Did you know that February 15-21 is National Random Acts of Kindness week?
Kevin and I were on the receiving end of a special surprise act of sweetness a couple of Christmases ago and boy did it catch us off guard! We were going through a really rough time financially, so we were spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to get money, and get happy. Then, out of nowhere, someone reminded us that true happiness lives in your heart, and that giving opens the way for receiving.
I'll be back here tomorrow to share some new photos of an inspiring accessory we recently added to our dining room. It's simple, but sweet. Just the way I like 'em!
Happy Tuesday, Layla
:-)
PS- If you're visiting from Lysa's blog- Welcome! Here's a couple of links to the posts she mentioned in the beginning of her post: Fireplace Re-do and Mailbox Re-do
Going to check the mail was extraordinarily fun last week. Not because our new mailbox stands up straight and has a door on it, but because I found a wonderful gift from my friend Lysa waiting for me...
Kevin and I met Lysa while we were at CBN in Virginia Beach. Lysa was on "The 700 Club" the same day we were and I've enjoyed reading her blog and getting to know her through email ever since.
I couldn't wait to open the package she sent, so I tore into it right there in the driveway. I started reading her book immediately. First, the Acknowledgments, then the Introduction, then Part One, then Chapter One. Then I read them all over again, out loud, to Kevin. :-) Her words immediately resonated with me, and I look forward to blogging about her book when I'm done reading it.
Today, we are so excited to have Lysa here as our special guest poster. So grab a cup of something warm, make yourself comfortable, and be prepared to be moved by Lysa's touching story...
Last year my husband and I traveled to Vermont where I woke up one morning to stare at what an overnight snow storm brought us. I had never seen such snow in all my live long day. But what really caught my attention were gigantic icicles hanging from the roof line.
They were perfect.
As I stared out at them, suddenly a memory flashed across the screen of my mind.
It was about my Dad. My biological Dad. The one who abandoned me a long time ago and who knows nothing about my life now.
I don't have very many memories of him. And the ones I do have aren't that great. If I let my mind dwell on the gaping hole he left in my heart, I get sad even to this day.
God has been so good to help me see that I am not the child of a broken parent any longer- that I am a child of God. I am loved. I am treasured. I am wanted.
But sometimes, this nagging thought sneaks into the crevices of my heart and I start wondering, why didn't my Daddy love me?
That's why this icicle memory brought such joy to my heart. It is a good memory of my Dad. It rushed into my mind that morning in a way that brought a fresh, gleaming perspective.
I grew up in Florida which meant no snow- ever. But I remember praying for snow. Praying like a revival preacher at a tent meeting I tell ya'. If ever there could be snow in Florida, surely a passionate little girl's prayers could open up those heavenly snowflake storehouses.
One night, the temperatures dropped surprisingly low, and the weather man called for a freeze. This was a rare thing in our area. How tragic there was no precipitation on this particular cold night. It was the one night that snow might have been possible.
It broke my little snow bunny heart.
But the next morning I awoke to icicles everywhere.
Gleaming, dripping, hanging, light reflecting, glorious icicles were all over the trees in our back yard.
It was magical.
We were the only house on the block with this grand winter display.
Because I was the only girl whose Daddy thought to put out sprinklers on the one night it froze.
I don't know where this memory has been hiding for too many years. But what a gift. Somewhere in the deep, mysterious, broken places of my Dad's heart, there was an inkling of love.
I pray wherever he is today, he too remembers the night of the icicle wonder land. For it is a common thread of hope that ties too very distant hearts together.
Well, thanks to a product called "Simple Grout", Kevin finished grouting the tile in our guest bathroom lickety split today. I'll go into more detail tomorrow, but basically you just smear it on and wipe it off. Easy, breezy, beautiful! As it dries, we thought we'd invite my Mom to write a guest post today! :-) She's the first person I ever loved. She is my role model. She is my biological and emotional road map, and I am so blessed to be an extension of her self.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Lighting The Lettered Cottage"
While house sitting for my kids last weekend, I took a walk around their property to check out the woods and listen to the church bells ringing just beyond them. During my stroll, I spied an extension ladder in their neighbors backyard. It triggered an ambitious plan to hang white icicle lights along the roof line of their beloved Lettered Cottage. Unfortunately, soon after I devised my plan of attack, it started to rain. So much for my surprise! Retreating indoors, I couldn’t help noticing how the small, recessed spotlight above the fireplace lit up the sunburst mirror below just like the missing sun!
It made me realize how a simple lighting feature could brighten even the dreariest of days.
Kevin and Layla always seem to instinctively use lighting in so many wonderful, functional ways. Their attention to these types of details especially impresses me, because I’m all about COMFORT and PURPOSE.
As I walked toward the guest bedroom I stopped to enjoy the intimate, lamp-lit corner in their hallway...
It was not only a reason to pause and survey their tiny, tabletop treasures (and my rained-on hairdo in the mirror)...
...but it also led me safely through the house.
I experienced another special moment early one morning, before I even got out of bed. I was snugly sandwiched between their two pampered pets, Monkey (a.k.a "Bean") and Maximus. It was still pitch black in the room, but because there was a table lamp within arms reach, I was instantly able to see without having to leave the comfort of my covers!
Intrigued by their obvious love of lighting, I had my own private Q&A session with Layla the next day when they got home from their trip to VA Beach. I asked her how I could get better reading light from a short table lamp in our living room. And although she was completely exhausted, she immediately sprung into action at the very mention of a design dilemma. :-) She showed me how I could get the maximum amount of light to spill out from under the lampshade by elevating the lamp on top of a taller side table. (What a great excuse to go shopping at my favorite flea market!)
Don’t you just love learning from your kids? :-)
I’ll leave you now with a peek into Kevin’s latest lighting venture. It involves creating ambiance with a remote-controlled light switch. I can't wait to learn more about this one!
Today's post was written by a dear friend of mine, Erin, who writes an amazing blog called "Rare and Beautiful Treasures".
She is one of the kindest souls I've never met. You see, much to my dismay, we live very far away from each other. We met each other through our blogs and instantly connected because of our passion for all things "home". One day, I look forward to actually meeting her in person. I just know we're going to have a ball together, shopping the day away at some hole-in-the-wall junk shop, or under the sun at an outdoor flea market- somewhere between here and there. Until then, I look forward to reading her blog, texting and chatting with her on the phone, and the launch of her baby bedding line, which she will soon introduce on her new website. It's gonna be great, and I can't wait to see all the little layers of lovely she's creating!
Simply put, I love everything from their architecture, to the trees in their front yards, to the concept of “coming home”.
In particular, I love historic homes.
First and foremost, for the character that so often comes with the historic package: original hardwood floors, winding staircases, wainscoting, wrap-around porches and built-in bookshelves...
(And maybe even a secret passageway behind said built-in bookshelves!) :-)
Another aspect I love about older homes is
the history behind them
The story of the house, and the generations of families who made it a home. It's especially thrilling when the generations of families are ones from your own family tree.
Have you ever set out in search of an old family home that may or may not still be standing? If you haven't done so, and you are a house-lover like me, this is simply something you must do. My husband and I have tracked down several of my ancestors’ homes in the past few years and I promise you that the experience is priceless.
The following is my favorite of these experiences. Although this story may not end the way you expect...
Last summer, on a very hot and humid Saturday, we set out toward a town that neither one of us had ever heard of until I began searching for my ancestors homes. We had little other than a map, tons of determination, and a point and shoot camera.
Attica, Indiana is a town so small you probably won't find it on a map. But after several hours of driving past endless fields of corn, we managed to locate the quiet, little farm town. We also found lots of friendly neighbors. Neighbors who actually knew of my fourth great-grandfather, and who could have walked us to my family's property blindfolded. After several stops along a long, straight rural road, we finally found the homestead we were searching for...
Tall, old trees still proudly marked the perimeter of the property...
...but the cracked concrete pathway that once led to the front door of my ancestors home had been gone for some time. In its place, a pile of rubble...
I was very grateful for those chunks of concrete. Even though the house wasn't there anymore, I knew I was walking where my ancestors had once walked. I could see were they lived, and farmed. I stood where the front door had once been, and looked out over the horizon. I breathed in the strong scent of legacy in the air, and in my heart, I knew I was home. In that moment, it became clear why my fourth great-grandfather had chosen to create his home on that very spot.
If you'd like to find out more about the places your ancestors called home, just follow these three simple steps:
Step One: Spend some time researching your ancestry and determine where your relatives lived some hundred + years ago. (Bonus points automatically apply if you discover your relatives once lived in a place that will make a great vacation destination. Think Savannah, Georgia in February, if you happen to be a northern girl like me.)
Step Two: Use the internet and family resources to determine which houses, farms or plantations your ancestors once owned.
Step Three: Set out with a map and camera to find the historic home to which you have personal ties. (Triple bonus points apply if you are able to convince the current owners of said real estate to turn over possession of the property to you, because, after all, it is family property. In such an event, use the aforementioned triple bonus points to promptly purchase a bottle of bubbly and invite all of your friends over to your “new” home to celebrate your glorious coup. Make sure Layla and I are on the guest list too!)
For most of us, our homes will outlive us. Our walls will talk long after we are gone.
I think about the house I call home today, and wonder what it will say about me a hundred years from now. What if the house is gone? Will the land remember?
I think about the land and houses of my ancestors, and I wonder- what stories are waiting for me there?
I need only close my eyes and remember that hot, summer day in Attica, and I instantly feel the gentle pull toward other places and other stories from my past as well.
The words continue to reverberate in my mind- a call to which I will surely respond.
Today we'd like to welcome another special guest poster to our blog. Her name is Rhoda, and she writes the blog "Southern Hospitality".
Rhoda's was also one of the first blogs I found while surfing the net one night in the Spring of 2008. Since then we've met up a couple of times, and it's been so fun getting to know her!
Here we are (with Susie) at the Endless Yard Sale 2009...
We had such a good time. I can't wait to do it again next year!
Now, let's get this party started......heeeeeeere's Rhoda!
When I first met Layla last year via blogging, I was immediately drawn to her warm and sweet nature, just from the emails that we exchanged in the beginning. She and I have become great friends over the last year and I have SO enjoyed seeing "The Lettered Cottage" grow and mature, and become what it is now a much loved blog by so many people.
When Layla asked me if I would be interested in writing a guest post for her, well, I was just elated to be invited over here! She asked me to share some of my favorite tips about how to "decorate on the cheap", which is something that I know a thing or two about since I’ve been doing it for many years now. It just seems to come naturally to me. My friends say I have a knack for finding bargains and scouting out deals. Personally, I've discovered it’s a much more rewarding way to shop!
So, my guest post will include 10 ideas that will beautify your home, without breaking the bank.
Now before I begin, I must warn you- I’m known as a "Yardsale Diva" and "saling" is my favorite way to find things for my home. I love the thrift stores too, but I have found SO many great deals at the yardsales, they still remain my #1 shopping venue.
10 Tips for Decorating on the Cheap
1. Burlap
This wonderful fabric has been around for a while now and has become a real staple in the decorating world. It's great fabric to use for updating a lot of different things. My favorite has to be when I used it to recover the lamps in my dining room. I just used on spray adhesive, cut my burlap to fit and then before adding it to the shade, I had a monogram stitched on it. Of course, to make it even more cost effective, you could easily trace a monogram and fill it in with paint. Same effect, but even more cost effective.
2. Light fixtures
About half the fixtures in my house have come from scouring the yard sales. Actually, my favorite ones were found this way, including the one above which came from a thrift store for $5. You can find all sorts of vintage and not-so-vintage fixtures out there for next to nothing. I’ve successfully changed out all the ugly builders brass that was in our home for bronze or antique brass, and what a difference that makes.
3. White dishes
Another thing that I look for while at yard sales or thrift stores is white creamware or ironstone. It's such a great thing to collect. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop yourself and you’ll be looking for it everywhere. It doesn’t take long to get your collection stocked up. My favorites are white platters, bowls, and tureens. White dishes can all be mixed, none of them have to match exactly. Slightly different tones are okay, creams and white shades will always look beautiful together.
The shape of an urn is just so appealing to me. I’ve collected many of them over the years- white ones, iron ones, ceramic ones and metal ones. All shapes and sizes. They really come in handy for decorating too. I have an iron one that's my absolute favorite. I picked it up at a yardsale years ago for $5. It's been a real workhorse for me. I’ve filled it with pinecones in the winter, and seashells in the summer. It works equally well either way. The white pottery urns are so pretty filled with sticks or natural greenery if you want to add an outdoor element to your shelves.
6. Natural elements
The last couple of years, I have really gotten into collecting things in the woods: pinecones, acorns, moss, sticks, hickory nuts, and sweet gum balls are just a few of the things that I’ve brought home to decorate with. Especially around Christmas time! They're all free and it just brings such a great element of texture from the outdoors to the inside of your home. Try it, you’ll love the things you can find outside!
7. Seashells
As a lover of the beach, I always have a few seashells around to decorate with. Now, whenever I go to the coast, I make sure I leave some time to beachcomb so I can add some new shells to my collection. It’s been a fun way to decorate because seashells are so pretty and unique. I've also found some very unique shells at yard sales.
8. Beadboard Wallpaper
You might not think of this as "decorating on the cheap", but it really is. If you have a wall or an area in your home that has zero architectural appeal, this great product can do wonders. Especially if you are like me and don’t have any power tools around. I’m the "handy girl" at my house, so when I discovered how easy this stuff was to work with, and how it looks JUST LIKE the real thing when installed, I became a believer. For just $25 per double roll, I had enough to do the ends of my kitchen cabinets, master bath cabinets, and a wall in the guest bath. That’s quite a big bang for the buck!
9. Books
Another great thing to look for at the yardsales, I’ve picked up so many inexpensive books over the years. Some of them I buy to read, and some of them just because I love the covers. They are great for stacking on shelves and using as risers for other accessories in your home. Books are textural and pretty, whether they are old or new.
10. Mirrors
Another thing I’ve collected so many of over the years is mirrors. These can be found very plentifully at yardsales. Adding a mirror to an area can expand it visually and really help to bounce that light around. I’ve never paid much for my mirrors, whether old or new, and I still have quite a few in my collection that I’ve had from my years of collecting. Painting them is a great way to reuse them in another spot.
Thank you Rhoda! Kevin and I loved your post, and those were all excellent ideas!
Now if you haven't visited her yet, I encourage you to stop by Rhoda's blog, "Southern Hospitality" to see what she's got cookin' over there this week...you will be so glad you did!
Hey there! As Kevin and I continue to construct and consult the day away today, we thought it would be fun to invite one of our favorite bloggers to write a guest post for us. So today's special guest is Kim, from Dear Daisy Cottage. Kim owns a sunny little cottage in Florida, and has decorated it with the most delightful finds and furniture.
Dear Daisy Cottage is one of the first blogs I ever had the pleasure of stumbling across. It's such a fun place to visit! Kim's down-to-earth, fun-loving personality shines through with every post and the photos of her home will make your heart skip 2 beats. It's breathtaking! I disagree with Disney....I think Kim's house is the happiest place on earth! Kim is such a huge source of inspiration for me, in so many ways.
My name is Kim and I write the blog Dear Daisy Cottage and I am SO excited and honored to be a guest blogger here on The Lettered Cottage! I absolutely adore our Layla and I am a huge fan of hers. It is truly amazing AND so inspiring, isn't it, everything that she and Kevin have achieved for their home with their combined talents and creative vision? And let's not forget perseverance! Layla and Kevin have embraced their home 100% by defining their personal style and by staying true to their spirit - such a wonderful accomplishment and such an inspiration to us all.
So when Layla sweetly asked if I would like to be a guest blogger, I happily said yes and then of course I began to ponder about what to share. Should I bake something and share the recipe? Should I share about a thrifting find? Our decorating styles and cottages are a little bit different, as you will see, and I admit I worried that I would disappoint you with all of my color and knick-knacks! And that is when I remembered my own advice that I often give when asked about how to go about decorating a home ...
Don’t hold back.
So with that mindset, I am sharing a few photos of our living room that has been decorated with thrift store and yard sale finds and with lots and lots of love.
Now of course this look isn’t for everyone and it is probably one of those situations where you either hate it or love it. I mean I even use fake flowers!
;-)
And yes I do love it – as far from perfect that it is - because it is ME. I didn’t hold back when decorating Daisy Cottage. I decided to embrace our home with my whole heart and decorate it with little things and the colors that make me happy. Thankfully my family loves it too and of course I couldn’t have had this dream-come-true home without MY Kevin and all of his support.
So thank you very much for taking a peek into our cottage and for letting me share a little of it with you. And like Layla and Kevin have so brilliantly exemplified - I hope that you, too, don’t hold back when decorating your home AND your life.
Be true to you.
Fill your home with every thing and every color that you love and try not to worry about all of the rules. If you decorate this way, your home will be positively beautiful. How could it not be? After all, it would be a reflection of you.
Thank you Kim! Your post was so sweet (you made us blush!) and we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and beautiful photos with us over here at TLC!
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