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The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

November 1, 2011

{home} Master Bedroom Inspiration Board

One of my goals for my 27th year was to focus on our master bedroom and create a peaceful “oasis”.  And while I don’t really buy into the idea that our room will magically become a getaway from the kids (um, I have three boys!), my hope is that I can transform it from a room I tolerate to a room I adore.  Does that make any sense?

I’ve been going back and forth in which direction I want to go.  I blame Pinterest and too many amazing ideas!  However, I did give myself a few parameters:

1. Big pieces must stay.  As much as I would love a king-sized upholstered headboard, it’s just not in the budget right now.  It’s also a good lesson on working with what you’ve got and being content with what you have.  
2. Spend the least amount of money as possible.  This has much to do with my personality: it’s all in the hunt!  I want to work my creative muscles and search for just the right items that match the picture in my head.  It may take time, but like I said, I love the hunt!
3. Add items that have meaning and value.  Favorite quotes and pieces of the life we’ve made together.  I’d really love to add some of that to our room. 

Here are some of my pictures I’m using as inspiration for our master bedroom:

 This is the paint color I’m leaning towards: Gull Wing Gray.  Blue/Gray.  Moody, but not to dark.

Left, Right

 I have dark bedroom furniture, so this was one of the only pictures I could find that matched my room.  I like the contrast between the dark wood, blue walls, and white bedding.

Left, Right

 Still undecided about lamps.  I like the looks of both the white ceramic base and the antiqued mercury glass.  We’ll see what Homegoods has…I’m sure that will help me in the decision making!


Left, Right

I love the gallery wall on the right and we have the perfect space for one in our room.  Stay tuned tomorrow…I’m going to share a couple of ideas I’ve been creating!  Inexpensive and sentimental – love it!

What do you think?  Do you have any more ideas for me?  Is there a paint color that would look better with dark furniture?  

October 31, 2011

{learning} Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  Can you believe October is almost over already? 
I sure love the Fall. 
I love the chilly evenings, the new sweaters and jeans, and warm beverages. 
I love the gorgeous trees, all decked out in red, orange and yellow. 
I love how on a windy day, it seems as if it is raining leaves all around our home.   
I love apple picking and going to the pumpkin patch. 

So it probably comes as no surprise that my boys love this season too.  I wanted to record a few pictures of our Fall Unit activities before it turns to winter!  (This weekend, we had our first taste of frigid temperatures!  Brrr!)

These are the books we read:

I look forward to adding to our collection throughout the years.  Do you have any favorites?   

October 28, 2011

{giving} Sponsor a Child through Compassion

Her name is Peace.  14 years old and from Kenya.  She stared at me from my computer screen, gorgeous and serious.  I knew she was the one.

See, I woke up this morning with such an intense sense of gratitude.  Gratitude for my home, for my husband and his job, for my healthy children.  And then a quote I stumbled on this week came to mind:

“When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her.  It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.”
– Mother Teresa

Powerful, right?  And humbling too.  I think it has something to do with my “Fall Cleaning”.  Bags and bags of unneeded clothes, toys and dishes are sitting in my dining room right now, waiting to be sent off to Goodwill.  I look and I can’t help but ask myself…Why all the excess?

Funny how God prompts you in the silence.  In those early (and I mean early…I’ve got three crazy early birds in this house!) hours of the morning, I knew exactly what I must do…so I clicked on the Compassion website, just to take a peek.  And I found her.  We share the same birthday.  She is almost the same age as my sister.  Instantly, I felt the nudge.  Peace.  My sweet sister halfway across the globe.

I don’t have all the answers.  I still don’t know what is “just enough” and what borders on “too much”.  But I do know that I want to be attached to people, not things.  So maybe today I made the first step.  Maybe Peace will show me the way.
 

October 27, 2011

{i want to remember} – 10/27/11

Sometimes life gets so busy that I forget to notice and appreciate the little things.  Here are some of the things I am loving this week:

I WANT TO REMEMBER… how J “shares” his food with me.  It’s usually him taking food out of his mouth, but hey!  Sharing is sharing, right?

I WANT TO REMEMBER… how much fun we are having with school.  Just when I think everything I’ve taught has gone in one ear and out the other, M will say, “Hey Mamma, there are Chinese kids on Sesame Street.  Just like in Ping!  I wonder if they are going to the Great Wall of China!”  (True Story!)  My Mamma heart soars with pride.

I WANT TO REMEMBER… how the boys are really into forts right now.  Anything can be a fort: beds, the table, even J’s high chair!  I think my tentative Christmas gift for them just became permanent.

I WANT TO REMEMBER… the lessons learned from this blog post.  Such a powerful post…definitely a must read. 

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Less Materialism, More Intentional Living

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