More inspiration

I got another book out of the Library the other day that has proved to be of invaluable help - even better than the Shabby Chic book I mentioned earlier. He's got pages of questions to help you identify style and priority and lists of ideas that you could do it a day, or a weekend depending on how much time you've got.

The one thing that I keep hearing from these books is this - surround yourself with the things you love and transform or get rid of the things that just don't appeal to you. That's really challenging to me because most of the stuff we have is hand-me-down but I found this picture of two of my favorite things in our home - Katie-Abigail's adoreable white painted crib (I keep thinking I'm going to buy a toille bumper bad for it and then never do!) and this swivel rocking armchair. This is just one of a set of four that are scattered throughout our home. I would love to slipcover them at some later date but for now they are really versatile and wonderful additions to our hodge podge of furniture.

So there is the issue of "living well" and collecting beautiful, comfortable things and not just accepting whatever junk comes your way - to me it is a mark of valuing your home and recognizing the importance of your living space. But then there is this issue of contentment. My kids are really little. They've marked the lamps with crayons and our tables with permanant markers. They pick the paint off the wall and leave their little finger prints on every surface within their reach. But you know what - these little finger prints are marks of the season in life which God has brought me. I know that one day those little fingers will all too soon be grown and gone and so I embrace this season of life with joy! Even though I know that means that I will never have a room like the ones in the books I've been looking through - that's okay.

These books have been inspiring and bring out what I want - and what I don't want - to bring into our new home. I especially love the make over pages! They provide a wonderful contrast between a well-kept space and one that is just thrown together. It's so exciting to be moving and to dream...