Throne before the Phone

 I'm a woman of many words and thoroughly enjoy sharing chit chats with my friends, sisters, and Mama.  I'm a quick draw with my phone to share the good, bad and anything in between. But I'm working on changing the way I talk.

Talking is what us women folk do. However, we tend to overshare about ourselves and others ... aka Gossip.

What if we ....

Take it to the Throne Before the Phone

Before we pick up the phone to talk to someone else about our problems - talk to God first.

The thing is God knows it ALL! He knows your side, the other side and the truth.

He knows what you need and when you need it.

And it goes both ways. Encourage your friends to talk to God before they bring it to you. 

We are called to bear one another's burdens, so when we do share, let our words be truthful, useful and good.

Note: Counsel from Godly women can be a blessing!

Dress Beautifully Bringing it to the

Throne Before the Phone

XOXO Sarah Louise

Patio Party

 

Come on back and sit for a spell! Our patio is where we spend the most time together.  

It's shaded throughout the day giving us a pleasant place to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and beautiful backyard views.

This year we added a sectional sofa and coffee table for this very reason.  We wanted something super durable, comfortable and it had to be pretty.  We made a significant investment into quality pieces so that we would enjoy many years of use. 

Note: We also purchased covers that we use each night to protect them from the elements.

I'm very minimal when it comes to Vivian's things beyond her room but since we play the most outside I wanted her to have things to enjoy.  This playhouse and picnic table were both past birthday gifts that she absolutely adores! It's also great when other children come over to play.

Before the party lights ... clearly they add the perfect twinkling touch!

Our little garden off to the side.

Vivian and I enjoy time together caring for our plants and harvesting delicious vegetables.

It's so much fun to host our friends.

And to celebrate all the blessings life has given us!

We do all things from share meals, read, afternoons playing and splashing, hosting friends and even date nights. Anything we can take out under the Carolina blue skies, we do!

Dress Your Outdoor Space Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Decorating with Monograms

 Here in the South we have a saying ... more like a belief:

In my 20's I put my personal touch on just about anything with my initials (clothes, jewelry, bags etc.) Then, when Ryan and I were engaged came our married monogram on things for our home.

Fun Fact: my monogram didn't change after I was married as both my maiden and married last name begin with an 'H'! Thank goodness b/c I had quite the investment. 

I've shifted over the recent years to monograming less for myself and more for gifts, home decor and darling Vivian. 

I believe, like in most things, that moderation is key. The way to do that is with intention.  Rather than having everything stamped, choose a few special pieces so that it's more personal rather than 'branding'. You're a person, not a business.

Here are my favorite ways to add a monogram in your home ...

MASTER BEDROOM PILLOW SHAMS

Our Shams

These were the first thing we purchased for our first home. The appliqué monogram makes a formal and bespoke statement on our grand four poster bed. It's our room together and where we as husband and wife end our days (even if Ryan climbs in most nights just a couple of hours before I'm up). We both love Carolina blue and it can be found throughout our home.  It also is a great color to compliment a variety of bedding. I like to change out our duvet cover.

NURSERY

When designing Vivian's nursery, I went with the colors lavender, pink and a pop of orange. A unique palette only found in her special room. Her name is significant as it is passed down from me, my mother, my grandmother and my great grandmother all of whom are first born and have the middle name 'Louise'. Having the baby's monogram displayed is a sweet & specific way of making it special. 

I chose a linen down filled pillow for her rocking chair.  It will transition perfectly to her big girl bed. 

Note: She's 3 1/2 and still happily cozy in her crib. I can NOT imagine my darling girl out of it or not rocking her twice a day in this chair. #tears

ACCENT PILLOWS

I had these silk pillows embroidered with our joint monogram when we were engaged.  I was just sooo excited to be together (still am!).  They've lived in 4 different homes and reflect us, the family that lives here. I'm not typically a 'brown' person but they are neutral and compliment nicely. I love that they can and have moved from our couches to accent chairs throughout. 

Note: A married monogram is the wife's first initial, the last name initial followed by the husband's first initial. 

COCKTAIL NAPKINS

These add a special touch when hosting guests.  They aren't just something you pick up at the party store and can be utilized all year long for any occasion.  I'm not one to purchase decor for each and every celebration.  They also convey a sophisticated touch without being a true linen. 

These make a great wedding gift!

BATH TOWELS

 

Pictured: These Towels

Ryan & I received monogramed bath towels as a wedding gift and have loved them but after 12 years they've been retired.  I love the ones above and often gift them at bridal showers. They add an elegant touch to your bathroom and also a potential pop of color.

Engraving is another way to personalize and create sentimental treasures.  That's another post :)

Dress Your Home Beautifully with Monograms

XOXO Sarah-Louise

6 Ways to Keep Your Home Neat as a Button

Cleaning is no fun, said Cinderella, and every other gal ever. But it is a necessity.  

AND you can do it with Love! I bet you've never thought of cleaning with love. But God says:

Let all that you do be done in love! 1 Corinthians 16:14

Those dishes you're cleaning - you had food to cook

Those toys you're picking up - healthy kids that can play

Those clothes you're folding - resources to buy and clean them

You get the point

Personally, I thrive and insist on living in a very clean and tidy home. They are 2 different things. Clean implies sanitized surfaces free of dirt. Tidy implies no clutter or items out of place. I've been called a 'clean freak' a time or two and take it as a compliment!

I keep our home in 'showing' condition every single day. Anyone can ring my doorbell and take a tour without me ever saying "oh, please excuse our mess". 

Messes aren't bad. They're there because you're living life and making memories so never ask for someone's grace for that. And since messes happened you need a system for putting it all back together quickly when the fun is done.

I must mention, now that more and more folks are spending time in their homes these days/year there are more disruptions to maintaining a clean and tidy space.

For me, it was having Vivian and ALL her things that made our home cuter and yet more cluttered.

NOTE: I follow Marie Kondo's method for keeping our home tidy.  It addresses editing your belongings and organizing them. You can't possibly attempt to maintain a clean home with an abundance of things without a proper place. I have a strong aversion to hoarding! ewww 

Everyone has a different threshold for housekeeping. My goal is to share what I do that helps lower stress and create a peaceful place to live.

Here are some quick daily tricks I use to keep our home neat as a button ...

1. First thing, always make the bed!

Literally the very very first thing. It makes the entire bedroom look neat and put together. I absolutely can not climb into a bed that isn't tightly made. 

this picture was taken before we added wallpaper to our dining room and it looks so naked!

2. Keep it Clear

I keep all of our counter tops as clear as possible. The only things displayed in our kitchen are the knife block and coffee maker (when we renovate they will both be tucked away in cabinetry). 

Clear counters make the space look bigger and cleaner.  The stone surfaces can shine! 

The same principle applies to our bathroom counters and even table tops.

Canisters & decorative things will collect dust, trap dirt and make a space appear busy. 

3. Wipe down

I wipe our counters, appliances and mirrors throughout our home frequently, It's sanitary yes, but also makes each room look shinier. Removing smudges and finger prints from your appliances makes a big difference since stainless steel is so reflective. Clean mirrors bring lots of bright light into your rooms. I do a quick walk through and polish one by one.

4. Start to Finish

I believe it's important when tackling a chore to complete it in its entirety. Laundry is a good example.

I have a small family so our laundry is minimal. We keep soiled garments in pretty closed baskets in our rooms and I am in charge of sorting and washing for us all. It keeps things easy if one person manages this project. I never start laundry unless I can complete it.  This means from washing machine, to dryer, to folding and then placed back into storage all at once. You'll never see piles of laundry in our home. 

When things sit and aren't addressed the mess will grow. 

When you start, finish before moving on to something else or you'll find yourself buried!

5. 20 min Marathon

Set a timer for 20 mins and tidy your home with gusto. Put everything away, fluff the pillows, put away the laundry, load the dishwasher, run the vacuum etc ..

I recommend doing this after lunch during nap time, maybe for only 10 minutes and once everyone is in bed for the full 20.  I also encourage you to do it with your earphones in while listening to some fun music or an audiobook. 

You'd be amazed what you can accomplish when you have focus.

6. Delegate

We've had a professional come into our home every 3 weeks to add a little more elbow grease for over 3 years now and it is the greatest blessing! She scrubs our kitchen, bathrooms, floors and dusts. While this is a luxury it is also an investment into our home. By keeping it clean we prevent our fixtures from staining so they will last. Think about your faucets, toilets, grout, tile, lighting, etc... 

From time to time we will add specific tasks like the baseboards, refrigerator, stove or windows. 

Note: if this isn't an option, make it an appointment/block of time on your family calendar where you can tackle and focus on the heavy scrubbing on a frequent basis. Divide the tasks up among you.

Our homes are personal and I know the dynamics are as unique as our individual families but I hope at least one of my tips will help encourage you.  I know I can relax, focus on my family and am simply happiest when my home is clean.

Like my Mamma always says, "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness"! 

Dress Beautifully in a Spic & Span Home

XOXO Sarah-Louise