My oldest two sweeties are on fall break so I’m soaking them up for a few days.
They sang at my sister’s church this morning so we went there for first service and then on to our beloved First Lutheran.
I know they’re mine and I’m sure I’m all kinds of biased but I LOVE to hear them sing.
Go ahead and hit play. It’ll bless your heart.
And I don’t know about you but my October plate is full to the brim.
I’ll get this series done, don’t you worry but geez have I ever overcommitted myself.
But I’m blocking out all the noise today and creating some quiet, enjoying some worship, and feasting on all the riches His October beauty has to offer.
Hope your Sunday was full to the brim.
This momma’s heart is thankful.
Archives for October 2012
31 Days to Hospitality::Day 13 The Well Stocked Guest Bath
This is day 13 in a 31 days series on hospitality. (What was I thinking?!?!?!?) Start from the beginning here.
Now, y’all know already that this is my master bathroom but it’s the only one roomy enough to get a decent picture. Bathrooms are notoriously hard to photograph!
Remember this summer when we hosted 25 people at our house for the week of July 4th? I knew that with that many people (8 of them being our kids) we’d need well stocked bathrooms so I went on a bathroom stocking spree. The great thing about stocking your bathrooms well is that when you need something, you can always shop the house before having to shop the store.
I like to start with great smelling soaps and lotions. I almost always shop at TJ Maxx because they have great brands at a fraction of the cost.
Inexpensive glass jars make great storage for cotton balls and Q-tips. I have these in all my bathrooms.
I also like to have either a basket well stocked with various toiletries that my guests might need. You could store the basket under the sink or on the counter if it’s small enough. I also try to keep an extra robe in the guest bathrooms and plenty of towels and washcloths. It may seem redundant to stock things that *may* or may not be used but I’m always grabbing things from these bathrooms until I get to the store to restock them.
Here’s a list of things I like to keep on hand for guests:
-extra toilet paper
-paper towels
-soaps and lotion
-pads and tampons
-toothbrush and toothpaste
-motrin and tylenol
-visine eye drops
-extra contact cases and contact solution
-bandaids and first aid creme
-nail clippers and basic manicure set
-deodorant
-cotton balls and Qtips
-body and face wash
-chapstick
-small sewing kit
-white terry robe
This list isn’t exhaustive but it sure comes in handy to have the things you need without having to ask your host for every item you might have forgotten. I think it serves to give your guest some sense of control when they are out of their element and away from home. These items would be great to stock in travel sizes and to buy as you see them on sale.
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And you can imagine my delight when this One King’s Lane holiday flyer came in the mail with a whole spread dedicated to the guest room and bath. So cool and who wouldn’t love to be a guest in this room?!? If you haven’t shopped at OKL, you’re missing some great deals. I buy almost all of my art from them! Follow this link to sign up!
31 Days to Hospitality::Day 12 A Well-Appointed Guest Room
This is day 12 of a 31 Day series on hospitality. Start from the beginning here.
Let me start out this post by saying that everything I ever learned about making a guest room comfortable, I learned from my friend Susan. As a matter fact, almost everything I learned about everything was from her. She is the essence of Southern hospitality and I hope to be just like her when I grow up. Because of her stellar example, I’ve gotten much more intentional over the years about my guest spaces.
Here’s my list of the top ten items that every well-appointed guest room should have. This is the ultimate goal but collect things here and there as you can, within your budget. I mostly ‘shop the house’ when I’m having company. I mosey around my rooms and look for pretty and cozy things to add to the guest room to make it more inviting and comfortable. Sometimes they make it back to their rightful homes and sometimes they become permanently attached to the guest room. Look around and see what you have a first and then do some shopping if need be.
1. A comfortable bed.
Most of us can’t afford to buy a high quality mattress for the guest room so I’m a huge fan of a thick mattress pad on the bed to make it more inviting. It’s often hard to sleep in a strange place and an uncomfortable bed only adds to the difficulty. They’re not that expensive and make a huge difference in comfort. Those high thread count sheets from Tuesday Morning come in handy here too!
2. Extra pillows
I try to store 2-3 extra pillows in the guest room closet.
3. Fresh towels and washcloths.
I like crisp white towels for company and I will often buy a couple new ones when company’s coming. It’s a fairly cheap way to freshen up a room and who doesn’t need a few more white towels?
4. A luggage rack
I’m completely in love with luggage racks. They’re so practical and vintage, all at the same time. You can often find them at antique stores but some retail stores still sell them. Trust me, get one. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Or your guests will.
5. A cozy throw
I don’t know about you but I use throws ALL.THE.TIME. Every room needs a throw. I’m looking around and can see three in my living room at the moment. I’m a throw-hoarder among other things. TJ Maxx has great ones on the cheap and you can find them in great colors and patterns. They are cheap, instant style. My black and white striped one was less than twenty bucks from IKEA.
6. Fresh flowers
If I don’t have time to pick up flowers and there’s nothing blooming in my yard, I’ll snip a fresh magnolia leaf or something from the yard. I think more than anything, this tells your guest that you were thinking of them before hand—that you care—-that they are important. Fresh flowers add instant life and beauty to a room and make everyone smile:)))))
7. Water pitcher
There’s nothing wrong with handing your guest a water bottle but a pretty water pitcher and a piece of beautiful glassware add such a nice touch. Almost all my glassware is thrifted and I’m always on the lookout for beautiful pieces. And this is where you don’t need a whole set of matching glasses. Next time you’re thrifting, look for a few pieces for the guest room.
8. Stationary
I leave pens, pencils, paper, stationary and even stamps in my guest room. This comes in especially handy if your guest has trouble sleeping. Besides, writing hand-written notes is such a lost art! If you don’t have a desk in your guest room, consider thrifting one and repainting it. Most people travel with electronics and it’s nice to have a desk to work from. I’ve also been hoarding extra chargers to keep in my guest rooms, which has come in handy more than once already.
9. Books and Magazines
Decorating or art books, poetry, and books with essays are great to leave in your guest rooms. And I even change mine out depending on who’s gonna be staying with me. I try to think of who I’m entertaining and then put a few books and current magazines that match their interests. I just shop the house because heaven knows I have a book or two.
10. Snacks
I usually make sure there’s some good chocolate, mints, cough drops etc. I just keep a drawer full of goodies and stock up when the goodies are on sale.
And for my guest room fragrance (and the one I use in the workroom!), I use Archipelago’s Stonehenge diffuser. It’s divine!
Hope you enjoyed the list. Did I miss anything that you would add? I’ll tell you how I stock my guest bathroom tomorrow and if you were worried about the robe—it’s on tomorrows list!
And if your children just so happen to place a small lego man on the plate wall for fun, you should leave him. He can keep your guests company. Like a little guardian angel.
31 Days to Hospitality::Day 11 A Breather
“What matters is that we stretch our hearts open and draw near to each other. It is the way of hospitality, the way of life, and it is, in this remote place where we have awakened to find ourselves, the only way home.”
I am still trying to catch up on them but your emails and comments during this series have been so life-giving.
Thank you for taking this journey with me. You make it so worth it.
This series has turned me inside out.
I didn’t expect it to be so…..emotional. I am spent.
I set out to show you pretty pictures and share some new recipes.
Instead, I’m all twisted up inside and the last thing that seems relevant to me is a recipe.
And then there were the 3 loaves of pumpkin bread and the two tarts I made today to give away, serving as a timely reminder that food is always relevant.
All that to say, sometimes you have to live hospitality instead of talking about it.
Back soon with more goodies!
Also, I started a Hospitality Board on Pinterest and thought you might enjoy this article all about Southern Women. (it helps me to understand myself better!)
What other 31 Dayers are you reading? Tell me your favorites in the comments.
xoxo,
edie
quote from Radical Hospitality
31 Days of Hospitality::Day 10 Hospitality begins in the bedroom, part 2
Okay, since we’ve reordered of our affections toward our beloved, here’s a few practical tips for making the bedroom more welcoming and sultry.
Declutter
Remove the treadmill. And the stack of clothes currently sitting on it. You know this was never a good idea, right? This sanctuary, this sultry holy of holies (thank you, Laura!) was never made for exercise equipment. It’s just wrong. We’ve gone way to0 analytical and practical. This room is not made for practicality. Read some poetry in here. Play some Mumford and Sons. This room was made for love. Period. You know I’m right 🙂 And I know you’re gonna hate me for this–but while you’re at it, get rid of the t.v. too. Mmmkay, quickly moving on.
Infuse your Personality
If any room in your house should wreak with your personality, it should be this one. You can do this in so many simple ways. Put your jewelry or your scarves on display. Hang some art that inspires you. Paint it a romantic color. But somehow, in some way, make this room be a reflection of who you are and what you love. I violated all rules of wall hangings in my little corner but it makes me smile every single day. Of course my all-time personal favorite in the ‘make your room scream YOU’ category is the monogram. It’s my mission in life to have at least one in every room. That way, if you’re ever at my house and can’t remember my name, there will be little clues everywhere.
Now, don’t stress yourself out. Take baby steps. Make a Pinterest board of inspiration and then slowly but surely, infuse your bedroom with little parts of yourself.
Buy the Best Linens You Can Afford
Save your pennies and invest in good linens. You spend 1/3 of your life here in your bed. Don’t sleep on cheap, scratchy sheets. I’ve made a science of bed comforts. We use only feather pillows, we invested in a good mattress and I have the softest Italian sheets known to man. They were not cheap. But you can get great, high thread count sheets from Tuesday Morning and TJ Maxx for a fraction of the retail cost. It’s so worth the thought and effort you’ll put into it. Stevie and I HATE to travel because our bed and linens are like BUTTAH.
Invest in a Good Room Fragrance
4. I am so sensitive to smells. I can detect a sour scent a mile away. So, my house is full of home fragrances, mostly diffusers. There are certain ones I like for certain rooms but my favorite for the bedroom is Archipelago’s Havana. You can buy it here.
I do still have some candles but due to family allergies, I don’t use them very much. Good quality diffusers like this are so worth it because they put out a lot of fragrance and last forEVER. I’ve had the one in my bedroom for 6 months and it’s not even 1/3 gone. You’ll be addicted to this Havana scent! Just between you and me, I also spray a tiny little bit of my own perfume on the linens before I make up the bed. Did I mention I’m very influenced by smells? I use Tocca’s Cleopatra. It’s todiefor.
Okay, that’s a good start. Let me know the state of your bedroom and what little changes you could make to make it beautiful and inspiring for the one you love!
31 Days to Hospitality::Day 9 Hospitality begins in the bedroom
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here. This is day 9 in a 31 days series on hospitality. Start from the beginning here!
Don’t worry. This is a family blog. I’m keeping it on the up and up.
But really, I’m convinced that it all begins right here.
In this bed, in this room, with this relationship.
The very person you love the most is the hardest one to love sometimes.
They often fall to last on the list. We cook the best meals and wear the best clothes for someone else.
We clean the house and get out the best dishes when company is coming.
And it’s time to reorder ourselves.
This person should come first; this person with whom I share my bed and my struggle.
I should make it my business to know what he likes and what he doesn’t.
I should make it my life’s mission to serve him, above all others.
Wanna know why America is in such wretched shape? We’ve lost the order of things.
“Things fall apart,” as the poet says. “The centre cannot hold.”
We kill ourselves and spend our last dime to make our children rotten but we’ve forgotten that it all hinges on this bed, and our holding it sacred.
See him with new eyes and study him. How can you help him? How can you ease his burden? How can you make him laugh?
Stop keeping score and just love and serve him.
You know him best so this won’t be hard for you.
Make him see that you hold this relationship in the highest regard.
Hospitality starts here. In this room. With this man.
The strength of our love for others depends on what happens here.
May the centre hold and may the best be full of ‘passionate intensity.‘
Love him well.
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“I will love with urgency, but not with haste.”
From The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.