After all of the crazy winter weather our country has been experiencing from Texas to all corners of the US, I think it’s safe to say we are ALL ready for the Spring season! It is this time of year in Michigan when the days seem to be getting a little longer, and the sun is trying so hard to peek out, that I really begin craving Spring… to see the snow begin to melt away, the trees start to bud, and the tulips unearth into to their full glory… Spring will be here before we know it, I can just feel it! In that spirit, I am sharing some pretty Spring items in my Jaime Lyn Amazon Shoptoday… everything from Spring and Easter home decor, to Spring inspired fashion and accessories, to gardening tools, to other fabulous pretty pastel pieces… all for you to enjoy in this next season. Shop ALL of these items and more at my Amazon Shop, under “Think Spring”…I’m always adding to my shop, so make sure you follow me there on Amazon, so you can always see the latest products I’ve prepared for you to browse and shop…
To easily Shop each item above individually, use the links below…
I hope you found some pretty Spring pieces to help your spirit ‘spring’ into the new season! Make sure you are signed up for my Email list here on my website, so you always see my new posts!
And before you go… did you see my last post about my stay at the Magnolia House in Waco, Texas?!… if not, you can read it here.
Also, have you followed me on Instagram?… I share more daily inspiration from my own home, life & style there.. I’d love for you to follow me!
Hi all, I hope everyone is staying well and healthy! I am back home to cold and blustery Michigan from my quick trip to Magnolia in Waco, Texas this last week. My husband and I went out because I happened to come across availability at The Magnolia House in McGregor, TX… one of Chip & Joanna Gaines’ bed & breakfast homes they filmed on Fixer Upper… they have 3 of these vacation rentals available for guests to stay in, but the Magnolia House has always been by far, my favorite! so when I came upon the 2 nights available in the first week of February, I jumped on it. I had been wanting to go back to Magnolia since my first trip in 2018, to see all the new & recent additions they have built at the Silos, but I knew I wanted to wait until I had the opportunity to stay at The Magnolia House when I went again.. so all worked out perfectly and it was fate! 😉 Once my trip was booked, I also scheduled a few business meetings for my Heirloom Grove business, so my trip ended up being a little work & a little play vaca!
We arrived to Waco and the house was not quite ready yet, so we drove around and found where Chip and Joanna and their family live, and also where President George W. Bush is retired, which was not too far away… obviously we could not get too close to either of their homesteads, but it was really fun to see where they each call ‘home.’
When we were finally able to check into the Magnolia House, I was just a little excited…(if you follow me on my Instagram, you can see my reaction in my highlight stories when I walked in the door…) The best way I can describe my experience, is the equivalent if I had told my 8 year old daughter she could sleep in Cinderella’s castle in Disney World for two nights.. this was my Disney World y’all!
Yes, I am a Fixer Upper fan… it comes from my shared love of their cozy, farmhouse, family-oriented, timeless style they bring to their redo’s, and the relate-ability I feel watching their husband/ wife dynamic of not only living and raising a family together, but also working together day in and day out on their shared passions and business. I am always so inspired by their work ethic, creativity, and values, and feel even more inspired when I visit Magnolia!
So… let’s get into the details of this beautiful Magnolia House… first, how do you go about booking it? I booked right on their Magnolia website… it shows availability and all of the varied rates (weekday, weekends) and the specifics of each of their three vacation homes – how many bathrooms, how many the houses sleep, etc… The whole house was furnished with everything we could possibly need.. from washing machine to coffee creamer and everything in between. We had a property manager who was an absolute gem to work with… she emailed me a few times before our stay, and texted me throughout our stay, making sure we were accommodated with everything we needed… such hospitality!
I would love to describe the house in detail, and hopefully you’ve all seen the episode when they fix this house up on the show, and their folks all come over for a holiday dinner… if you haven’t seen that episode, you can download & watch it here (I watched it again, while IN the house….and talk about surreal!!) Instead of describing the house room by room, in detail, I know pictures are worth a thousand words, and so I literally walked the house for over an hour and took so many pictures for you all… I will just say this quickly to describe the house…. shiplap, shiplap, & more shiplap, natural wood floors, black iron, subway tile, cement countertops, architectural corbels, antique furnishings & light fixtures, textiles, and the most layered compfy bedding you’ll ever sleep in… for the rest, take a look for yourself and oooh and ahhh as you scroll along…
The house was an absolute joy to stay in… so homey, and I just felt like I should pinch myself the entire time I was there to make sure I was really staying there. The house had a porch on every side of the house, and the whole property was cared for immaculately. The house is actually in McGregor, a quiet little town, which is about 25 minutes from Waco.. and actually, one of the other vacation homes they own and rent out, The Carriage House, is a stone’s throw away from the Magnolia House, in it’s backyard… we lucked out royally when the group of ladies who were staying for the same 2 days as us in The Carriage House, happened to arrive at the same time as we did…. so of course, we swapped houses for a half hour or so, so we could each tour both houses.. I will share my glimpse into The Carriage House in a future post… but it was such a sweet surprise to get the chance to see inside The Carriage House as well, what a dream!
You can see The Carriage House in the back…
Our first night, my husband and I were whipped from traveling and I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house, so we went to the local grocery store and picked up some appetizer finger foods and some great wine and made ourselves an easy dinner at home… let me just say, preparing food in Joanna’s kitchen was an experience in and of itself… I think I giggled the whole time… we then snuggled up in the living room and watched a few episodes of Fixer Upper (because it just seemed appropriate and all their episodes happened to be organized and stored in a digital DVR folder they provide for their guests…seriously, they think of everything!)
The next day my hubby and I did venture out for the day, starting first at Magnolia Table for a 10 am reservation they provide their house guests (the ‘breakfast’ portion of their bed & breakfast) and then we hit the Silos to check out the Magnolia Market at the Silos, Silos Baking Co, Magnolia Seed & Supply Co., the iconic food trucks, and all that is new at Magnolia… the Shops at Magnolia, the beautiful church, woofle ball field, Magnolia Press Coffee Shop, and the Magnolia Home furniture store (which I completely forgot was new there too… so that was a welcome surprise!) I will blog about all of these areas to experience at the Silos, in a near future blog post… so stay tuned for that. I had been to Magnolia before in 2018, so I’d already seen half of the complex… but if you are going for the first time I’d give yourself 2 days at Magnolia so you can really relax and take it all in without feeling rushed… and another day or two as well to take in all else there is to shop and see in Waco.. if I had had another day of my trip, I would have spent an entire day just relaxing at home in the house! I’ll share about all the places to shop, dine, and stay in Waco too, in a future post… soon!
I hope you enjoyed this post about my stay at the Magnolia House, a bucket list experience for me, for sure!! If you are interested in staying here, or any of their other Magnolia-owned Fixer Upper vacation rentals… check out their booking informations here, and plan your trip!…. a romantic getaway, or split the cost with a group of friends or family for a fun girls trip or couples getaway!!… you will be so glad you did!
I’ll be in touch with more about Magnolia at the Silos, and other things to do in Waco, and my sneak peek at The Carriage House.. all in future posts…so make sure you are signed up for my Email list so you don’t miss any of my new posts! …. oh 😉 and I am going to be doing some Magnolia Giveaways soon – on my Instagram, and one special one just for my Email list followers! Stay tuned! Until then, message me or comment below if you have any questions about the Magnolia House or my trip.. I’d be so happy to help you as you plan your fun trip to Waco!
Hi friends, I hope you are enjoying your new year so far! If you were like me, you began making plans for 2021 the minute you watched the ball drop at midnight… travel plans, new year resolutions, personal and professional goals you’ve set for yourself… Having plans is a great thing! They help us focus our time and energy effectively on achieving what we aspire to do, and it give us something to be excited about for all that is to come. I have always found that the more time I allow myself to ‘plan’, the smoother my life goes, the more I achieve, and the more I enjoy my productive time and down time. While no plan is fool-proof and we must stay flexible to change, and open to spontanaety too, I really believe that the mantra (my mom always told me) that”failing to plan, is planning to fail” really does hold true in our day to day lives.
Today I thought I’d share some ways I plan in my own life as we continue moving into this new year… ways that help me to multi-task and manage my family, businesses and home. As we can all relate, the juggle struggle is real… so any ways that we can make life easier on ourselves, the better!
Use a Planner!
I am a huge proponent of using a Planner… and I spend a bit of time each year selecting which planner to use because the book means so dang much to me… it is my bible of sorts as I use it to keep track of literally everything and everyone in my life.. schedules, appointments, work deadlines, special occasions, trip details… everything! When I have a lot going on it can be therapeutic even, to get everything off of my mind and down on paper, organized in one consistent place… my saving grace.
Target has a wide selection of tried-and-true planners I love, and I have used Erin Condren planners as well and love hers! But this year I tried a new planner by Paper Panduh and am loving it! The soft colors, subtle graphics, pretty fonts, and weekly layout design all spoke to me. I like that there is a bit of space next to the typical lines for me to get a little creative if I have time… using stickers or having space to write more notes. I am a visual person and like to pretty things up, plus I keep all my planners for years to come, as I like to think one day I’ll be in my 80s, rocking quietly in my granny chair looking back thru all of my old planners, remembering the years of my life (& wondering how the heck I did it all some 40 years earlier)… and I’ll want the books to be pretty… so I kind of do it for my future 80 year old self too.. 😉
Lists!
I take list-making to the extreme probably… just ask my husband… he LOVES getting lists from me. But I picked up this trait from my own mom and can say for certain this organizational genetic trait has definitely been passed down to my daughters… as they list out everything!… So let’s break down my list-making habit a bit further…
Daily Lists…
Each morning I start my day either at my work office desk or my home office on the weekends, with a cup of coffee and a blank piece of notepad paper to write out all my list of to-dos for the day… emails and calls I need to make, work-related tasks I have to complete, meetings I may have… all the way through to evening with kids activities, home chores… you get the drift. As the day goes along, I satisfactorally (is that a word?) cross things off…and what is not crossed off, I carry over to the next morning’s list. These daily lists keep me on task with what is priority, and helps me not forget anything major, and stay productive all day long. One word to the wise though… don’t over-list yourself, because it can feel very disappointing when you only complete half a list because what you planned to accomplish in one day would realistically take 3 days to get all done…so be practical and patient with yourself.
These pretty lists are designed by my daughters and I’s company, Kai Kai Brai – you can shop them here!
A Journal of Master Lists…
So this may seem like taking list making to the extreme but I find it really helpful to keep a journal of all my bigger project lists in one centralized notebook. I take a Journal and divide out all of these major parts of my life into ‘categories’ of sorts… so I have a few pages dedicated to each business I own and run, a few pages for family things, a few pages for home projects, etc. Then, when I think of something that needs done…. like, schedule my son’s senior pictures (cue mom’s-ugly-cry)… I write that down under the family pages… if I remember I need to call the pool company to open up the pool in the Spring, I write that under the ‘home project’ pages… that way I don’t have 3000 random things wrote down from work, to kids, to home all mixed in on one overwhelming, never-ending list, but rather strategically placed in their proper categorized lists… (Did I mention I am type-A??… moving on)…
I’ve used plain-jane college-ruled notebooks for this, and I’ve used pretty journals, or even the back notes section of my yearly planner works well too… I do find that the prettier, the better and the more apt I am to use it – kind of like when you have cute work-out clothes, it encourages you to actually want to put them on… and work out… it’s a bit of mind-trickery, but it works!
Set Tasks for Set Days
Another planning strategy that is really helpful for me, is I set certain tasks for certain days each week. For example, I do laundry on Sundays and Monday nights.. I wash my car on Fridays, I have a cleaner who comes to my home every-other Thursday, so I pre-clean my house on Wednesday nights (this… this is something I should work on…why do I pre-clean my house before a cleaner comes?… because I don’t want my cleaner to see my house dirty… everyone has their quirks) 😉 moving on… Planning for the same tasks on the same days/nights (within reason when things come up) is helpful for those of us who are creatures of habit and like schedules.. and it can lessen the burden too as you come upon things that you see needs done… like walking past a huge pile of laundry on a busy Thursday night… instead of feeling overwhelmed that I should be doing that pile of laundry right at that moment… my mind’s eye just remembers – oh, that task isn’t for me to tackle until Sunday…
Meal Planning
If there is one thing I have realized is a never-ending responsibility of mine… is that my family needs fed… like every day… multiple times a day… forever. I decided for my own sanity, to break it down in this way… Sundays is a big family brunch or dinner. Mondays – I cook a meal at home. Tuesdays – I cook another meal at home. Wednesdays – I put dinner in the crock pot in the morning so it’s ready for a busy night. Thursday is leftovers night (or very easy dinner (tomato soup & grilled cheese… cereal… let’s be real.. we all do it!) because by Thursday nights I am tired and over it! Fridays we eat out or order in, to celebrate the week!… and Saturdays are simple Saturdays (or fend-for-yourself… aka – mom’s got the day off!) Each morning before I walk out the door, I look at what I have planned for dinner that night and do any prep that needs done hours beforehand… like get meat out to unthaw, marinate, or prep the crock pot… when I get home that night, I am ready to cook!
I meal plan for 2 weeks worth of dinners and only get groceries every/other week (twice a month), with the occasional stop for bread and milk on the off-weeks… I keep my meal planning lists on my phone’s Notes page, because that’s where I also keep my running grocery list (as my phone is always on me and I remember things we need at the most random times and places.)
A Few Other Tips
Those are the key points of my daily and weekly planning tips. A few other things I do, is in January I make all the annual doctor and dentist appointments for my family for the year, book our travel destinations or at least plan for which weeks we are going to travel, and decide which house projects we are going to tackle for the year.. and then write them all down on their respective lists and in my planner… 😉 My only other recommendation is to have a “command central” space in your home… maybe that is a home office, an area of your bedroom, or a desk space in your kitchen, or even if you are tight on space, a portable canvas tote bin… some place where you can keep all the planning things of your life, together… school calendars, travel confirmations, notes, your lists, planner…
Some of this is pretty standard stuff friends, but sometimes it helps to create a system of sorts that works for you, that you can follow each day, week, and year as a guide to help yourself through life, staying organized, on track, accomplished, and well…sane.
I hope my planning tips were helpful for you! Like I said, I’d love to hear how you plan and organize your day-to-day as well… so comment on this post or feel free to message me!
Wishing you all a happy, fulfilling, beautiful year that energizes your spirit and brings peace to your soul!
Hi friends, I am not sure about you, but I can not believe we are already through half of our first month of 2021! I hope the new year is treating you well and there are days of hope and happiness in your year ahead. I just got home to Michigan on Monday from our two-week vacation to Cape Coral, Florida so this last week has been busy catching up on life. Before I got too far into the new year though, I wanted to share with you about our trip to Cape Coral to celebrate the new year… It proved to be the perfect time for our family to escape to warmer weather for some rest and relaxation as we wrapped up 2020 and welcomed in 2021!
If you have never been to Cape Coral Florida, it is a beautiful area in southwest Florida near Fort Myers with over 400 miles of canals that lead to the big water, allowing for countless beautiful homes to be ‘water-front’ properties. We rented a gorgeous home via VRBO, and stayed for two full weeks, from the end of December thru the first week and a half of January. Our home was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath in a quiet neighborhood with the gorgeous canal to the back of the house, nestled among other beautiful homes in the area. Key features were the screened-in pool, outdoor living and kitchen patio area, game room, office, living, kitchen, dining, and laundry room, and came equipped with every amenity we could possibly need for our stay.
We rented two vehicles (we have quite the crew to cart around) and also a boat so we were able to enjoy traveling the endless canals, do some fishing, and take in some day trips by water to Captiva and Sanibel Island where we watched dolphins, walked the beaches, and collected sea shells.
Our home was actually located very close to the Cape Harbour Marina, Restaurants and Shops so this proved ideal to be in short walking distance to enjoy nice dinners, boutique shopping, and the festive feel of the active marina as boats came in and went. I’d definitely recommend Rumrunners there, Fathoms Restaurant, and The French Press. Cape Harbour also has two towers of condos, so if you are not looking to rent an entire home for your stay, this would be a very nice alternative to enjoy this beautiful area of Cape Coral.
Another condo rental area I would highly recommend is the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village… this resort is gorgeous and equipped with restaurants and a spa. We enjoyed Pinchers, a lively and festive seafood dinner spot there at the Westin one evening, known for it’s fresh crab dishes… we devoured this appetizer (a whole meal literally!) to start our meal there.. everything was so delicious!
Other Restaurants besides Rumrunners, The French Press, Fathoms, and Pinchers we also dined at (or ordered in) were Duffy’s Sports Grill, Ford’s Garage, and Moretti’s Italian Grill.
I loved the location of Cape Coral, as it was far enough south that we could really embrace the warmest weather of the Florida climate, while nestled in a place that was a bit more low-key in terms of tourism, yet close enough to places like Sanibel and Captiva Islands to enjoy their beautiful waters and beaches, and also near Fort Myers’ busier, more touristy ocean-front appeal during our stay as well. Cape Coral was the perfect place for us to settle in and enjoy ‘life away from life’ for a couple of weeks, trading in our Michigan snow days for Florida’s palm trees, ocean views, and gorgeous sunsets.
Here’s a few more pictures from the home we stayed in and my family’s trip…
If you are thinking of visiting Cape Coral, or have questions on the particular home we rented…message me.. I’d be happy to give you more info, details, and insight!
I hope to share more of my 2021 travels with you on my blog this year…I already have a few more trips planned and I can’t wait! If you haven’t yet followed me on my social medias, or signed up for my newsletter…I’d love for you to do so today (links & sign-up here on my site) so we can stay in touch!
Happy Travels… & New Year, friends!
Xoxo, Jaime Lyn
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on My Trip to Cape Coral, FLLifestyle
Hi friends, I hope you have had an amazing start to your New Year! I have been enjoying the first couple of weeks in sunny Florida to ring in and begin 2021 and it has been… heaven… more on that trip in a future post. Today, I wanted to share with you some Valentine’s inspiration… because now that Christmas is over, it’s time to get Valentine’s ready! Shop these sweet pieces below I selected, and more on my Amazon Store under “Valentine’s Day.”
#1 Love Pillow Covers // If you follow me, you know my love for pillow covers… such a quick, versatile and affordable way to change up decor each season or holiday using the same pillow inserts and just changing up the decorative covers… they fold up and store away so easy too!
#2 Two Hearts One Love Sign // This cutie sign is a fun way to add a touch of Valentine’s to your home.. think bathroom vanity sink, table top, or a nice little add-in for a Valentine’s gift for the love in your life.
#3 Heart Banners // So many possibilities with these cute heart banners.. 4 total in each order. Perfect for party, to doll up your coffee bar or fireplace mantle, surprise your kiddos on Valentine’s morning with a hanging in their doorway, or to add a little heartfelt spirit to a candlelit dinner night at home on the special holiday.
#4 Prelit Heart Wreath// Take down those winter holiday wreaths and jazz up your front door or an interior door with this adorable red-berry heart wreath, pre-lit and ready to go…this is a ‘top seller!’
#5 Women’s Vday Tshirt // I am ordering this adorable top for the sweet day.. compfy, cute with a leopard print old car, roses & hearts?… Sold!
#6 Valentine Gnomes // Because… why not?! Gnomes are all the rage right now and these adorable little cuties will be a welcoming site in your home.. place them on a foyer table, dessert bar, or even on a Valentine’s Day table scape.
#7 Rose Gold Tableware Set // This set is classy, does not scream Valentine’s Day and can be used for other occasions too which is why I love it… and because rose gold is my spirit color right now. This will make a pretty in pink placed table scape for Valentine’s celebrations.
#8 Heart Waffle Maker // I saved the best for last with this one… because nothing tells your loved ones you really love them, than homemade waffles on Valentine’s morning. I actually always cook up a festive breakfast every Valentine’s complete with heart shaped pancakes (& now waffles), strawberries, whipped cream, heart sprinkles, strawberry milk, and it makes for a fun tradition each year for my family.
These are just a few ideas to prepare you for sweetening up your Valentine’s Day.. you can shop more of my Amazon Valentine picks on my Shop… visit it here!
Happy New Year friends!
Jaime Lyn
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on Valentine’s Day Ready from AmazonLifestyle
Happy Small Business Saturday! A day to really celebrate all of our small businesses and remind us to support these small businesses through the holiday season and into the coming year… if there was ever a year to really get behind all of these small businesses, this is the time!
Today I thought it would be fun to share a few small businesses that are near and dear to my heart… my own family’s small businesses!
First is Heirloom Grove, my ‘seed to skin’ CBD business derived from my family’s own organic farm. I create and carry a full line of Hemp CBD products from CBD bath and body, to CBD pain relief and tinctures. You can learn more about our 3000 acre Michigan organic farm and shop my CBD products at Heirloom Grove!
Second is Kai Kai Brai, a business I own with my 3 young daughters, creating our “Tell Me Anything Shared Journals for Mom & Daughter” and full line of gift and stationary products for women and girls. Learn more about our special business and shop our creative products at Kai Kai Brai!
And last is Country Crops Farmers Market, my 16 year old son’s farmers market business he started when he was just 12 years old and runs in our local hometown. He was just featured on the TV show “Destination Michigan,” you can watch that HERE, he is on about the 13:40 mark. You can also follow him on Facebook here.
If you’d like to support our small businesses, visit our websites and follow our social media accounts. If you own a small business anywhere in the US, I’d love for you to share about your business in the comments below so I and others can follow and support you! If you are a Michigan Small business, please Email Me about what you make or sell… I am planning to feature more Michigan small businesses this coming year!
Shop Small friends today on Small Business Saturday, thru the holidays, and all new year long!
Blessings, Jaime Lyn
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on Our Family Small BusinessesInterior Design
Hi friends, it’s been a bit since I blogged here last but thought it would be fitting today on the first day of deer hunting season in Michigan, to share a fun project my daughters did on an old hunting fort to create their very own girls’ she shed! The fort was originally built by my son for his hunting shack, but after he decided to move his hunting spot to a different location, he gifted over his fort to his sisters… that’s all the girls needed to go to work remaking the interior to become their very own backyard girls’ oasis to escape to!
My oldest daughter Kaitlyn decorated the interior with a boho chic, bohemian style. She painted the interior paneled walls white, re-carpeted the floor and upper loft area, added in a fold-down futon sofa, writer’s desk, leather desk chair, and casual, natural accents to the walls and flat surfaces. Big brother left the girls his TV, mini fridge, space heater, and microwave so their she shed could be comfortable all year long.
The fort is situated behind our home, nestled in an open field with views of our woods. It is a quiet, serene place for the girls to do homework, read, hang out with each other and their friends, swing in the hammocks, even pop popcorn and watch movies, and make lasting memories together.
The girls love coming out to this space to relax… and I really enjoy coming out with them too, it’s such a fun place to escape to and hang out. They spent a lot of days out there this spring during their virtual school days at home during the Covid shut down… helping bring a little change of scenery to those sometimes mundane days.
The space is really cozy and has everything they need to hang out for a few hours during the day, and because it is wired with electricity, they also are able to enjoy cozy evenings too.. snuggled in together with snacks, cold drinks, and games, or movies… so much fun!
I hope you enjoyed a little peek inside the girls she shed! It’s amazing what can be done with a small space and budget, to create a special place to enjoy the simpler things in life, and to make lasting childhood memories together!
Happy Week, friends! Jaime Lyn
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on Teen Girls She ShedInterior Design
Hi all, it’s been awhile since I’ve visited with you all here on my design blog. I have been a busy bee working on some other ventures the past few months, but am excited to reconnect with you here this Memorial weekend. I hope you are all doing well, enjoying yourselves wherever you are, and staying healthy. We are all definitely living through unprecedented times, and as scary as the world can feel sometimes, I pray your home has served you well as a place of solitude and safety, providing comfort and peace during these unpredictable times.
As I’ve spent more time in my home, I realize I am seeing my home a little differently… instead of mainly serving as a pit stop in our comings and goings, it truly has become a place for my family to be together again, to make memories, and enjoy our lives in a simpler, more peaceful way. I am looking at our spaces with fresh eyes, and minimizing all the “stuff” that clutters not only our rooms, but our minds. I am repurposing the uses of my ‘old’ things, instead of running to the stores to buy more ‘new’ things, and I am recreating spaces that serves the purposes of our family being together. Being home more has become the ‘blessing in disguise’ through all of this for my family. It has slowed our lives down a bit, brought us back more so to the basics of what is important, and allowed us the time and reflection to enjoy what it is that truly matters here in our home… the people inside, the memories made here, and the peace and safety that it provides…truly what home should be about.
One area I just finished recreating in our home that has helped serve our slowed-down, family-focused time is a small area of our deck that used to house our drop-in hot tub. We never used the hot tub much with having our pool, so we opted to pull that out and board up the opening…. but then, we had to decide, what to do with the space now?
Above is how the space looked after we boarded up the hot tub opening, restained the deck boards, and I laid my Amazon Rug down, and added some outdoor accent pillows I had on hand, to the built-in bench… but I felt it just needed more. I didn’t want to go out and buy more furniture… I am avoiding being in the stores as much as I can right now, and the thought of putting together new furniture just felt like a daunting task I didn’t want to deal with, so instead I looked around at what I already had. I had recently purchased all new patio cushions for the furniture that is around my pool area, and was about to sell all my ‘old’ cushions on a garage sale site, but instead I decided to reuse them here in this space. I also had quite a few stackable patio chairs that serve us well when we have extra company over, that I could use here too. And… we found thisPropane Fire Pit stored in our pole barn that we had received some time ago (and totally forgot we had!)…. So I pulled that out, and put this all together, and within an hour, the space was done! We now have a nice ‘new’ fire pit oasis on our deck overlooking our pool area, that was all created with things I already had on hand… I just had to pause a moment, and look at my things and my space in a new light, with a fresh perspective of possibilty.
You can take more of a look at this space below…
There you have it… done and ready to enjoy! Happy Memorial Day everyone! If you need me… I will be relaxing by the pool the rest of the weekend!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone! If you are like me, your celebrations are winding down, and you’re beginning to feel a quiet peace come back to your life. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are coming to a close, gifts and Christmas decorations are being stored away, and the time to prepare our homes and lives for a fresh, clean start for the new year are upon us. I really enjoy this time of year with the peace, calm, and hope it brings. My kiddos are off from school and activities, which allows my time to slow down a bit to enjoy a serene opportunity to reflect on the past year, while looking forward with hope and the wonder at the possibilities of new beginnings. The new year gives a unique opportunity to look at our lives, family, home, work, faith, and relationships through fresh lenses. My surroundings, I realize affect a lot how I feel… if my family is healthy and happy, my home is pleasing and orderly, my work is positive and inspiring, My soul feels happy, content, and peaceful.
Today I thought as we close out the Christmas season, as we pack away our festive decor, I would give you some inspiration on how to decorate your space for this new season of Winter. I know over the course of the next few months, we will surely be getting our fair share of snow, and cold, frigid temperatures. I want my home to feel like a refuge, a place for my family to come, curl up, and enjoy the warmth, safety, and cozy solitude of being home. I thought I’d share a few ways you can create a cozy Winter spirit in your home. Even though the Christmas lights are stored away, we can still very much continue the cozy, warm, ambiance in our homes through the Winter season…
Winter Decorating Inspiration:
Cozy Throws and Winter Pillows
Nothing says curl up on the sofa with a good book, than having casual, cozy throw blankets and snuggly pillows in your space. Place these on your sofa or chairs, in a decorative basket, on the lower shelf of an accent table, or load up your bed… Invite your family to feel comfortable snugging in with these items, close at their fingertips, while creating a cozy look to your space.
Ambiance of Candlelight, Lanterns & Lamps
Even though the twinkle of Christmas lights are packed away, we can still create a warm ambiance in our homes with candles, and low lit lamps. I love decorating with lanterns too… placing a battery operated candle inside and placing them on the floor, adorning my fireplace, or decorating an accent table… dim the lights at night, and light these cozy pieces to create a warm, snuggle-in feel to your home.
Winter Greens & Natural Elements
Bring out the winter greens and natural elements with green garlands, wreaths, picks, and candle accents… add in pine cones, fresh cut wood, and other earthy pieces to bring a bit of the outside season inside to your cozy home.
White and natural colors and textures
Winter is white to many, so layer in these natural colors and textures with varying elements… white candles, white bark wood, natural table linens with a bit of sparkle, white dishes…. and then add that pop of color with wood tones, tin, or winter green accents for a pretty, natural, winter look.
Winter inspired signs, rugs, wreaths, and decorative accents
Take down the Santa sign, and place artwork with a winter scene, have a “Let it Snow” rug welcome guests at your doorstep, cozy up your coffee bar with a black and white plaid and snowflake accents… so many ways to add subtle winter inspired pieces to your decor, making your home feel festive for the season.
** All Images & photo credits can be found on my Pinterest Page **
I hope these ideas have helped to give you a little inspiration to how you can transform your space for Winter, making your home a cozy, warm place of peace during the cold, blustery season.
You can view even more of my Winter home inspiration on my Pinterest page and on my Amazon Shop… check them out & follow me for more inspiration this year.
And make sure you are following me on Instagram, where I will be sharing a lot more of my own home this winter, and you are signed up for my Email list (on my home page), where I send out more home and lifestyle inspiration in my monthly newsletter!…don’t miss it!
Happy New Year Friends… wishing you all the joy, peace, health, and happiness of a brand New Year & season!
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on Winter Home InspirationInterior Design
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope you have a wonderful holiday planned with your family and friends. I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, and am enjoying the smells of turkey filling my home this morning. I snapped a few pictures of my dining room table all set for our afternoon Thanksgiving dinner, and thought I’d share with you!
I love setting a nice table, and changed up my Thanksgiving tablescape from last year’s table (see that tablescape here)… This year, I created my tablescape from a beautiful table runner I found at the Farmgirl Flea Market this Fall, then added in these beautiful blue, green, & creamy plates, with white chargers that coordinated perfectly with my runner, then added in festive fall stems, blue pumpkin picks, and coordinating pumpkins for my centerpiece, and finished off with crystal glassware to fancy up my look a bit. I really like this neutral, cooler color scheme with little touches of warmth, for a change to the traditional Thanksgiving table looks I have done in the past… and of course I always finish off with candlelight to make our space feel warm and inviting for my family to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner together. Take a closer look at more of my Thanksgiving table below…
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at my Thanksgiving table today! I am so thankful for all of you who follow my Blog and support my passion here at Jaime Lyn Life by Design! Happy Holidays, friends!!
by Jaime Lyn | Comments Off on Happy Thanksgiving & My Dinner Tablescape
