There's no place like home..

We're 3 months into our new home and it's starting to feel like my home. Just this week, I've put out pictures and done some decorating. Seeing these familiar pieces that have been in our past homes (we've lived in 6 in the 8 years we've been married!) has just made things feel better. Oh, it's still a mess and a work in progress but I'm starting to feel the warmth that comes with making a home. Christmas is also coming and I adore Christmas decorating! I see decorating for Christmas just a big part of the celebration that is Christ' birth! It builds the excitement and creates lasting memories in the minds of our families. I have fond, fond memories of Christmas in my childhood home and I pray my boys will have the same.

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."
~ Thomas Moore

I've always said that I am not good at decorating. And admittedly, it doesn't come naturally! But I do enjoy it. And guess what? It can be done inexpensively, too! That is a huge bonus for me! My desire is to make my house a home and in doing that, a part (even small) of my job is to work on creating a place for my family to live. I want it to evoke feelings of comfort and security for my family. I want my boys to feel safe and happy here. I want my husband to come home and know this is his place of rest and I have made it for him. Will it always be spotless? Ha! I have two boys and one on the way. You can figure out that one on your own! But I can work at creating a lovely place that is ours.

"God made woman to be a maker, to open her empty places and let life be knit from within her. Creativity, it’s good theology; it’s what God did in the beginning." Ann Voskamp

I've found a lot of great frugal, decorating ideas on Pinterest.  I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. I think the concept is great but I think that, as women, if we aren't careful we can leave Pinterest feeling completely discontented. So, I share this tip and at the same time to say, be careful! Guard your heart against discontentment! I've also been attempting to look around my home and see if there are things that we have that I can use in decorating. For instance, I love jars and typically keep any that I get (especially my honey jars!). So, this week I thought, "Hey, I can use that!" Here is what I came up with:

Obviously, these are for Christmas but you could fill them with anything and use any type of ribbon for year round decoration. I got the ornaments, ribbon and candy all at the dollar tree and the jars were already mine! I know this kind of thing comes easy for some but not for me! I think they will look great sitting on an counter or an end table!


Once I get the house decorated, hopefully, I'll have more pictures to share! I'm still trying to come up with some creative ways to decorate our hall bath. I'm thinking about letting the boys do some art on a few canvases! Is that crazy!? Maybe, but it will be fun! I also have an idea of what I want to do on the back wall of the homeschool (den) area. It's a little bit of a bigger project and one I'm going to need some artistic help with! Oh and I am having a baby (28 weeks today!) so his room is kind of a priority too! It's all a work in progress!

 

May we seek to glorify God in all we do, the big and small, the glorious and the mundane! Let it be all for Him!