It is Friday swap and share for our online study of A Life That Says Welcome. Before we share our decorating ideas and links, let’s hear from today’s guest, the lovely Joy Forney.
Here she is!
Hi! I’m Joy from Grace Full Mama and I’m so glad to be here today! I am the wife of a missionary pilot and mama to 5 and we live in Indonesia.
I love hospitality….in my head.
Early in the week, I am feeling full of energy and ready to invite people over for fellowship on the weekends.
And then…. the weekend comes and I wonder, What was I thinking?
The house is a mess, I am tired, and all I feel like doing is getting in my jammies with a good book. It’s in those moments of exhaustion that I need a pick me up both physically and mentally so that I can truly enjoy the company that I have invited!
Here are my quick tips to prepare for company, especially when you are feeling a bit run-down:
1. Prepare the day before. Is there anything I can do ahead of time to make it easier? Can I make cookies ahead or prep any ingredients?
2. Plan a simple yet fun dinner. One of my favorite go-to meals is BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Coleslaw, and Baked Beans. Just throw 4-5 chicken breasts in the crockpot with a bottle of BBQ sauce on low for about 5 hours {it will make your house smell great!}, shred the chicken, and serve on rolls. Simple and tasty!
3. Take a nap. Schedule a little down time before your company comes to rest a little so you have full energy to welcome other into your home.
4. Light some scented candles, turn on some soothing music, put some flowers in a vase, and turn down the lights! Ambience will help you as well as your guests relax and enjoy the evening!
5. Relax and have fun! Now your guests are here and you are ready to embrace them with love and welcome!
Great ideas. Thanks Joy!
Now, Joy has a giveaway for one of you; a $25 Target gift card to buy candles, music or a decorative item.
The winner will be chosen at random from one of you who shares a decorating tip today. Do you have a simple idea? A homemade craft? A link to a clever centerpiece or do-it-yourself project? A way to use old items for a new purpose?
Leave your idea in the comment section. Or leave a link with a clever idea you have stumbled upon on the web. (don’t leave more than one link per comment or my site will reject it)
Or, if you have a blog, use the link up below to showcase your blog post here with your decorating piece. I can’t wait to see your ideas!
Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for more encouragement.
I am a college student, and I have to think out-of-the-box when it comes to showing hospitality to friends, since I live in a dorm. One simple thing I do to welcome others to my room is to set out a glass bowl of candies- I know it’s such a small thing but it brings a smile to my friends’ faces
Love this list! and it’s right on time, house guests this weekend! and then we all pack up and head for Field Retreat (of which I am helping plan and organize!). overwhelming but freeing to know God is pleased when we open our homes and people don’t really care as much as we think they do about dust
Something as simple as small pitchers filled with flowers makes my heart sing a little brighter.
Fill a trifle bowl with seasonal decorations whether they be from the store or from God’s bountiful items in nature. This is an easy centerpiece for the table.
One of my favorite DIY finds for the fall – the twig vase:
http://www.thewonderforest.com/2011/10/make-vase-out-of-sticks-tutorial-time_18.html
As a bonus, the kids love to collect the twigs, and they have no problem emptying a Nesquick or oatmeal container for us to use!
I love having fresh flowers displayed for guest in my home.
Sometimes it can be expensive to have people over for dinner if finances are tight. I’ve found that inviting others over for dessert and coffee can be just as effective and not as expensive. We enjoy opening up our home to friends and new people alike and this can be a great way to do so on a limited budget.
I collect “Polish Pottery” (www.mckessonhouseonline.com) and not only use it as my everyday dishes, but also use it at our kitchen desk to store coupons, catch change, corral business cards. It’s a pretty way to bring color and organization to a space in which we eat and spend time with guests.
I collect polish pottery too and use it everyday for my dishes and for entertaining. Everyone loves them and are surprised I’m willing to use it all the time. My theory is “my family are my most important guests so they deserve my ‘best’ dishes too!”
At this time of the year, I like to take branches from pussy willow bushes and place them in a vase. These branches require absolutely NO upkeep – no water or sunlight! They make a beautiful spring centerpiece that lasts all season! And if you don’t have any pussy willow bushes around you, most grocery stores or flower shops carry bunches of them for very affordable prices
P.S. Joy, I just LOVE reading your blog… thank you for blessing me with your words and ideas!
Add music, let guests choose their K-cup flavor for coffee, scented candles, fresh flowers.
The hit in my home when it comes to hospitality is my tea basket. I have a rustic looking basket that is about 12 inches long by 6 inches wide and 4 inches deep with a handle across the center. It is packed full of tea bags and individual hot chocolate packets of every variety. Everyone, from the teenagers I mentor to the ladies who join my for Bible study, my friends popping in or my kids coming home from a long winter day a school, love this tea basket. It is like shopping for warmth for the soul! Personally, I love how it makes hospitality a cinch, for all I need to do is grab the basket from my cabinet instead of a dozen different boxes of tea and cans of hot chocolate.
I must confess, however, that this basket wasn’t my idea. When I moved into a dorm with 20 teenage girls, an older and wiser women handed me my first tea basket with the instruction to have a hot pot of water on at all times. She especially urged me to serve tea when I was also dishing out discipline consequences. Brilliant move, I tell you!
Blessings,
Lisa
I love this idea <3
Love this tea/ hot choc basket idea. Definitely need to find a creative container to hold some tea bags. What a great idea – thanks so much for sharing.
I love to use baskets in decorating… they add texture, and they can often be used to hide those last minute things that haven’t been put away… just don’t forget to go back & clean them out! =0) I also love them for toys and board books. You can never have too many! If you collect them from travels, they can tell great stories of your history and of many cultures. Or when you get them from friends, they are cherished reminders of those friendships.
I love fresh flowers from my garden on the kitchen table, but especially in the bathroom!!! even if it is just a tiny bouquet that my 3 year old picked for me!!!
…..and I have repurposed old pots or vases by giving them a coat of white spray paint and it becomes like a whole new piece. e.g. a colourful small pot that just didn’t fit right in any space in our home — I spray painted it white and it now sit by my computer with pens and pencils in it!
Simple centerpiece- various sizes of mason jars with candles. Use unscented so the candles don’t compete with the aroma of your dinner.
I would always worry when I knew or when my husband would inform me that we would be having company. I would worry about regular household clutter, not big enough space, etc.. But then God told me to not worry about those things and just be in the moment, listen and truly enjoy our guests. Offer ourselves to them, be yourself, have fun. Don’t try to make everything perfect, remember Martha and Mary ~
LOVE this advice! Thank you!
I always have my dining room table decorated for the current season. Sometimes its fresh flowers other times artificial, sometimes with candies, etc. I get lots of ideas from websites, blogs and magazines. I most always have a candle burning and coffee available for the unexpected guest who drops by.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Flittlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Fmake-spring-moss-wreath-tutorial.html&h=KAQHiIf5SAQHS9mRNdn_ddrzJtZU1Re1HQW1CeNQ0oQUXOQ
I made this moss wreath in a frame this weekend. Most all of the items were from the Dollar Tree or Hobby Lobby and cheap, cheap, cheap! It was an easy DIY that has already blessed my family!
I have a desk in our guest room that is stocked with paper and other desk items for our guests to use. We have had several missionaries stay with us and need “office space” to conduct business in private so we wanted to reserve guest room space for them for that purpose.
Great advice today, Joy! I wanted to share something I came across on Pinterest. Its an easy and inexpensive way to add aroma to your home. “Lemon, rosemary and vanilla home deodorizer – let simmer all day, adding water when needed. Williams Sonoma store smell!”
Here is the link. http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2010/03/spring-is-here.html#comment-6a00d8341c51ba53ef0120a9772f44970b
Ooo…must try this!
I love having flowers throughout the house. Simple vase flowers with flowere I pick up at the grocery store. If you shop at the same store and get to know the lady who takes care of the flower department, wait until the day before to get your flowers, stop and chat with her to see how she is and check to see if there are any flowers she can reduce for you.
If the stems don’t look great on the day old flowers, simply cut and float several in pretty dishes or bowls.
I still buy photo frames (and I’m not as self-righteously opposed to mass-produced home decor as this person seems to be), but I made these. I’m the least crafty person you’ll ever meet, so if I can make them, so can you.
http://www.crunchybetty.com/diy-picture-tiles-you-will-never-buy-a-photo-frame-again
Love this idea!
I liked this idea so much, I actually tried it over the weekend. I found 2 “bundles” of travertine tile (very rustic) that had 9 pieces each and went crazy! I also combined ideas from the “write it on the wall” post and printed out Bible verses, antiqued them with tea bags, and put them on the tiles. Since the tiles were so rustic, I cut my pictures smaller than the tiles and “roughed up” the edges before adhering to the tiles.
Love this!! What an awesome, easy & beautiful idea!!
Gotta try this one too!
I like to have something cooking (or freshly baked) when company arrives so the house smells good. If what I’m making doesn’t smell yummy or have much aroma, I’ll light a candle or two.
I try to keep new, washed Tupperware containers on hand so that if there are leftovers from our meal and the company has really enjoyed it, I can send them home with another dinner already made without the hassle of them having to return any dishes or anything.
If kids are coming, I make sure to have some activities available for them to enjoy (e.g. coloring books and a covered table for crafts or a fun movie that Mom and Dad approve of, etc.) so they can have fun and not be bored and Mom and Dad can relax too.
Love all these ideas. I find that pretty glassware makes the table look nice – no matter what the menu. I find a lot of glassware on sale, at thrift shops, etc.
Well as a mom of four young kids…I try to not have a centerpiece of dried food
I love to use large cans to decorate. After making marinara, I take the can and spray paint it a color, then tie a ribbon around it and fill with appropriate stuff. Maybe silverware, maybe flowers, or condiments. Depends on the occasion.
I use free printables! Many of them are seasonal or include scritpture, and there are some very talented people out there sharing their printable creations for free! Frame them and pair with a candle or arrangement and you have a unique, simple arrangement that can be changed almost effortlessly:)
Lovely idea! Where do you find the free printables?
I have found if you google a quote or verse reference and “printable blog” (ie “Galations 6:9 printable blog”) you can find some, or search for a scripture reference on Pinterest. There are tons of Christian graphic design bloggers out there who do some really cute things with scripture. Or you can always just type up a favorite verse in a cute font and stick it in a frame with some scrapbook paper as a mat.
A simple centerpiece… a pedestal bowl full of mini chocolates. Everyone loves to snack on them after dinner.
I love this idea. Some of them also come in lovely, colorful wrappers, too.
I, too, love flowers for a centre piece but instead of just putting them in a vase and setting them on the table, add decorative stones or jewels to your clear vase. It adds so much for so little!
Great tips Joy! If I could ever get settled in my new house…I would invite others over! I just can’t seem to get there…we have only been here a month and I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old so I have decided not to be hard on myself and take my time!
I’ve taken the wall stickers that I’ve found at the dollar store and put them on the mirror, cabinets and a glass with toothbrushes to coordinate everything in my bathroom (this works especially well in an apartment where you can’t paint. Just makes the room show your personality.
I do not have a very creative bone in me. So I really enjoy the ideas on Pinterest for decorating. I have never been one to change out decorations, but these ideas get me in the mood to want to try my hand at some projects.
I love twind!! I am kind of using it for all kinds of things right now. Just recently I strung a piece across one wall in our bedroom, picked about 9 pics of our family and hung them up using these cute mini colorful clothespins. It turned out really cute and cost me less than 10 bucks
What a neat idea!
We don’t have guests often (as we previously lived across the country from all of our family, and only literally just moved back in the area!), but I always like to make my home feel warm and inviting at all times…I tend to decorate with warm colors (reds, oranges, browns, etc), and decorate in a way that looks good (in my opinion) but also very inviting and lived in. I do have positive messages throughout the house- decor with scriptures, encouraging words, etc. And I am a huge Scentsy fanatic so I always have that going anyway, but when we know guests are coming, I tend to go towards something that has cinnamon, or some other type of baking scent…it’s amazing how a scent can make a home much more inviting but it truly does work!!
I loved this idea I saw on a blog (sorry, can’t remember which one!!). Take used glass bottles of various sizes/shapes (maybe from salsa or jelly or individual teas) and write on them with hot glue – words like “Love.” or “faith” or whatever you want! Then spray-paint the bottle with a matte-finish spray paint. These make the most beautiful flower vases! And personalized with just what you want to say!
Hang something pretty and seasonal on your front door. You will set the first impression before they even enter the house!
I always have a pretty bowl filled with fresh fruit on my countertop, where it is easily accessible to anyone coming into my home. It is pretty and inviting.
I can’t think of any tips myself, but I am sure loving all of those that everyone else is posting! Excellent ideas! Look forward to spending some time with my daughter on some of these!
I like to brew a pot of coffee to welcome friends. The smell is so good and even those who drink coffee love the smell!
i like to use color – color of flowers, color of dishes or even the foods that i have sitting out (e.g. pink colored fruit dip)
I like to pick up pretty paper napkins…in various colors, patterns, for the seasons or holidays. Even if I’m serving an inexpensive snack, like store-bought cookies and coffee, using a pretty napkin makes it seem more special.
I like to arrange the dining table to always have “room for one more” by having an extra chair at the table and flowers on the table at all times. My family and I are my first guests.
Placing Christmas ornament balls (new ones or some of those that you had for a long while and hate to dispose of but no longer want to hang on your tree) in a glass dish with a few sprigs of evergreen add a special touch to your holiday table.
For something Easter-y, I fill plastic easter eggs with mints and set one on a bed of Easter grass at each place setting. It’s pretty and gives them a breathe mint to enjoy after the food!
I love using fresh flowers as a centerpiece with candles around it. You can use flowers from you yard, and it doesn’t cost a thing!!!
One of the most important aspects of hospitality in our busy, crazy life is simple, dedicated, one-on-one conversation with my guest(s). Taking a moment to look into that friend or loved one’s face and genuinely inquire about how they ARE today, what is new in their world and how I can pray for them seems to distract from my folded laundry on the couch of dishes in the sink. A hot cup of coffee and a stash of homemade cookies I keep in the freezer for surprise moments like this make for a great visit!
I like to gather some fresh flowers from my flower garden and put them in a vase….zinnias in the summer and tulips and daffodils in the spring time and at other times I may use a candle or green plant …..
i like to make an apple “mush” for a dessert – and it makes the house smell awesome (like the scented candles or the bbq chicken mentioned) and it tastes oh so yum!! Just slice up some apples, throw them in some H2O on a hot stove w/ some cinnamon and anything else you feel brave throwing in…
and some fun music, of course 
Fresh flowers are my favorite way to make the house more inviting! They don’t have to be fancy either. I just look for some pop of color (yellow is my favorite!). How can you NOT smile and feel welcome when you see yellow flowers?
I have 3 seasonal painted slates that I alternate hanging out on my porch. I think they are pretty and welcoming and it’s a pretty easy decoration.
I use fresh flowers and put them in teacups for an easy decoration.
I love my bamboo centerpiece that my brother got me for Christmas this year. Anything with Asian inspiration is soothing to me, especially yoga music.
I like to pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers at a local store, only $3.99 for a beautiful bouquet, and have a candle burning. It is always welcoming. However, nothing replaces just the actual sharing of your food, time, etc. with your guests. This is what they will remember!
I love to use found objects to decorate with. Here is an old ironing board! I can’t get the picture to come over?!?http://rua2j-grammysheirlooms.blogspot.com/2010/07/laundry-rooms.html
Here is the picture on my blog! Thanks!
We live in the mountains, far from stores. If I’m entertaining in the summer months, I pick wild flowers from our property and put in little vases all over the house. They don’t last long, so I usually try to pick them about an hour before guests arrive. If entertaining during winter months, I use silk flowers and LOTS of candles. I love candles and have them burning most days, even for just my husband and me..
I can definitely relate to this blog lol. Hmmmm decorating tips…..ooo I know a good one
These can all be found at the dollar store (except live flowers):
a beautiful glass vase (taller than the flowers)
gel stones or actual pebbles
beautiful flowers of your choice (real or fake)
Fill the bottom of the vase with stones/pebbles
Fill the vase with water
Put in the flowers (not too many)
It’s Friday! Hi ladies. Joy, I like your ideas. Your ideas of creating ambiance and your yummy dinner sound delicious. We have a thin narrow window near our front door that we always keep decorated. This year we found pretty seasonal wreathes for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. So many good tips from everyone. Thanks for sharing.:)
I have always been a person who wanted neutral colors in my decorating. I have recently been adding color. I love using the fresh cut flowers that are in season (or not depending on the time of year). I love these comments and the ideas. I plan to steal some of them for this weekend projects. I am also learning from my daughter-in-l;aw who is very good with using bolder colors.
Flowers are my standby to make me feel good and my home pleasant and “fresh” to receive guests! Even just from outside in my yard – it is something alive.
I love this time of year! My favorite season – spring. I’m a decorator for the holidays, so right now, after much chaos and mess last weekend, I gathered up all my rabbits and eggs and put them in most of my milk glass containers that I have collected over the years. Who doesn’t enjoy containers overflowing with Easter grass, eggs sitting on top and a rabbit or two perched near by! Not to mention the containers that hold the chocolate eggs! I even drape a pretty floral piece over my “Last Supper” picture that was my grandma’s! I don’t think Jesus and His 12 disciples, mind that! This season reminds me of the new life we enjoy because of Christ’s sacrifice.
I decorate the top of my china cabinet for each season, sometimes for each month! In doing this I rotate some of my tea-cup collection from inside the cabinet to the top – for winter, the Currier & Ives comes out, for spring, the daisy pattern. I have also over the years made a decorative plate for just about every month of the year that I display. If there is a family member that has a birthday that month, their name and birthdate is on the plate. Or I have put Bible verses, etc. on the plates as well. During Advent, I put my Willow Tree nativity on top of the china cabinet, but put the “expectant mother” figurine in place of Mary until Christmas Eve, then Mary and baby Jesus take up residence until Epiphany.
I have no decorating skills at all. The food I can handle when company comes but the rest is beyond me. I am so looking forward to making the bbq chicken in the crockpot the next time I have company over. That looks so good and will be a healthier choice than my usual bbq pork. Thanks!!
I recently started hand painting distressed subway art. I have done family rules, playroom rules and even better life verses to put in my children’s rooms. I have a simple little sign I painted to put in my kitchen window that says Prayer Changes Things that I love. While I am doing dishes it reminds me that prayer really does change situations.
I love candles! I like to put them out everywhere. When guests are coming, just light them and everything looks beautiful. If you use scented ones, everything will smell wonderful as well.
I am sooo not an interior decorator but do like to recycle things. I have used a wooden brie cheese round box with its natural design as a wall hanging in the kitchen. I’ve also used wooden citrus crates for making gift baskets. These could also easily be used for creating centerpieces of flowers, fruit or other seasonal objects (Christmas balls or Easter eggs).
I like to write a timeline when I prep for dinner guests, noting things like “rice to the oven at 4:45, rolls to warm at 5:45, etc. This way I don’t have guests arriving just at the moment I realize I forgot to cook the vegetables! I also write a menu list so that I can make sure everything gets to the table. I hate popping up and down from my seat every few minutes for something I forgot to set on the table!
Simple, but….plan the meals the day before and have the ingredients present and prepared as much as possible.
Having guests this weekend! Thanks for the recipe!! I’m going to have bbq chicken sandwiches. Thanks for relieving my stress!!! I can completely relate to your description about feeling “ready” to have guests early in the week and then the feeling dwindles……Thanks for the suggestions!
Fresh flowers are such a simple yet elegant touch! The say so much and make guests feel special. I buy the $5 bundle at Walmart and cut them and spread them around the house. I make sure to put a few in the powder room where the guests will wash up before the meal. Then I put a few in the living room and/or on the table. A small price to pay…and even my children feel special. They even ask for them sometimes when we are not having guests.
Using decorative paper plates, napkins and plastic wear can also be a “stress-less” option. Just use, enjoy and toss! Spend more time with your friends than worrying about cleaning the plates and silver wear. These items can be found at various places, like Target and even Hallmark. And the options are needless as far as color, prints etc. Paper plates aren’t what they used to be! Take advantage and relax!
Oops! Not “needless” but the word was supposed to be “endless”! Sometimes our smartphones aren’t that smart! Haha
Having a seating arrangement where you can enjoy conversation without talking loudly. Offering tea or other drink. Also, I ignore my phones when I have others over.
I am not a crafty crafter … I like a nice, seasonal welcome mat, a pretty wreath on the door, a clean home with vanilla candles and a yummy meal to greet my guests. I will def be making the bbq chicken sandwiches, and I completely relate to the “what was I thinking” feeling at the end of the week! In the end, it is always rewarding to be a hostess… thanks for this fun study!!
Having something baking when guests arrive makes the whole house smell wonderful.
Don’t feel the pressure to do too much. If you need to purchase prepared items from the store, do so. Sometimes suggesting a potluck can diffuse responsibility, and is a fun way to learn new dishes.
one of my favorite ways to make my house smell “homey” is to simmer the following ingredients in a small pot of slow boiling water: Sliced oranges, sliced lemons, almond extract and either ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks. Continue to keep water replenished….but the aroma is wonderful and relaxing!
Mmmmm….love it!
Right now on my kitchen island I have a foot-tall mason jar that I found for 50 cents at a yard sale. In it I have 4 forsythia branches I pulled off the bush in the backyard. They go in all different directions and look so effortlessly artistic. It really brightens up the room – and you can’t beat the price!
fresh cut flowers or branches or leaves from interesting plants…I’ve found that although I love bringing all of these inside, sometimes I don’t have the creative energy or the time to make some big beautiful arrangement….so I’ve found a trick that is simple, easy to do(you don’t have to have any experience in arraanging) and inexpensive….
Hang on to tiny bottle, vases, or keep your eyes open for then at flee markets, garage sales, goodwill…(I actually just found a great antique vase for $3 at goodwill).
Instead of making one large arrangment that (in our minds) usually requires more thought, larger stems and more “perfect” blooms, place a handful of these mini vases by your sink, run outside and clip flowers, leaves etc. Since you’re using little vases, you can pick short stems….or even better you can have your little helpers pick flowers for you! Display them in clusters around the house or in a large grouping as a centerpiece. Although they are small alone….they make a big impact together!
I love fresh flowers around the house! For my decorating idea, though, pictures are lots of fun. I bought a beautiful collage frame to go over the fireplace. It had space for nine pictures. I brought it home and put it up (with the provided store people pictures
)because I still needed a few more family pics to fill the frame. A while later, the youth girls had their retreat at our house and notice that the pics weren’t of my family :$ So, the next day I dug through some things we had gotten in Europe. I ended up using the pictures I had of family and supplementing with pencil drawn pictures of European landmarks. It is now a huge conversation piece and talks not only to our family but to some of the adventures we have shared!
I have a beautiful sign in the entry way of our home that reads “Blessings to all who enter”. I also light a candle in the bathroom and put on soft music in the background.
This is my weakness so I appreciate all the ideas here very much! Please keep them coming! I always fall back on candles and using seasonal candy in clear containers.
When I have company over, I pray as I clean the house and invite God’s presence to permiate the rooms and fill me with His spirit. I try to relax and enjoy everyone and not worry if everything is perfect.
Wonderful idea!
I have a relatively small bathroom (recently remodeled) without a window. I placed a 35 x 35-inch floral painting on the wall directly opposite of the medicine cabinet mirrors. So now, when I’m putting on my make-up or fixing my hair, it looks like I’m standing in a field of flowers because of the painting’s reflection in the mirror. The painting also has some of the same colors as my shower curtain and complements the wall color too. The painting also adds a fresh and cheerful appearance when entering the room.
If my guests are staying overnight or in the case of say my parents who live a country away staying for a week than I like to have towels folded nicely on their beds with a welcoming note or a picture the kids have colored saying Welcome!
When we have company over, we always have something just made or in the oven – most likely it will be a good loaf of Italian bread. Sicne my DH bakes the best bread – he is Italian – our house always smells amazing!!! What a warm welcoming scent!!
love the bbq chicken idea..heres one I use
Pork tenderloin in crock pot with a jar of salsa verde (green salsa) add little garlic salt and pepper, let cook all day on low. serve on corn tortillas. always a guest favortie. Also precut cookies are simple and good!
I love to decorate for every holiday. I like to have a pretty candy dish set out for guests, fun paper napkins and snack/desset plates, background music and candles. Don’t forget lots of laughter!
it would be fun to visit you at your home!!
I have a light blue glass pedestal bowl inherited from my sweet MIL. It’s probably a high dollar antique and I would faint if I knew the value – but the bowl is so gorgeous filled with Yellow lemons for a centerpiece. As a daily use – I keep fresh fruit in it for my grandsons and kids to eat on the run.
Being Nana – I do keep candy dishes with tootsie rolls and “other” candy dishes with the good stuff for big kids.
Then I always love to purchase an inexpensive bundle of fresh flowers from SAMS and put 1 to 3 stems in bud vases all over the house. In the bathrooms, bedrooms, sitting areas – just a pop of fresh color.
I love to invite people over for a movie night. It’s been a long time. I love to host direct sales parties too. When guests first arrive, I have some carribean music on, and I love to have some appetizers out, and fancy paper plates, napkins and cups. Sometimes I have fresh flowers out, or candles lit, my Scentsy wickless fragrance warmer turned on. One time everyone stayed till almost midnight, talking and laughing.
I do not have my own decor tip to give, but I want to tell you that I love the decor tips that are shared at The Inspired Room.
One of my favorite things are candles. If I’m entertaining in the evenings I turn the lights down on dim & light all of my candles. Also, prep all food I can the day before if possible. I have the symptoms of MS, but have not been definitely diagnose yet. I get really fatigued easily and especially can’t be on my feet for long periods of time. My Dr. told me stess doesn’t help but, I told her I am also a Pastor’s wife and that is impossible. LOL! I’ve learned to simpl;ify my life. I use to think everything had to be just perfect for guests. Now I shut all the bedroom doors & I focus on my kitchen being clean & making sure my hallway guest bath is clean(candle burnig too). I have also submitted to using pretty disposable paper goods (don’t have a dishwasher) instead of my good dishes. I concentrate more on enjoying our time of talking.
Think I’m too far into the cleaning/decluttering/organizing stage to do much decorating yet! Did see a simple idea (maybe on frugal girls website???) that I may do. Simply insert an artificial flower spray into a clear container of soap (pour out some soap first) and voila! a pretty bottle of soap!
At a wedding I went to a long time ago, the bride had just a “fat” candle on the table for a simple decoration, with small fresh flowers surrounding it. What made it special was what the candle was placed on……..a used CD with the shiny side up! It looked like an expensive round mirror and was very nice!
A big bowl of popcorn for munching if we have people over for dinner. I’m big on tea parties instead of dinners because everyone loves how pretty the table is, the little sandwiches and scones, and fresh flowers on the table. ; )
Whenever I have guests over I always light a scented candle in the bathroom.
I have a little boy, what can I say??
A simple decoration idea that is fairly inexpensive to make and makes your house smell great is to buy 2 inexpensive hurricane type candle holder, place a pillar candle (any color) in the center of the hurricane then fill each hurricane holder about 1/4 – 1/2 full (depending on your preference) with whole coffee beans. Looks classy and smells nice!
I love all these ideas you ladies are AMAZING……….for me I was desperate one day to find a vase in my house for these gorgeous flowers I had been given but all my glass original vases all broken so desperate to save these FAB. flowers I go to hutch and have a great idea…..I took out one of my two crisp white tea pots trimmed the flowers and placed them inside and tied a gorgeous bow and it was gorgeous and simple so I now use that every time everyone LOVED it. It’s amazing the things we can come up with out of what we already own. Love you ladies God Bless
The key for me….
keep food simple –
Casserole, salad, bread, with dessert and beverages made ahead of time.
This is not necessarily a “decorating” tip, but it’s something I have done for years that seems to be generally liked and appreciated. I leave a devotional in each of our bathrooms, and find that those who use the bathroom (which is all of us!) often pick up the devotional and read it. It provides a good “break” for all of us!
I like to have a centerpiece on my table as often as possible and I change it out each holiday/season. I place a candle inside a wreath (both are holiday/season appropriate) and then place a hurricane-style glass “shade” over the candle. Super simple and easy to store away with the other decorations.
Not able to do much both for health & financial reasons, but definitely enjoy all the fun decorating items/ideas. My dad has beautiful roses so if possible have him bring in at least one for the dining table. Before Christmas Daddy came across an ad for some really nice window clings. They were Christmas but came with one sheet each for Valentine’s, Easter, Halloween (not impressed with this one) & Thanksgiving. It is fun as well as a nice touch to have a little something extra on the kitchen door (main door used), kitchen window, & mirror in main bathroom. Have already figured out which of the Valentine’s & Easter clings can be used through the year & plan to rearrange from time to time to have something fun for months to come.
Living in the southwest, Luminarias are popular during the holidays.
I like to bring them back in the middle of summer using white bags instead of the traditional brown (paper lunch bag size). I punch a design, usually a flower or sunburst pattern about 4″ in diameter, on both sides of the bag and fill the bag about 2 inches deep with sand. Then add a votive candle inside each bag stuck about 1/2″ in the sand to stabilize it. I will use 8-12 bags to line the walk way to my front door for summer evening get-togethers.
I will always remember going to eat at a Pastor and his wife’s house for Sunday lunch with several other missionaries. She kept it simple (sandwich meats, etc.) but we had such a nice time because the focus was on visiting, not on rushing around getting a meal ready, etc. This has inspired me to focus on the people, not just the “presentation”!
I love to see and have fresh flowers out for company, a bowl of candies, a yummy appetizer, a pitcher full of a yummy drink, etc. I try to make it small but purposeful so they know I’m glad they are visiting.
Joy
I love your quick tips and this will go along way to help me a pastor’s wife. Keep the good work.
Thank you
Joyce Inkum
I like to use beautiful paper plates and napkins and take my theme from there. I like to set a beautiful table.
I am decorating-challenged, so I am so loving the ideas here. Thank you!
A simple trick I learned from my mom, take a little water and some cinnamon and put it on a burner on low. The warm water with cinnamon works like a scented candle when funds are low and company’s comin’
i relate so much to this lesson. today is one of those . i must get house ready for potiental renters of my mom’s house which now a rental. When i am entertaining I love making home made bread then having a loaf or whatever i have made to send home with guests.
I have never recieived my book from amazon. I will check with amazon . my question to you would you please run this again for us that still don’t have our book Thanks kim this has rinspired me to get this house back to a home where guests are welcome. I had decided that my poor house keeping was ok and we would fellowship outside of the home but i know that is not true.. Be cause of you my mom will be proud. she went to be with the lord march 10th 1990 GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS KAY
Fun project that my daughter shared with me – if you love scrapbooking, then this is for you!
Take small blocks of wood and using rubber cement attach some of your favorite scrapbooking papers to the front and back. Cut the papers just shy of reaching the edges of the wood. Then with craft paints mix colors and paint all the wood that is still showing and let it dry. Then take a sandpaper block and softly sand the edges scruffing it up a bit to look kind of old. Then decorate with scrapbook stickers and write your own sayings. You can see them at the links below on my facebook. Too cute! I made some for a baby shower too!
You can also add ribbon or raffia to spice them up!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150591819920834&set=a.10150416362375834.343331.540510833&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150591821705834&set=a.10150416362375834.343331.540510833&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150591821235834&set=a.10150416362375834.343331.540510833&type=1&theater
Here’s one of the baby shower blocks
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150591843700834&set=a.10150416362375834.343331.540510833&type=3&theater
I garden and love brining in fresh cut flowers just before guest come over. Guest see my garden as soon as they arrive. When they come into my home the garden is continued with the fresh cut flowers and the plants that decorate every room of my home.
Mom’s old white pitcher (has a crack but has precious memories of Mom)with fresh flowers.
Take cuttings from any flowering shrub – pussy willow, forsythia, etc. put in water and enjoy.
The pussy willow doesn’t need to be in water unless you want it to bloom or root to start another plant. If I don’t put it in water it can be put with silk flowers – daffodils, tulips, etc. Like to use old canning jars or other interesting containers for flowers.
For something quick & easy — stop by the grocery store on way home & grab a $5 bouquet of fresh flowers. Place them in a vase or decorative pitcher that you already have at home. Instant color & pick-me-up!
Perfect timing for this topic…have guest this Sunday for lunch! Love everyones ideas…thank you!
I like to have meals I can put together the day before (especially when having company on a Sunday!). I make “mostaccioli” often – it’s cheap, quick, easy and can be prepared the day before. Boil 1 lb of noodles (I like using penne for this) reduce time by 2-3 minutes from box directions. Brown 1 lb hamburger, drain. Mix the cooked noodles, hamburger, shredded mozzarella cheese and lg jar of spaghetti sauce (optional is adding mushrooms, green pepper, onions). After all is mixed together, pour into 9×13 baking dish. (This is when you can cover & store in fridge until next day if preparing ahead of time). Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Take off foil, sprinkle some additional mozzarella cheese on top and put back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. I usually serve this with garlic bread, corn and salad. Feeds around 10-12 people.
Whew! Just had 19 women over for my Neighborhood Cafe Bible Study, plus 12 kids in the Kids Cafe! To make our gatherings easier for me, I keep a basket stocked with paper plates, plastic silverware, paper napkins, and sweeteners. All I have to do on mornings when our Cafe meets is pull out the basket and brew a pot of coffee. I tell my Guests, “I’ll brew the beans if you’ll bring a mug!” My Guests sign up to bring snacks: one “healthy,” one “guilty” and one for the kids. Anything I can do to make it easier helps me enjoy our time together instead of stressing about it.
I have a Kuering coffee maker. I have purchased many Kcups of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, sweet tea etc. and have them available to anyone who stops over. There is something for everyone. My kids teenage friends think its pretty fun too!
I always purchased flowers for the middle of my kitchen table when I would go to the grocery store. They would cost $5 and stay looking good for 3 or 4 days. One day I realized that a bag of apples was less than $5 so I bought a bag and put them in a pretty bowl on the table. They last for weeks! I have to stop and “dust” them every so often, but for the most part they look good!
Here is a cute Easter/Spring centerpiece that uses jelly beans, Peeps, and fresh or artificial tulips: http://easter.tipjunkie.com/easter-centerpiece-using-peeps-tulips/
I don’t burn a lot of candles in my house, but I love the soft lighting they provide. You can get electric or battery operated “candles” to use instead. I also love to put white lights in a basket of pinecones (cinnamon scented are awesome) or in a jar with potpourri. The little bit of heat from the lights releases the scents. I also use tea lights in glass jars or wine glasses outside in the summer to add some fun to the great outdoors.
when I have guests for overnight I like to have bath items available for them to choose from…soaps, shampoo, conditioner, tissues, small paper cups for drinking,shower gell, etc. A clean room with welcoming fresh linens too.
Pot Roast in the crockpot for dinner or another favorite is tacos/nachos. I have small, individual glass candles for tealight votives for each place setting. I also have homemade cloth napkins in a variety of fabrics/colors that I tie with a ribbon. For a center piece, I take a glass bowl, fill it with any type of fresh greenery (and water)and use floating candles. It is really pretty. Sometimes I even put lemon slices in the water. And, I try to always keep the clutter picked up in the house for unexpected quests…..
One thing I love to look at when I go to other people’s homes are pictures of their family and friends while we’re waiting for the food to finish getting ready. I always try to update displayed photos to more recent ones, especially ones that are great conversation starters!
I love to have fresh flowers in my house when company is coming over. I try to take them from my own flower gardens when possible. But you can get bouquets of flowers at the grocery store or even your florist for under $10.00 just ask. Another thing I like to do is bake and I know that it’s not decorating something, but the house sure smells good and I think it makes people feel at welcome.
I like candles, I will arrange several different ones together. It also makes the house smell good. I also love flowers. I keep silk ones on hand when I can’t get fresh.
Keep it simple, clean, and smelling good! I have been renting and moving around for so long that I stopped decorating. I am so looking forward to buying a house where we will stay, so I can be creative with that again!
when we first moved into our house i had a shower curtain that i had each guest (for the first year) put their handprint on with fabric paint and then sign their name. then i put it up in my bathroom. the kids loved to check and see if their hands were bigger than the last time they visited my house.
Scented candles are always wonderful – also using pretty napkins can make even a simple meal special.
I have a black based hurricane in the center of my dining room table. I change it out frequently with the season and then some. Here are some of the items I use. I’ll start with my favorite – a cluster of silver bells at Christmas. I do ceramic Easter eggs, lemons, green apples, limes, fancy fruit (the jeweled looking kind) large glass balls – just things I love. I also put different table top mirrors under the hurricane just to change things up.
Hosting 2 college girls over tonight, while their choir is in town. It’s not going to be fancy, but I’m aiming for comfortable, clean, and homey. I decluttered the 2 bedrooms they will be staying in, at least somewhat (my own college kids’ rooms). Made up the beds with fresh sheets, and warm comforters. Now I’m adding little touches like tissues, water glass, candy, & reading material.
We’ll share a snack tonight, some conversation, and then let them choose if they want to stay up and watch a movie with our own soon-to-be-college daughter, or if they want to get more rest.
In the morning, I’ll set out a breakfast buffet, so they can grab what they want when they’re ready. They have to head out again early to get their choir bus.
Overall, I guess I just want to make them feel welcome and relaxed without an agenda or a schedule.
On Sunday, we’re helping host a meal for a large group from church. We are helping prepare and bring food for that, but the meal will be held at our friends’ house. That way, it’s not too overwhelming for one family to host. So, that’s an idea: if you want to host a group, get a friend to help you host. The more the merrier, and then you don’t get too much work all by yourself.
Sunday evening, we’ll host our small group here from church (10-12 people), and we’ll serve the same dessert we’re making for the Sunday lunch; I’ll just make another pan while I’m at it. I always think it’s more efficient, especially for baking, to make a double or triple batch, while you have all the ingredients out, and the mixer dirty and so on.
Ooh-looking forward to trying the chicken sandwiches-I like to put 4-5 chicken breasts in my slow cooker w/one can drained & rinsed black beans, 2 cans drained whole kernel corn and 1 cup of salsa. It too is super easy and yummy!
I love to put seasonal decorations on the table, my favorite being fresh flowers in the spring or summer. I also always make sure that the guest bath is clean, has enough soap and a fresh towel. I have found that having people over for dessert is a lot less stressful for me as my family has a lot of food allergies and not everyone would like the things I make for dinners, but everyone likes dessert!
Two of my favorite decorating ideas are really simple, pick-me-up touches that I had the pleasure of experiencing and have incorporated into my life.
The first is a simple simmering scent of sliced orange & lemon. By themselves is fine, but I also add a cinnamon stick or bark and some cloves. I often use my ‘going-bad’ fruit for the simmer – a great way to use them rather than tossing them. The fruit by itself gives a fresh, spring type scent; the added spices add a warm, cozy feel. As the pot simmers on the stove, the fragrence fills every corner of the house. Just keep checking it, adding water as needed!
The second is a bunch, or two, of white tulips. Just the tulips in a vase are, to me, simple elegance! Around this time of year, I’ll pick up potted white tulips to add to my Easter/Spring decorating. I then move the whole pot outside once the weather is warm.
I found this idea last Thanksgiving in a magazine and it was so much fun to do with my family, I thought I’d share it…we found a branch with a few smaller branches on it, then we made and added our own thankful cards and added them to the branches with ribbon. We put the Thanksgiving tree in a skinny vase and made a homemade and simple centerpiece.
I once heard you should always have a teddybear sitting somewhere on the off chance you have a child come over. It is something that both boys and girls can play with, and something that can easily and quickly make the smallest guests feel at home.
I Love this advice too, especially the down time part! Wouldn’t all us mamas be better hostesses if we had a little down time before guests arrived! Thank you. Jeannine
Display lemons, which I buy in bulk for cooking, in a pretty bowl so that throughout the week they are decorate too!
Buy some inexpensive votive candles or use what you have and line them up in a single file line the length of the table and light during dinner. Even if you have mismatched candles it still adds a “home-y” touch.
Shabby Chic Window Table:
My husband had stashed a couple of wood frame house windows in his storage shed, planning to install them in his shed. I saw them when we were looking for garage sale items. One is finished wood, with the brass hardware intact. I cleaned up the six-pane window and we attached legs to make it a coffee table for the living room. I got the legs and hardware to attach them at Home Depot. I treated them with a beeswax/mineral wood treatment.
One of the windows was painted white, and will stay that way. It will become a picture frame to hang on the wall.
Decorating for any Holiday or special occasion, I like to keep it simple. A wreath on the front door, a simple center piece with a candle on the dinning table and a few well thought-out decorations here and there. Just a few items can bring the feel of the occasion without over doing it.
Here is a simple centerpiece idea for spring. I found a blue tinted Ball jar at an antique shop. I placed a few branches of artificial (permanent botanical) dogwood blossoms. I tied a bow around the neck of the jar with natural colored twine. Light and airy, just like spring.
This is DIY project. We just turned one of our downstairs closets into a built-in computer desk! It has three shelves and then a desk and the chair fits in there too! We have lots of technology and cords (my husband is an IT guy) and this closet hides it all so our technology is out in the open for accountability when being used and shut out of site at other times! Yeah! This is a addition and I am loving it!
I like to find things in nature – like sticks or tree branches, pine cones, rocks, leaves, etc. to put in a pretty glass vase or bowl and volia- an inexpensive but beautiful centerpiece.
I love my house to smell good. So I use the plug-in scents (usually the ones that smell like food as opposed to the flowery smelling ones). That way, if someone drops in, it always smells like I have been baking, even if I haven’t! People always say “your house smells so good”. I love that, and I hope adds to the “welcome” in our home.
Who says we have to cook everything? Why not pick up hot meals from grocery store? Then make the best homemade dessert. At leaset you would have one personal touch!
I like to decorate with books & magazines, especially because I love to read & I love music. I will display certain ones according to the season, holiday, special day, or just because of the cover and/or title. Displays are on end tables, in baskets, on shelves, and sometimes as part of the centerpiece for a table setting. Piano music, in sheet music or book form or as a book of music open to a particular page, is also used in my decor.
absolutely love the ideas of you ladies! my grandson bought me a rose so along w./that I placed daffodils areound it!
We recently had a ladies tea at our church, and my table was themed a crochet table, I love to crochet, so I crocheted roses for the centerpiece, and crocheted flower napkin holders, and a crocheted flower as their gift. My mom had crocheted me a table cloth for my wedding so I also used that. It was alot of fun to do and the ladies enjoyed it.
Rearranging your furniture and accessories is a great way to freshen up your decor without spending any money. I am in the process of doing that now. Of course, it’s a mess right now because everything is in transition, but I think it will look great when it’s finished.
I love decorating for the holidays. I have an Easter village, a fall village and a Christmas village. I put those in my curio cabinet.
I love to entertain but with 3 toddlers under 4, by the time I’ve cooked, straightened and cleaned everyone up (just to get dirty again!), decor is on the bottom of the list. One day, I’ll have time to get that far! I do take the extra step to be sure I have fun scented hand soap, a clean fluffy towel and a nice smelling scent in the guest bathroom.
And, thank heaven for these great ideas I’ve been getting from this blog shared by all the other women! I’m bookmarking them along with my Pinterest finds!! Onnnnne daaaay….. :p
I love the warm, welcoming look of “country” in my home, so I have lots of small quilts – baby blanket size, table topper size, and wall hanging size. I use these on my dining room table for the base of a centerpiece, like you would a tablecloth, & gather a few country/antique items from around the house to put on the quilt. Instantly I have a decorated table that looks like I spent hours instead of minutes putting it all together. With different colored quilts & different items on top, I can easily switch out for different seasons, different holidays, whatever the occasion.
My daughters and I just had a blast making a terrarium. We are using it as our new table centerpiece- our guests have loved it. Here are some ideas: http://pinterest.com/search/?q=terrarium
We live in Alaska and I love homes that are decorated to show the unique culture of our state. I have been collecting Alaskan art when I can to make a cozy home.
My tip is to make a tablecloth out of a sheet. Let the kids decorate it with whatever theme is that evening with hand prints, paint, flowers, etc… to get them involved. It adds a personal touch!
I love to decorate to welcome guests into our home. While I do not feel our house is designed for hosting to many get togethers….when I do we use mason jars for drinking glasses. I tie a simple ribbon around them and add a cute tag with the drinkers name…simple and not expensive. I also like to take my large tomato sauce cans and spray paint them…add col.orful ribbons and then I fill them with silverware, etc so my guest have easy access. Another fun thing is I have a wooden dough bowl that sits in the middle of my table…I will fill it with seasonal things. Eggs, rabbits and grass for this particular season…who knows what it will hold for summer?
Be blessed for you are a blessing to someone today!
Smiles & Blessings Abound,
Robin
On my china hutch I have a runner. At one end is the morning Bible reading basket, but at the other end I am trying to put something seasonal. When in doubt I pull out appropriate cookie cutters and some ribbon and “artfully” arrange them – basically I use the ribbon to prop up the coookie cutters and not make them look random.
Works well, and makes me feel more on top of things than I really am.
Oh my. I suffer in this area. I do like those candles with the switch on the bottom that you can just turn on. lol For Christmas, I tied a little season ribbon around them…they were pretty.
I always use something in my yard to decorate my table, depending on the season of the year.
Spring blossoms in a vase, fall leaves scattered around, Christmas holly in red vases. I tried to get creative with what I have.
I keep one bathroom clean almost all the time. I try to check it once a day. Then if someone drops by or time arrives to have a family over, I can at least know they have a clean pretty bathroom to use! We add a vase of flowers if the garden is in bloom.
These are all helpful ideas.
Arranging flowers is really not my thing, so many times the flowers get in the way of seeing the people across from you. I have small juice glasses and place a rose or more in the glasses the length of the table. We have plenty of flowers in our garden to choose from if the roses are not blooming
A great idea to repurpose a crib into a fabulous bench for friends and guests.
http://cassandradesign.blogspot.com/search?q=crib+bench
thanks for these tips! The recipe sounds great too! I’m definitely not one for decorating but I’ve bought a few small bottles of shampoo, lotion, lip balm etc to leave in our guest washroom for when we have visitors this summer! I hope it’d be a nice touch and a way to welcome them into our home.
One of my favorite is to fill platters that are wood with colored stones and place candles in them, simple and elegant, along with creating small gift bags that are themed for the guest as place setting, filled with simple saying of why I love them as family and friends. Or questions to get to know one another on a deeper level. Homemade jopurnals are wonderful to place in the bags from paper that is cut to size to make them all feel welcome! A homemade wreath on the door that says come in and welcome to our home.
I enjoy using napkin rings and cloth napkins. When traveling or shopping I keep my eye out for unique napkin rings–also they must be “on sale” or clearance priced. Then I feel like I have saved money and come away with a special decorative touch. My grandchildren love to help choose which rings to use & they put the napkins into the rings and help set the table. I did not do this when I was raising our 3 sons at home, just in the past couple of years since I have retired and thought my grandchildren, as well as our families, would enjoy this extra special touch.
I love this idea for re-using toilet paper rolls and egg cartons. I always have plenty of both on hand.
Chili pepper lights are a favorite of ours! We keep a strand up by our dinner table. One of my friends had some strung around her deck, and they added such a nice touch on a summer night, after a barbecue!
Oh my! Sorry I didn’t include the link to a project that uses empty toilet paper rolls and egg cartons.
http://www.michelemademe.com/search/label/tutorial?updated-max=2010-06-08T20:46:00-04:00&max-results=20
I like people to feel comfortable when they come over. I don’t have a “Better Homes and Gardens” house; however, I do greet my guests with a “picked-up” version of one — just not perfect.
I welcome my guests with authenticity and invite them to do the same.
I like to fill jars with various holiday/seasonal items .
I like to decorate the front porch with seasonal flowers planted in ceramic pots so the entry is always ready & welcoming for guests. Inside, the table always has a plant & candles and seasonal nick nacks. Fresh flowers are wonderful but a plant can last for years & look great so you are always ready. I still have to do last minute cleaning though with 2 dogs-ugh. : -)
I have a cat that destroys all indoor plants or flowers. .My solution: a terrarium with a lid…..safe from her and I can change it with the seasons…
Joy, I love your ideas–and your comments are soooo real. I too love hospitality–in my head–and then the day comes, and I too think, “What was I thinking?”.–lol
Like you suggested, I use the crock pot a lot for chili, lasagna and other things that all you have to add is bagged salad and some nice bread. I can then be much more relaxed and enjoy spending time with my guests, and they still get a good meal along with their visit.
This area is the most difficult area for me because I just don’t put a lot of thought into decorating. I am lucky if the kitchen table is cleaned so that we can sit down to eat. I do however have a chalkboard backsplash in my kitchen and I invite my guests to contribute to the decorations. Then even after they are gone, I get to enjoy a variety art from my talented friends.
decorate w fruit!! a bowl of fruit works as a great centerpiece. yummu too.
I have two decorating ideas. One, I have a glass bowl that I bought from a craft store that you fill the sides and put floating candles in water in the middle. Most of the year I have silk flowers the color of my kitchen (pink and safe green) with pink flip flop candles in the middle. During Christmastime I surround the bowl with tree branches that I found from an artificial tree and put snowman floating candles in the center.
Two because I live close to the beach, just a simple bowl filled with shells makes a great decoration
When fresh flowers are too spendy and there is nothing to cut from my garden, I pick up afew bunches of fresh cut herbs, like italian parsley or cilantro, and add them to a small vase or mason jar. For a mere 60 a bunch cents I not only have something green and fresh in my home, but I can also incorporate the herbs into a simple dish I serve to my guests. Add a few small candles or even a mix a couple of fresh cut flowers to fancy things up even more.
I meant to say 60 cents a bunch from the grocery store. My editing on this phone is terrible. Lol!
Fresh flowers- for the kitchen, bathrooms and family room.
Love all these ideas. I try to do all the work the day before (clean, set up, prep food) so that I can enjoy the time with friends. When people offer to bring something I always let them help and be a part of the day. We are always watching the finances, so I stick to fragrant candles throughout the house. Focus is on the special time we can have with our guest and memories that will last far longer than decorations or food.
I keep floral foam, small rocks or stones, and glass beads like you buy at Hobby Lobby in the closet. Then, on my visits to the dollar store I pick up different silk flowers or plants that appeal to me. Then at the beginning of each new season, I get everything out at start arranging. I also have several different size wire cutters. I almost never keep a flower stem of mixed flowers together. Just separate them with the wire cutters. Also, I look carefully at the proffessional arrangements in craft stores, and then try to replicate them, although sometimes only by color. I keep a few good quality green silk floral large picks as the base, and usually arrange the cheaper dollor store things around it. You can even do a Christmas arrangment from a good green silk base, like a fern or ivy. I almost never buy fresh flowers. I rely on good potpourri spray to spray into the arrangments for a nice scent. Finally, my house is always fresh looking because I take the time to redo all my silk flower arrangements because if you do have silk floral arrangments in your home, they can quickly go out of style just like your shoes or a dress.
This time of the year my yard is blooming with different kinds of flowers. I cut a bunch and put them in some iced water in my vase (it seems to keep the flowers fresher longer). I use the vase with flowers as a centerpiece, and also light a fresh smelling candle on the counter (right now I have cucumber and lemon scented candle).
I just love having a clear large hurricane glass for the center of the table that I can easily change out for seasons and holidays. Like for Easter I use jelly beans and a spring candle in the middle. It adds so much to the decor and is inexpensive and easy to do.
Living at the Beach hospitality….
For guest baths, I use large spiral (conch like) seashells and put scented soaps and roll small hand towels with cute ribbons in them…
Also I fill large clear fish bowls with different size seashells and starfish with a little of real beach sand scattered in!
We have lots of potted plants which add a nice touch and when possible we have fresh cut flowers from the garden or wildflowers in vases. I also like to simmer spices and orange or apples on the stove for a homey scent.
light a candle, I need help with decorating
I’m wondering what I’m missing in order to feel like I can have others over and truly feel like they will enjoy being in my home? I’m wondering how Joy, with 5 kids, can “take a nap before company comes”? I only have 4 kids, and there is no way this can happen at my house (unless I could hire a babysitter!) Or create atmosphere by “dimming the lights or playing music”? It just doesn’t seem very realistic for a mom with young kids. “Relax and enjoy”–it’s all I can do to get a healthy meal on the table each night for my own kids (my hubby is away a lot for his job). I’m not trying to be sarcastic, I just feel like this is an impossible dream for some of us!
2 simple meal ideas where the guests do some of the work:
1. Crepes. Make a whole stack and set out whatever toppings/fillings you have: fruit, creamcheese, powdered sugar, syrup, etc.
2. Calzones. Make or buy pizza dough, set out fillings (sausage, cheese, tomato sauce, veggies) and again, let everyone create their own.
I have found that people enjoy making their own and it makes less work for me!
I absolutely love fragrant smells when I enter a home and especially a bathroom. I have the perfect scents to be used for both home and bathroom. Using just our pure fragrance and water with a small vase along with our patented mineral stone wicks you will have the best static fragrant room ever! And you can decorate it up with some twigs and flowers too! Choose your own personal favorite from our list! Just take a look at all the options on my website at http://www.iscentu.com/April Let me know what you think and which ones you like!
Are all these fresh lemon, rosemary and vanilla or essential oils?
Candles are my favorite! It’s almost the only time I use them because I have small children, and I have a huge box of them where I used to have Candlelite Parties. They are pretty and make your house smell wonderful.
I like to use fun tablecloths (usually plastic) for entertaining. I keep a large glass container on my table filled with seasonally colored stones and a large candle. When lighted, the candle adds atmosphere and a pleasant scent.
Joy, I LOVE the idea of using my crystal bowl, which I have on the counter anyway, and filling it with colored stones to match the season! Then i can add anything else that comes to mind for a seasonal centerpiece! Great idea!
I encourage my kids to bring their friends home after school. I always have easy bake cookies or brownies warm from the oven ready. They count on it. I pretend to have lots of dishes to clean so that I can listen to all they are talking about while they are snacking. Then I pull out a plate of fresh fruit and put it on the table so they stay even longer munching from the plate. I have learned so much about things going on at school and in circles just by serving! My kids are boys in middle school.
I think clean beats decorated any day. I also appreciate simple and uncluttered. Inviting people into your everyday is the hospitality I am aiming for.
I am not real big on decorating. . . just don’t have the touch! But one thing i CAN do is light candles! I love the “comfy” feeling burning candles give!
I think decorating walls or table tops with family photographs is a simple and economical way to decorate. These selected photos show what matters to your family, and are great conversation starters when guests arrive.
I like to take an old picture frame and put cute scrapbook paper in it. Then, I write a scripture on the glass with a dry-erase marker…..that way I can change what scripture is on it. In my guest bathroom, by the sink, I have one with Numbers 6:24-26 “May the Lord bless you and keep you…” on it and I also have an encouraging scripture in front of my kitchen sink.
No time to buy or even cut flowers from the garden? I put a small pot plant in a pretty container in the middle of the table It immediately ‘lifts’ the table. Other than that? Clean, uncluttered surfaces, a kettle of hot water and a huge smile of welcome.
I like to serve simply and tasty finger foods, have some great coffee brewing, and have the house at least de-cluttered so others (and myself!) can just relax. And attitude is everything!
I have a solar fountain at my entrance. It creates a nice peaceful sound as people approach the front door. I also attract birds by feeding them outside a window where they are visible to guests. They bring a lot of joy to everyone that comes in,young and old. It is wonderful to know that God takes delight when we appreciate his creation.
I print scripture passages and put them in beautiful silver frames around our living areas. I try to focus on those that speak to whatever may be going on in our lives at the time.
I love candles and and soft music when guests come over.
Clean floors and clean counters. Keep things SIMPLE.
& be calm, content & yourself!
I plant tulips, daffodils, carnations and lillies so that in the spring and summer I always have fresh flowers I can cut and put in a vase or lay in a basket. They”re fragrant, pretty, fresh and always bring a smile to my face and a reminder that we are Gods garden. He is always planting new seeds into our spirits and as we seek Him those seeds grow into new blossoms that bring change and growth into our lives. Just as the petals sometimes wilt, our days/lives may seem wilted but if we look to Him< for all things, we will see the blessing and the beauty of the life He has given to us.
We recently had dinner in the home of an older couple who had no children of their own. My three little ones were not sure how “fun” their evening would be, but when chocolate fondue was set out for dessert, you should have seen their faces. If kids will be in attendance, this is such a special treat and lots of fun. There are so many things to dip! It will be my go to dessert from now on…my girls are still talking about it.
Fresh flowers, a homemade table runner, music in the background, board games or cards for after dinner.
I have a number of clear glass bowls, hurricanes & cake stands. I fill them with fruit, Easter Eggs, Christmas ornaments whatevers easily available. I also use them to serve food & beverages from.
I like to have fresh flowers, lit candles and something freshly baked ready for my guests!
I love placing small flower arrangments in little places around the house when having house guests….I usually just purchase the least expensive cut flowers I find at our local supermarket and divide them into small cups, mason jars, etc.
I often use a clear glass bowl or basket of fresh fruit as a centerpiece. It is pretty and it encourages my kids to grab fruit instead of asking for junk food.
I love to cut fresh flowers from my garden to help bring the outside in and freshen up the house. I also find opening the doors can freshen up the house and move any lived in smells outside. For a quick dinner I keep ingredients for speghetti on hand for those last minute meals and we always have veggies cut up in the frigerator to place on the table. I look forward to following this blog. It is a real blessing to find a fellow bliever, housewife and homeschooler. My kiddo’s are a little older, they will be 14 and 16 within a couple of months.
Free decorating tip: when I have a desire to invest in home decor, but money isn’t available, I’ve learned to take something from one room and put it in another. This works with photos, pottery, pillow, end tables, lamps, candles. It feels like you bought something new without having to spend any money.
I always have a fun game that all ages can play together, like Apples to Apples.
we bought a fire pit last fall for the backyard. We would have people over to roast marshmallows. It was inexpensive and I didn’t really have to worry what my house looked like b/c we were outside the whole time!
When the kids in the neighborhood are selling things to raise money for school, I always buy the pre-cut frozen cookie dough. I can pop those in the oven before guests arrive (my guests in this season of my life are around 10 years old!) and the house smells good and they are happy.
I am entering this one for my brilliantly crafty daughter Kristen. I couldn’t come up with an idea for party favors for her lovebird themed bridal shower. She ran out to Ross picked up a square country blue dish with 2 birds on it. She hand painted the words Let Love Grow and filled it with a variety flowerseed packets for guests to choose from as they left, and they loved the gift! This idea could be used not only for party favors, but a packet of seeds with a small clay pot as a placecard or on the nightstand in the guestroom with some gardening gloves ,etc…
I love the decorations and pictures or crafts that my kids make. They bring joy to a room and give my kids a chance to show them off to our guests. They also receive praise and encouragement from our guests on their creativity.
I have a Southern Living at Home Hemingway Hurricane that I use on my coffee table to celebrate the seasons. Each season I center a seasonly-colored candle in the footed hurricane and anchor it with other seasonal items; such as, black-eyed peas for January, conversation hearts, jelly beans and Easter grass, sand and mini-seashells, or candy corn, etc. It makes me happy to look at it.
Sounds a bit crude, but I fold the corners of the TP on the end of the roll before company gets there, so it looks as elegant as a TP roll can look. I also make sure there is an interesting article or something to read in the bathroom, and that there is an option for diffusion of smell handy.
We have a lazy Susan in the center of our table filled with seasonings, honey, etc, so that things are handy for anyone wanting to add something to the meal we’re having. I also like to keep a small candy dish out filled with a variety of small treats. I, too, keep new Tupperware specifically for sending food home with guests or for preparing a meal to take to someone…it’s nice for them to not have to worry about returning containers! LOVE all the ideas here!!!
My decorating tip is MASON JARS!!! They are great for ANY decor. Flowers for a casual, rustic look with some tied on twine. Filled with sand and shells for a more coastal vibe. Rocks and a candle, notes left inside, painted or colored to coordinate with decor. The list goes on!!! Super cheap, super cute and easy
I put out a large bowl of apples and oranges. It looks lovely and is available for anyone who may need a small, easy snack.
This might sound silly, but I use my glass trifle dish as a fruit bowl on my dining room table. The colors of the fruit are soothing, and having fruit out in the open makes it a more appealing snacking option.
I will definitely try the tip to google a reference and printable blog. I am not a decorator but I do buy flowers at Walmart and put them in three small vases ( so you can see the person sitting across from you) and use them as a centerpiece for my dinner table.
I appreciate Joy’s honesty about the enthusiasm she has at the beginning of the week for hospitality and how that can get drained by the end of the week. Her ideas for how to prepare for those feelings are very helpful. My family has some extra challenges since I have two sons with life-threatening food allergies (milk, wheat, egg, peanut, and nuts!) and making food everyone can enjoy is always the first thing on my mind. One thing that has helped is keeping frozen allergen-free cookie dough in my freezer just for my sons. I make the cookie dough in a big batch and then use my cookie scoop to make cookie dough balls that are oven-ready anytime.
I don’t have a lot of room for decoration or any that would survive a 2yr and 9yr old boys. I tend to have all the items on hand for my Potporri in a pot. I cut up one orange, one lemon throw in cinnamon stick, whole cloves and sometimes mint leaves from my garden. When they come in the house smells wonderful and if the windows are open the smell will even great them before they come in. If I can afford it I do like fresh flowers.
when i have guests in my home i like to have fresh cut flowers in mason jars + scented/unscented candles lit throughout the house. oh and of course a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies!
I make sure to have decorative napkins in the guest bathroom set out in a decorative basket. It is a beautiful and sanitary indulgence for my guests to dry their hands.
I keep decorative napkins in a pretty basket in the guest bathroom. It is a sanitary indulgence for my guests to dry their hands.
I desperately need help in the decorating department, so I doubt you would want any advice for me.
I love to have fresh cut flowers in the different parts of the house & candles burning
I have learned to not tidy up/clean up my house too much when I invite friends over. I have repeatedly had friends make comments about feeling comfortable in my house because it’s not so perfectly setup. At first I wasn’t sure how to take that comment – was my house too messy – but then I realized she meant it in a positive way. It made her feel better about her house. So I do clean up, but I don’t knock myself out to make it perfectly tidy – afterall there are five of us living here.
I love having a pretty centerpiece on our dining room table – fresh flowers, or more often, a display of MANY scented candles with soft artificial light.
Saw a great idea for coloring Easter eggs .. Instead of using cups, use a muffin tin. Put a different color in each muffin tin. Seemed to be less messy! Great if you are hosting an egg dying party!
Fresh Flowers from the yard!! Always brings a smile to companys faces…and the nice smell of a candle and maybe a magizine or two.
I have a hanging vase that I try to change monthly. Like if Feb, I put plastic hearts in it. In Apr, I fill it with Easter eggs. In May and July, I fill it with American flags and a red bandana. Sept. has lots of school supplies. Nov. has fake leaves and mini plastic pumpkins. Dec. is different ornaments. I try to check the dollar store or Michaels after a holiday for stuff on the clearance rack that I can use the following year.
I love to just fill a glass bowl with water and float candles, simple but peaceful!
A round high bowl of fresh oranges! work great for a quick centerpiece and the family eat the fruit faster!
I always have a candle or scentsy of some sort going and I try and have nice music playing too. Here is something that I stumbled upon through pinterest – with nice weather upon us – I’ll be using this one ALOT!!!
http://www.thecupcakeblog.com/tag/cupcake-liner/
I find that my schedule has been very full so when I feel in the mood for baking I’ll make something and freeze the remainder to save for another time. Let it thaw and then find a nice bowl or container to put it in. I like to do little munchies around in cute bowls around so everyone can much on them. With each season I try to add some little decoration for the season. Or a nice way to present the food.
For our dining room table I have had my daughter color pictures, then use a clear table cloth over the pictures!
With limited space….I like it to feel relaxing if someone is over so I will try to keep a candle lit so it smells good and sets the a relaxing mood.
For Thanksgiving I bought a few plastic Thanksgiving Kids Table plates that are fun colors. I put them on a table with a stuffed animal turkey as the cernterpiece and it helps the kids to feel loved and included too, even if they are at the Kids Table.
I am very big on candles. I like to get new ones but if I see a decent looking used one at a garage sale for 25 cents, I may even get that. I was at a garage sale and I noticed to plain white candles that sat on clear holders. I decided to put ribbon around them and give them a personal touch. I loved it. Now, I decorate them according to seasons!
I have a dear friend who gardens and shares of her talents freely. Me? I have a brown thumb, but I love the $5-10 bouquets of flowers at our local grocery. It always put me in the right mood for sharing something beautiful.
I love to make fun wreaths for the front door. It sends a warm welcome to me. Pinterest.com is a fantastic website to find DIY wreath ideas.
I made faux mirrors out of old (and some new Dollar Tree) picture frames and I LOVE them! Krylon makes a reflective spray paint perfect for this craft. Just find some picture frames, take the glass out, and spray paint the back side following the directions on the can. When they’re dry, the flip side of the glass will then be reflective like a mirror – pop them back into the frames and you’ve got mirrors! I like the distressed look, so I took some masking tape kind of wadded up and randomly “patted” the paint when it was dry. The tape peeled off little bits of the paint resulting in a distressed look. I made somewhere around 10 of these “mirrors” with mismatched frames and plan on making a collage with them. We are getting ready to move in about a month and I can’t wait to put them up in our new place!
Two easy decorations good any time of the year are:
1. Simple White Candles in a decorative vase, bowl or hurricane lamp. I use river rocks, coffee beans or depending on the season — season candle to line around the bottom.
2. Fresh Flowers. You can usually pick up a small bouquet at your local grocery store for 5.00 or less.
My decorating idea is what I call a “Blessings Wall”, it’s a wall in our house full of pictures of family and friends. It’s a great way to fill a large wall and a great conversation piece. I will be posting on my blog this week -sorry I’m behind
Fresh flowers go along way! I go SAMS so I don’t break the bank and would like to plant some hardy ones so I could avoid buying
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