Farewell 2018

I can’t believe the year is coming to an end. I thought I would sneak in one more post as I didn’t want my last post of the year to be of our laundry area even if I do love it so. This year I did not resurge my blog quite as I had hoped, but I did not give up and that’s what counts in my book. I did not aim for perfection, but progression. That I did do. As I was thinking about what to post, my mind kept on coming back to the goodness of God especially when we feel it least. So this year I want to go beyond my normal blogger format of gift guides and decorating tips for the holidays, as others have done that oh so well, and simply go to where my heart truly sits in the season. I have been seeing and hearing a lot of “God is faithful”, “we are blessed”, and so forth when things are going really well in one’s life. In no way am I discounting the praises as they are very much true and a gift from above. What I do want to always remember, though, is that even during the storm, God is still faithful and we are still blessed. No matter what life looks like currently, the chaos, the fears, the madness, the Lord is there. When we feel the most alone and feel as if we can not handle another day, the Lord is there. He is in the storm with us even when we may think he is not there or listening or even cares. He is always there. He is powerful always and our faith is made stronger during that storm, not always necessarily when all is calm. Living in the hard is when He is doing His greatest work within us. This year we have walked through storms that left me breathless, but as this year closes I want to praise Him for being there in the storm. I want to praise him through the tears of sitting by hospital beds. I want praise Him during countless medical tests that don’t always have favorable results. I want to praise Him even when I feel like I am drowning. I want to praise Him even when it really hurts. Everyday I see wonders and miracles even if it doesn’t seem quite that way on paper. I find them in the small things that I have to remember to be aware of and choose to open my eyes to. He is a beautiful God. He is my joy and my comfort. He is why I can smile brightly. As I sign off for 2018, I can also bring a hope to 2019 whether this storm passes or not. I am choosing to always aim to see the moments the skies clear even if it is ever so brief. I hope you all are walking in clear skies this Christmas season, but if you are experiencing a storm of your own I pray that you find your umbrella and rain boots and can go dancing in the rain with our faithful God. Breath deep and push forward and allow the waves that can drown carry you instead. Grasp onto hope in the hopeless moments for He is there in the fury that surrounds. Choose to find the joy that He can bring by just being His. So now I say farewell to 2018, I would have never chosen you, but I thank you for all the things you taught me this year.

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. - Matthew 8: 23-26

*All images are during our time spent at Karla & Rays airbnb this fall. Will share more in the new year as this was one of the times the skies parted and we all breathed deeply. This place is purely divine.

The New Laundry Closet

Over the years, doing laundry has become one of the chores that I actually enjoy. Something about hanging and folding every piece I find rather soothing. It’s where I can lost in thought and the routine of it I find very methodical. Now that the kiddos are getting older I know this time of matching their socks is running out faster than I ever anticipated. I am doing my very best trying to hold onto these moments that I know I will one day miss. Now ask me about scrubbing the tub and shower and I have a whole other answer for you. Now on to the space that makes doing the laundry all the better.

Our old laundry space was a nook in the kitchen. Although it made hoping from cooking dinner to folding towels easy I always found it to be not the best use of space. Two plus years ago when we first walked through this home I knew this closet in the oversized hall by the bedrooms would be a perfect fit for a washer and dryer. We moved from a tiny house and simply did not need as much storage as this house supplied. If you have ever tackled a house project you know that even the smallest and somewhat simplest projects can add up financially. Of course I didn’t help it by wanting Phillip Jeffries grasscloth wallpaper in here. I did save though by hanging it myself. The most costly part of it all was having the plumbing and electrical moved which we hired out for. The top is simple birch plywood that we trimmed out. The shelf in the back lifts off when we need to get to the mechanics of it all. We also had additional water shut offs installed in the basement just incase of an emergency. The cabinet is one we had that happened to fit perfectly in this space. I then painted it Sherwin Williams Iron Ore to match the surrounding wall. The knob is by emtek and has a great feel to it. My original plan was to remove the doors and add a large barn type door, but currently we are seeing how the original doors function for us as we do like how we can keep the small door open to air out the washer when needed. Even though this is just a laundry closet and not the oh so popular laundry room, it functions for us even more than I could have hoped for. Adding a favorite piece of art by Mckenzie Dove only adds to my love of this space. The baskets hold the dreaded extra socks that lost it’s mate and clothes that no longer fit the kiddos and are to be donated. I also wouldn’t put it past me to add flowers to that vase. After all this is my happy place.

sources:

Wallpaper | flat black cabinet knob | vase Target {similar} | art | hangers | trash can | baskets | detergent for the special loads | towels Target {similar and actually own also}

Ellie's Teen Room

Trying to write a well thought out blog post before having my second cup of coffee doesn’t seem like the wisest idea. Alas here we are, so I am going to keep it short and sweet. Ellie was very particular on how she wanted her teen room. She wanted final say on pieces, but wasn’t fully opposed to me giving ideas. In the end her room turned out to be a space that we all love. It’s young, fun yet still has a certain level of sophistication. It’s really all of Ellie’s traits in a bedroom.

One of the biggest changes was getting rid of my childhood bed. She wanted something more grown up and less french provincial. In the end we came up with a wall to wall headboard that fits perfectly under the windows. My sister and I made it one morning while she was school. It was simple. The middle section in a hollow core door on legs. Having this section risen lets her get to her outlet when needed. The sides go fully to floor and are pieces of plywood that I had cut at lowes. The padding under the fabric are foam bed toppers and the fabric was from etsy. I wish you could see the metallic thread that is woven throughout the linen. It really is lovely. As a base we used a simple metal frame and on top is our favorite mattress that currently lives in both the kiddos rooms and the guest room.

The biggest purchase was this dresser which was needed after her ikea one broke. We looked for months and this is the only one she really loved. I waited for one of West Elm’s big sales and bit the bullet. It functions beautifully and it’s a piece that can go with her once she moves out.

We have had these art pieces for quite some time and once Ellie choose her color palette we knew they needed to live here. The top is by Michelle Armas and the bottom by Clare Elsaesser.

She is ready to retire the bunny lamp, but I think I will need to keep it around for my grandbabies. The romans are my favorite budget friendly find.

Our future plans is to remove the shelves although right now they function too well to tear them out. Once we do then we can repair the cracked ceiling where the plaster has pulled away. We also plan to join the two closets, there is another one behind the door, to make it more functional. Do you spy her little inspiration board? She changes the quote every month and every time I see it I feel a little more confident that we are not totally blowing the parenting a teen thing.

This rug is vintage and pulls the whole room together beautifully. It may be my favorite piece and at times I want to pull it out into the main house. It is just that pretty.

I was a little nervous to hand over the reigns as her taste is vastly different from mine, but I also know the importance of her needing a space that is all her’s. In the end she did good, really good. Proud mom here who is nearing the end of her second cup of jo.

shop the look {most pieces we have had for ages}: 

duvet cover | velvet shams | teal sheets | mongolian throw pillow | Max Wagner print | dresser | vintage rug {similar, similar, similar} | gold lotus string lights | white metal bed frame | mattress | headboard fabric in platinum | roman shades