Seasonal Inspiration

Meaningful Thanksgiving Activities

Lisa

That won’t scare away your guests!

Oh, Thanksgiving—quickly becoming the speed bump holiday before Christmas.  But we still need you!

How fitting that we focus on gratitude as the year draws to a close (and looming Christmas lists threaten even the most-balanced person’s sanity).

Gratitude requires some intention to draw it out; it requires purpose, planning, and preparation.  However, it’s tricky to present people with something meaningful, without it feeling forced. So, I’ve gathered four activities that are simple to prepare and easy to engage in.  Check out my YouTube video for details.

Meaningful Thanksgiving Activities (That won’t scare off your guests!)

Caution:  Consider one, or, at the most, two possibilities.  Your guests shouldn’t feel held hostage by your plan.  Evoking gratitude in others is about presenting the opportunity and then leading the way, which means some flexibility and “holding loosely” is important.  I speak from hard-won experience!

And while we’re talking about thanks—Thank You for reading and watching!

 

 

Autumn, Seasonal Inspiration

A Spookilicious Halloween

Lisa

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has such potential for bringing out the kid in us.  Join in the fun with these ideas:

1.  Spider Parade:  This creepy trail of spiders startled my own family (even though I’ve done this before)  So, that was a dollar well spent!

 

 

2.  Add some eerie to existing elements:  Most of the year, Beethoven adds some dignity to the family bookshelf.  With the addition of some funky glasses, he becomes “vintage spooky.” 

The versatile apothecary dish joins the haunted fun when filled with plastic bones and moss. This display is mostly filled with year-round accessories, like the large book and various candle holders.  The strictly Halloween-themed additions are few, small (ie. requires little storage), and inexpensive choices.  If you like the spooky globes, find the tutorial from Flamingo Toes here. 

 

 

3.  Add holiday fun to unexpected places.  This adorable teddy turned bathroom attendant is a light-hearted surprise for guests.

 4.  Make some ghostly snacks, like these Cookie Ghosts & Mummies:  Check out my YouTube video for complete instructions.

Enjoy!  Hope your Halloween is “Spookilicious!”

Home Life

Make Home a Refuge: Create an OK Place

Lisa

Life is hard sometimes, isn’t it?

What a beautiful thing it is to have a place that envelops you and provides a refuge from the big bad world out there.  To make this value a reality, create an “OK Place.”

What’s an OK Place?

It’s a little niche of real estate that communicates to your heart and mind that, “Indeed. Everything is going to be OK.

It’s hard to access that truth while flying around, putting out fires.  Often, we need a safe place to just sit and absorb our present circumstances before we can engage with it.  Take a breath, let your soul catch up with reality, and then head back into the fray knowing, “OK.  I can do this.”

A favorite chair, a pile of cushions, or a corner of the couch– everyone needs an “OK Place.”

What are the essentials of an OK Place?

  1.  A Landing Spot

You need a landing spot for your beverage of choice (facing the world requires hydration!) and a place for your inspiration of the moment– a book, a magazine, favorite photos, an I-pad, etc.  Pull up a side table, use the end of a shelf, a sturdy stack of books or vintage luggage, a small chair, even a tree stump (bottom left picture)– almost anything can be pressed into service.  Your landing spot supports you by providing a home for whatever tools that moment requires.

2.  A Cozy Blanket

Akin to swaddling newborns, a cozy blanket communicates comfort, safety, and shelter in a small, but powerful, way.  The more senses you can minister to (in this case touch), the greater impact your OK Place can have on your well being.

So, go identify your OK Place.  If you don’t already have a place you gravitate to, create one.  If you do have one, equip it with the essentials.

Make your home a refuge by equipping it to serve you well!