Here’s another presentation that I did for a WMU meeting one night. You might enjoy this:
Hi, my name is Theresa and I am a home décor addict. You might be a home décor addict if
You named your pets Hilde, Doug, and Frank.
You carry fabric swatches and paint chips in your purse
You can find architectural elements in your neighbor’s garbage.
You know the days for new inventory at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
You have more home magazines than the public library.
You’ve rearranged your furniture so many times even the cat can’t find the most comfortable seat in the house.
Why are so many women home décor addicts? One simple reason. We have a need to have homes instead of houses. We need things to surround us that are a reflection of our families. We need our homes to be a place of comfort and shelter. We need to be surrounded by beauty and to enjoy simple pleasures like sipping coffee in our favorite chair or filling a vase with flowers from our own garden. To quote a line from Steel Magnolias, “the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize”.
How do we create warm, comfortable, and inviting homes? The first thing we do is to determine what our favorite things are and what style we want to emphasize. I am so blessed to be a part of the Southern Living family. For just over a year I have been a consultant with Southern Living at HOME. But since I have at least 20 years worth of Southern Living magazines in boxes in my house, I was a self appointed expert even before that!
The mission statement says it all: “To create a feeling of welcome, comfort, and beauty in homes all across America, while fostering the spirit of generosity in the lives of our consultants and their families.”
One of the things that impressed me about this statement is the fact that we want to reach every home, not just the homes that are expensive or over a certain square footage. I grew up on a dirt road in Massey Hill. I’ve lived in a mobile home, a one bedroom apartment, and houses with anywhere from 1000 to 3000 square feet, however, the elements that made these houses a home, have little to do with the monetary value of their contents. When we gather together our favorite things and display them in a way that is pleasing to us, we have made our house a home.
When I think about my most valuable possessions the items that come to mind are rarely things that I purchased in a store, rather they were gathered about me throughout the stages of my life. I have the antique iron bed that I salvaged from my aunt’s shed, a chipped platter, a hope chest, a raggedy Ann doll made by my brother’s wife, my grandmother’s dresser that survived a West Virginia blizzard. I have carried these things with me wherever I have lived. Even though they may not be showcased in my living room, you will find them somewhere in my home because they are a part of me. So in your planning, make sure that your home reflects who you are.
Here are a few practical tips to get you started:
PAINT THE WALLS. Nothing warms a room faster than painting the walls a warm and inviting color.
Create still life arrangements or vignettes in your rooms. Think about the pages of Southern Living magazine. The rooms tell stories about the people that live in the houses. What is your passion? What do you collect? Incorporate who you are, with how you decorate your rooms. Put out a tea or coffee server on your sideboard or sofa table, just as if you were expecting someone. Fill your guest bathroom with baskets of soaps and fluffy towels. Have fresh flowers on the table even when you’re not having company.
Don’t forget your senses. Don’t just light your candles for company. I burn candles all through the day so when I come in from outside, my house smells delicious!
Vary textures. Use throw pillows and afghans. Layering fabrics over your furniture creates instant warmth. This goes for the floor as well. Even if you have wall to wall carpet use rugs to anchor a sitting area. Rugs on hardwood floors and tile soften your rooms.
Every room needs something living like plants or flowers. And if your green thumb is defective, you can find great fakes!
Books and magazines make great foundations for your tablescapes.
Don’t forget to add something fun.
No matter your living situation, you can make a warm and inviting home by taking the time to discover who you are and how you want that conveyed to your family and friends.
Let me show you a couple of arrangements:
Herbs in lemons
Farmhouse basket
French Quarter Tray
And briefly I would like to talk about my passion, which is cooking and entertaining. I discovered my love of cooking while I was in college. I am not happy cooking for myself, I must have an audience. Even though I am not Italian, I relate to their need to feed and nurture. I began entertaining in my dorm room. With a hot plate, electric skillet, and toaster oven, I was able to create full course meals for my friends. I soon gained the reputation as the one who know about cooking. One day some friends took a day trip to the beach and returned with fish they had caught from the pier. None of them had any clue how to clean and cook the fish. Who would know this? Theresa would. And even though I had never done this myself, I had watched my parents clean and cook fish hundreds of times. And so I was able to accommodate my friends. This is how much of my experience has been gained. Trying new things and not being afraid if something doesn’t turn out perfectly.
Here are some tips for entertaining.
Take a deep breath and relax. Plan your menu and tables, but be flexible. No one will know if your dog ate one of your appetizers.
Prepare foods that you are comfortable with. You don’t have to personally make every item. Buy some things at the deli or bakery.
Present food on beautiful platters and containers. Vary the height and size of dishes.
Prepare most of the items in advance so you can have a shower and be relaxed when your guests arrive.
Don’t forget the candles.
Place the most importance on enjoying your guests and not impressing them with your entertaining prowess.
Practice makes perfect.
Now, let’s give away some doorprizes and then enjoy ourselves!
Hi, my name is Theresa and I am a home décor addict. You might be a home décor addict if
You named your pets Hilde, Doug, and Frank.
You carry fabric swatches and paint chips in your purse
You can find architectural elements in your neighbor’s garbage.
You know the days for new inventory at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s.
You have more home magazines than the public library.
You’ve rearranged your furniture so many times even the cat can’t find the most comfortable seat in the house.
Why are so many women home décor addicts? One simple reason. We have a need to have homes instead of houses. We need things to surround us that are a reflection of our families. We need our homes to be a place of comfort and shelter. We need to be surrounded by beauty and to enjoy simple pleasures like sipping coffee in our favorite chair or filling a vase with flowers from our own garden. To quote a line from Steel Magnolias, “the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize”.
How do we create warm, comfortable, and inviting homes? The first thing we do is to determine what our favorite things are and what style we want to emphasize. I am so blessed to be a part of the Southern Living family. For just over a year I have been a consultant with Southern Living at HOME. But since I have at least 20 years worth of Southern Living magazines in boxes in my house, I was a self appointed expert even before that!
The mission statement says it all: “To create a feeling of welcome, comfort, and beauty in homes all across America, while fostering the spirit of generosity in the lives of our consultants and their families.”
One of the things that impressed me about this statement is the fact that we want to reach every home, not just the homes that are expensive or over a certain square footage. I grew up on a dirt road in Massey Hill. I’ve lived in a mobile home, a one bedroom apartment, and houses with anywhere from 1000 to 3000 square feet, however, the elements that made these houses a home, have little to do with the monetary value of their contents. When we gather together our favorite things and display them in a way that is pleasing to us, we have made our house a home.
When I think about my most valuable possessions the items that come to mind are rarely things that I purchased in a store, rather they were gathered about me throughout the stages of my life. I have the antique iron bed that I salvaged from my aunt’s shed, a chipped platter, a hope chest, a raggedy Ann doll made by my brother’s wife, my grandmother’s dresser that survived a West Virginia blizzard. I have carried these things with me wherever I have lived. Even though they may not be showcased in my living room, you will find them somewhere in my home because they are a part of me. So in your planning, make sure that your home reflects who you are.
Here are a few practical tips to get you started:
PAINT THE WALLS. Nothing warms a room faster than painting the walls a warm and inviting color.
Create still life arrangements or vignettes in your rooms. Think about the pages of Southern Living magazine. The rooms tell stories about the people that live in the houses. What is your passion? What do you collect? Incorporate who you are, with how you decorate your rooms. Put out a tea or coffee server on your sideboard or sofa table, just as if you were expecting someone. Fill your guest bathroom with baskets of soaps and fluffy towels. Have fresh flowers on the table even when you’re not having company.
Don’t forget your senses. Don’t just light your candles for company. I burn candles all through the day so when I come in from outside, my house smells delicious!
Vary textures. Use throw pillows and afghans. Layering fabrics over your furniture creates instant warmth. This goes for the floor as well. Even if you have wall to wall carpet use rugs to anchor a sitting area. Rugs on hardwood floors and tile soften your rooms.
Every room needs something living like plants or flowers. And if your green thumb is defective, you can find great fakes!
Books and magazines make great foundations for your tablescapes.
Don’t forget to add something fun.
No matter your living situation, you can make a warm and inviting home by taking the time to discover who you are and how you want that conveyed to your family and friends.
Let me show you a couple of arrangements:
Herbs in lemons
Farmhouse basket
French Quarter Tray
And briefly I would like to talk about my passion, which is cooking and entertaining. I discovered my love of cooking while I was in college. I am not happy cooking for myself, I must have an audience. Even though I am not Italian, I relate to their need to feed and nurture. I began entertaining in my dorm room. With a hot plate, electric skillet, and toaster oven, I was able to create full course meals for my friends. I soon gained the reputation as the one who know about cooking. One day some friends took a day trip to the beach and returned with fish they had caught from the pier. None of them had any clue how to clean and cook the fish. Who would know this? Theresa would. And even though I had never done this myself, I had watched my parents clean and cook fish hundreds of times. And so I was able to accommodate my friends. This is how much of my experience has been gained. Trying new things and not being afraid if something doesn’t turn out perfectly.
Here are some tips for entertaining.
Take a deep breath and relax. Plan your menu and tables, but be flexible. No one will know if your dog ate one of your appetizers.
Prepare foods that you are comfortable with. You don’t have to personally make every item. Buy some things at the deli or bakery.
Present food on beautiful platters and containers. Vary the height and size of dishes.
Prepare most of the items in advance so you can have a shower and be relaxed when your guests arrive.
Don’t forget the candles.
Place the most importance on enjoying your guests and not impressing them with your entertaining prowess.
Practice makes perfect.
Now, let’s give away some doorprizes and then enjoy ourselves!
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