was time to get out my can of spray paint and indulge in a little coastal decor DIY makeover! This summer I really started missing the Great Lakes. I'm a 'Mitten State' girl who grew up a bicycle ride away from Lake Michigan. And more recently we lived 20 minutes away from Lake Erie and 40 minutes from Lake Ontario. Spending time at the beach in the summer is one of those things that renews my spirit. Since I wasn't going to be making the trip to the beach, I decided to bring the beach home. It may not be the same. But, I have had a ton of fun … [Read more...]
...We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! Romans 5:3-5 The Message These verses encouraged my heart greatly. Especially this... ...we can't round up enough containers to hold … [Read more...]
An Extraordinary Day! is a place of joy and inspiration. Some days, the inspiration is as much for me, as it is for you. Sometimes we just need a ray of hope. The golden hour is the time when I prefer to take a walk. It's the time when I can get the best photos. Or at least I make the attempt. Not many, but when they happen they are dramatic thanks to the lovely light. Isn't this white Echinacea stunning in the light? As long as there is sunshine and flowers...there is hope. and then again... Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers. Robert … [Read more...]
“In the waiting, we become” –Jeff Goins Hmmm. What is it we become? Maybe Jeff tells us in his new book. Regardless.... When I read this at the bottom of the Nester's post, it got me thinking. We, my husband and I, are in the waiting. We know when we will be moving. We don't yet know where. God knows. We don't. So in all this waiting, I am becoming. What is it that I am becoming? The other day I mentioned that I think I am becoming more patient. Today, I realized that I am becoming more engaged in this moment and less so … [Read more...]
One of my favorite things to decorate in my home is a vintage window. It hangs like a piece of art on my wall. The beauty of a vintage window is that it's a wonderful blank canvas for giving your room some seasonal decor. Its shabbiness provides a textural contrast in more traditional or contemporary decor. It's fun to be creative with ideas in just a small space. It can change with the season or your whim. It's great for whimsical paper-crafting projects that just don't 'work' elsewhere. Last November my friend gifted me with a lovely window. It's perfectly imperfect. And hung sideways it … [Read more...]
You've heard it... You've read it... God cares for you. But does he really? Have you heard a little voice in your head ask that question with an affected tone, "Does he really?" When you're in the mud of life, sometimes barely able to lift one foot up and move it forward, struggling to stand in the slipperiness of that greasy water-logged and endless swarm of clay, does God care? I think that when Peter penned this... Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries. 1 Peter 5:7 Voice He believed it. I do too. Do you know … [Read more...]
Patience. Most of us don't have enough, let alone some to spare. I don't talk much about patience. Mostly because I'm an impatient person and I have this crazy idea that if I don't talk about, or don't ask for more, it will be a non issue. When I read this quote: "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson I realized that nature is always in wait. When the earth's temperature is warm enough, plants emerge from their winter hiding places and seeds sprout. As the days shorten and temperatures drop, the life-giving nutrients reverse … [Read more...]
I'm so excited to share the Laundry Room Makeover Reveal with you!! Some of you may have been impatient with me as I shared my laundry room makeover in bits and pieces. It all started last summer and then finally a few weeks ago, I made up for lost time. Have you ever wanted to makeover a room, but had no funds in your account? Don't let that stop you. My zero budget forced me to get creative with what I had around my house and proved to me, once again, that I don't need to let the lack of money prevent me from making my home extraordinary. My laundry room makeover was a fun … [Read more...]
Just in case you're having one of those days.... You know....the kind filled with doubt, or worry, or fear. May these words encourage your heart: Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. John 14:1 ERV We all have days when we let our minds take us places we shouldn't go. Speak God's promises out loud. Start with this verse. We really can trust the ONE who says, Trust me. Hope these were just the encouraging words you needed.... If you like this photo, I created it in a 5x7 format so you can print and frame it. Click here for the image and save it … [Read more...]
When you live in an older home, circa 1950, with a basement laundry area, you just might not have all those wonderful modern, out-of-sight hook-ups for the washer and dryer. So what's a gal to do when she doesn't like looking at the vent and the water faucets? Create a cute laundry room skirt to hide the "unmentionables." It really is an easy solution. And a pretty cute one too!! Last year, I happened upon a bag of miscellaneous fabrics for $1 at the thrift store. It was truly a mixed bag. When I decided to create a skirt to hide the "unmentionables" in my laundry … [Read more...]
Endurance Today my inbox contained an email that contained a graphic with the word, Endurance. I contemplated it for a minute and then was off to the next email. Later in the day a good friend left a comment on Facebook with a scripture verse. It's from a book in the Bible I memorized when I was a senior in high school. But, as I was uncertain with the direction for this Joy Day! post I decided to plug the 'address' into Bible Gateway and see how it reads in different translations. (I memorized it in the Living Bible.) It was there that the word endurance popped out at me, again. Do you believe in … [Read more...]
This has been one of those weeks.... where you realize that you are totally not in control and at the same time, grateful God is in control. If you'd like a 5x7 print of this photo & quote...click here...and save it as you would any photo. So...when this quote from C.S. Lewis came across my path it certainly gave me pause: Hardship often prepares an ordinary person for an extraordinary destiny. ― C.S. Lewis The sun drops in the sky, the air begins to cool, and the lighting is exquisite. That's how it was this evening when we left the house for a walk, with plans to … [Read more...]
