the 5 most important things about decorating!

So, my precious friend and neighbor stopped me today as Jim and I were walking our dog for a short break from planting flowers... all of this is to get ready for a shower for Holly's dear friend and college roomate, Carey Strawbridge! We are so excited for her and are having so much fun preparing for the shower on Saturday!. Anyway, Sandy (my friend!) is always the one that says yes to everything and then I feel extremely guilty!!! She is soooo good at it as well!! She leads a young mom's bible study, always helps with our church's Christmas outreach, The Caroline House.... and always looks like life is perfect!!!! Of course, I know them well enough to know their faults... and I will NOT go into them right now on the grounds that her husband is a lawyer.... and a very good one at that!!! In fact.... he bears a striking resemblance to my favorite actor.... oh gosh, whats his name??? Nicolas Cage!! anyway.... we won't go there!!! In all seriousness, Sandy is one of those people that you can't help but look up to and admire! Nothing seems to raddle her and her house is gorgeous and we all covet it and she always has on the cutest clothes and has the 3 most beautiful daughters!!!! Ok.... yes I am jealous... obviously!!!! However.... I'm not jealous for the reasons you might think! I'm jealous for the time that she spends serving the Kingdom! For working at Restoration Academy... for leading a Young Mom's Bible Study... For always being calm, cool and collected.... for being the wife that we would all strive to model. She stopped me today and asked for my 5 top decorating tips!!! WOW!!!! I was surprised... and yet I own an Antiques Shop and have for the past 11 years.... I had a decorating business with my best friend for several years before that!!!! So decorating has been in my blood for a long time! Hopefully, we are also cultivating relationships with our customers along the way... that is my goal for sure!!!! All of that to say.. here are the 5 tips she was asking for !!!! Hope they help!!!!!

1-NEVER, under any circumstance settle for anything less than what you truly want!!! In the end... if you buy something to make do... you won't like it in the end and you will end up spending more in the long run!!

2- If possible, meet with an experienced designer and make a "plan". Set your goals... draw out the furniture on your plan and literally, check them off as you get them! I promise... it works!!! I kept my plan with me for about 20 years and truly checked them off!!! One piece of furniture at a time!!!

3- Never turn down "hand me downs"! I know that sounds silly... but I can't tell you the times I wish I had "yes!" we want that! If you don't like it, you can always paint it! Plus it means something in the end to have a piece of furniture or a knick knack from your parents or grandparents! I went through my house tonight and literally....only 2 rooms in our house DON'T have something in them that we "aquired" from our parents or grandparents~ and I LOVE that!!!

4- Invest in special pieces.... if you love antiques... take the time and effort to research them and purchase just one special piece that you will remember! For me, its an English Armoire that I bought from Bridge's Antiques on layaway! And it was in her sale room!!! It is still my favorite piece we own today!!!!

5-NEVER, EVER.... hide purchases from your husband!!! I've truly never understood this... and Sandy may not want me to say this!! ha ha!! But I truly mean it... if you aren't on the same board in decorating or alotting your money for the things that you love as well.... then.... don't do it!!! Don't hide purchases!!!!! Nothing bothers me more than wives that come in with their "own" money! For the Love!!!!! Aren't we suppose to be one?? This is a very hard thing for me... my husband is an angel.... so forgive me if I sound self righteous! But the last thing a marriage needs to worry about is decorating a home!!!

6- Ok... If Sandy doesn't like that one.... don't fall for the "latest" trends! Old trends always come back! If you can't afford to keep up with "Jones" THEN DON'T!!!!!!!!!!!!! Decorate the way YOU love!!! Its YOUR house and your family will grow up with precious memories of their mommy doing things the way she liked them!!! For me... its fresh flowers all the time in my kitchen!!!! It makes me happy!!! Therefore... it makes Jim happy!!! Need i say more?? ha ha!! Publix.... 3 bouquets for $12.oo? Hello!!! And I always just need 2 for my vase! Even better!!! Anyway, you get my drift... create your own special memories in decorating! From fresh flowers to fresh towels every day in your children's bathrooms! Turn the lamps on in each child's bedroom as well as in every room of your house in the afternoons! Thats the sort of thing that turns a house into a Home! And isn't that what we are striving for??? We want our kids to have memories of 'HOME!" To this day... I turn on every light in the living room, den, kitchen, sunroom... but especially in Miller's bedroom! I want him to feel welcome every afternoon when he walks in tired and worn out from football!!! He never comments on it.. and guess what!!! I"M GLAD!!! Its expected!!! He's used to it!!! It makes him feel like he is home!!! And you know what Dorothy says..... "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!" and she was and is so right!!!! That's my number one tip...... Make your family feel like your house is a home!!!!!