Home Sanctuary

Back to Basics

I've shared this story a couple of times here at Home Sanctuary, but it seems like I need reminding of the basics when busy seasons (like Christmas) rush in. Today's Small Thing makes such a huge difference in my day....when I do it :).

On my first Ladies' Retreat ever, I had left my 2 year old and a baby I was weaning from the breast that very weekend at home with my man.  I was thrilled to be away and besides, I thought as long as I would be away from the baby for 48 hours, why not completely pull the plug? Other than the fact that I was about to EXPLODE all weekend, there is one other thing that stands out in my mind from that inaugural retreat.

It was that I had nothing to say about myself.

When we broke up into small groups and went around the circle to introduce ourselves to the others, I was completely blank.  Is this what happens when you spend two years at home with babies?  No hobbies, no interests, no great "former job" to discuss.  I listened to the other women describe their interesting lives and felt like a dud.  What could I possibly say that would be interesting beyond diapers and my sopping nursing pads?

When my turn came, I stammered out the only thing I could think of:

"My name is Rachel Anne Ridge and I make my bed every day."

How LAME is that?

You see, my life was in the throws of baby-ness and I didn't have a whole lot of order going on.  But the one thing I clung to was getting that bed made up every morning.  Somehow, just seeing it all straightened made me feel just a little bit better about everything else.

I still feel that way about my bed. And even though I got some good war-stories under my belt that could entertain a small group these days, I wonder if that silly answer wasn't the thing that launched me into finding Small Things each day.  You've got to have measurable victories along the way, even if they are tiny.

Today's Small Thing is to simply make your bed.   Now before you roll your eyes and sigh condescendingly at my facile prompt today, you might want to take lil' gander at your own bed and see if you actually did it.  

 Uh huh.  Thought so.

The basics of Home Sanctuary are Peace, Order and Beauty.  Why not start with an orderly bed today? This should become a habit that gets you on the road toward success each day. And you'll feel much more in the Christmas spirit!

 (PLUS)

POINTS: 30 for something so ridiculously easy!

BONUS: 10 per bed that is made in your house today...get your kids to help you earn points!

Song of the Day: Wake Me Up Before You Go, Wham! 

I Love a Good Yarn

This is one of my favorite Small Things from last year....so let's do it again! We probably can't do it enough.

Give me a lecture with a bunch of facts and figures, and I'll be asleep in seconds.  But spin a tale that illustrates those facts, and I'm glued to edge of my seat, waiting for the next detail.  I love a great story.

To be honest, I even love mediocre stories.

My grandmother was an excellent storyteller.  She could remember funny jokes and silly tales...perfect for entertaining her wiggly grandchildren and generations of Sunday School kids.  I especially loved to hear stories from her childhood, of growing up in a family of homesteaders on Vashon Island, Washington.  Like most people back then, they were poor, and a good Christmas was when they got fresh oranges in their stockings.  They picked berries in the summer, walked to school, and were strictly forbidden to play on Sundays. I loved how she'd laugh and pat her knee as she reminisced about those days.

We have few treasures that have been passed down from generations past, but we do have the thread of family stories.  The funny thing is, to my grandparents and parents, they were simply telling about normal, unexceptional life as they knew it. But to us, it is a window into a world gone by - a glimpse that gives us appreciation for what they experienced and what shaped them.  And it's part of what shapes US because it knits us together through their words.

Today's Small Thing is to tell a story.  You might not think you are a good storyteller, but don't let that stop you.  I'll make this easy by giving you a simple subject: a favorite Christmas memory from your past.

You may tell a child, a friend, a spouse.  You may leave a comment.  You may blog about it.  Just share one memory that brings a smile to your face when you recall it.  Was it a gift you received?  The smell of a pine tree?  A proposal?  Making cookies? A favorite ornament? It doesn't have to be fancy or elaborate...just a snippet of your past that gives a glimpse into what has shaped YOU!

POINTS: 40 for "spinning a yarn" about a Christmas memory

Song of the Day: I'll be Home for Christmas, Bing Crosby

What's your favorite Christmas memory to share? If you are a blogger, why not link to a post about it on your blog (use the Company Girl Coffee linky in the next post)

Company Girl Coffee 12.10

Thank you for your extension of grace to me yesterday. I was pooped! I took most of the day to do a little laundry, rest and get caught up....it was great. If you'd like to see one of the things I've been working on this week, I've posted about it here.

I've gotta tell you, I have not even attempted to do ANY Christmas shopping yet....I got NADA under the tree so far. But that will all happen next week, when I can go with my husband. I love his "just buy it" attitude when I am agonizing over something that is $2.00 over my budget! He makes Christmas shopping so much more fun that way, plus it's a little more like a military mission: get in and get out. yes.

Friday is the day of the week that I open Home Sanctuary up for a virtual "coffee" time. It's all about YOU! All you have to do to participate is enter your blog URL into the linky tool below - and you'll be inviting visitors over by doing so.  It gives us a chance to get to know each other better! If you aren't a blogger, I encourage you to simply introduce yourself in the comment section so we can put a little bit of information to your name when we see it! Today's Small Thing is a perfect "excuse" to participate because you'll get points for sharing a Christmas memory...either in comments or blog post, or however you'd like to share it!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

 

No Small Thing Today

Hi my sweet friends,

Yesterday was one of those days that just seemed to go on and on....when I was checking out of the grocery store line at 10 pm last night, I knew I was in trouble. Anyway, after hitting the snooze button one too many times this morning, I didn't get my post finished up for today. So I'm skipping out on it completely.

Enjoy your day, and I'll see you back here tomorrow morning for Company Girl Coffee and a weekend Small Thing!

Love,

Rachel Anne 

Christmas Candles

 

My house is decorated simply this year.  I have not tucked greenery into every nook and cranny, or hung ornaments all over the place.  I've skipped the outside lights, even though I love them.  Like last year, we've had so much going on that I just drew a line and said, "enough."  Next year, I may feel like goobering up every available surface with Christmas stuff, but for now....this feels good to me.

But one thing I HAVE set out here and there is Christmas candles.  Some of them are ones that are out all year long, but are now rearranged with greenery or circled by poinsettia blooms (fake ones, of course.)  It looks lovely.

And those candles will look even lovelier after today's Small Thing, which is to actually light them. I'm not sure if I've been waiting for Santa to show up before I strike a match, but how silly is it to have them set out and then never light them?  This morning, I lit one near the kitchen and it made me smile instantly. Why did I wait so long to enjoy its warm glow?

You don't have to have "special" candles to enjoy this small thing.  If you've got a wax stump with a wick, fire it up and live a little.  Grab a couple small Christmas balls to place around it and you've got yourself a festive, decadent treat.  Who knew that something so small could make such a statement!

POINTS: 40 for enjoying one lit candle sometime today

BONUS POINTS: 10 for each additional candle you light, up to 10 total (140 pts!).......so dig in those drawers, girls!  

Song of the Day:  Christmas Lights, Coldplay...a little bit sad, but the ending is great

PS Don't forget to order the book, "Company Girl" for Christmas gifts while you can still get shipping in time! What book, you ask? Why THIS one!

Just Hanging Out....Again

Towels these days!

They are so lazy.  All they ever do is hang out with each other, slouching over the rods and shooting the breeze like they've got all day.  It's like they don't even care if they have good posture, or if they match their partners.  Rumpled and disheveled, some of them don't even bother to pick themselves up off the floor to exchange so much as a "hello."  They just hunch their shoulders and remain in lifeless heaps of moist indifference as you pass by.

It's too bad, because the good-looking hand towels usually steal the show by placing themselves in fancy rings by the sink.  They demand more attention with their trendy trims and tassels, but even they have been seduced by the sloppy casual culture of the blue-collar bath towels.  They're often caught sneaking off their haughty rings and yukking it up with the big boys.

It annoys me to walk into the bathroom and see such reckless self-indulgence.  Towels these days should have a little more self-respect by acting appropriately for their jobs.  They should hang at attention the way towels used to, waiting with expectancy to work when called upon.  And they oughta be willing to stay orderly in the cabinets, instead of falling all over each other in wanton abandon whenever the door closes.  It's just not right.

Today's Small Thing is to show today's young whippersnappers how it should be done.  Place them firmly on their rods and give them a crisp swat.  Grab the floor-huggers by the collar and march them directly to the washing machine.  Give the hand-towels a good talking-to and encourage them to be better examples.  Check on the cabinet towels and make sure none of them are giving birth to illegitimate wash cloths.  They need to straighten up in there or be separated.

POINTS: 40 for dealing with problem towels   

Song of the Day: The Twist, Chubby Checker - Do a towel-inspired dance...ya know ya wanna...

Hiccups and Pickups

First of all, I'd like to give a big welcome to all the new girls who have found Home Sanctuary through OrgJunkie! It has been delightful to see your names signing up and I can't wait to get to know you. We are a pretty easy-going bunch here....and I do mean EASY going bunch. Our Small Things are wonderfully simple to do, but what a difference they make! Somehow they spill over into other areas, and before you know it...."sanctuary" is happening. I'm so glad you've joined us.

If you want to start keeping track of points, here is a Tally Sheet to help you do so. Download Tally12 Print it off and post it up somewhere where you'll be reminded to check the Small Thing. If you haven't done so already, getting Home Sanctuary by blog feed is a great idea so you'll never miss a post.

Whew! That's just about everything, except to say that there is almost always a Song of the Day to get you into the mood....it is listed at the bottom of each post and can be found on the music player in my sidebar. (or you can use itunes, etc.) Feel free to pop over and listen each day for an extra smile. I don't know why, but I love finding songs to go with posts. :)

And now....

My son Grayson was a pretty cute little guy (still is) and I used to love the way he'd pronounce words as a toddler. His favorite toys were "bwoks and twucks" (blocks and trucks), and he had some sayings that I never wanted him to grow out of....because I knew eventually he would.

It took years before we told him that "hiccups" were not the "pickups" he called them. Darn it, it was adorable when he used to get those "pickups!" It was hard not to smile when he'd announce that he had them, and we'd pretend not to hear what he said, just so he'd repeat, "I got da pickups!"

What??

"I got da pickups!"

Today's Small Thing is all about hiccups and pickups. If your life is anything like mine, you could say that running a household is all about hiccups and pickups. Not a day goes by without either of them - and usually in abundance. Things always come up at the last minute, someone loses their shoes, forgets a lunch, needs a science project done tonight, or the car has a flat. You name it, hiccups are part of every day.

And who can survive without the constant picking up of life's debris? I sometimes feel like my arms are constantly in motion, picking up and putting away....or uh, stacking things for "later."

Today, let's try to avoid hiccups and get points for pickups - what do you say?? Wait, let's get points for both actions....yeah!

Hiccups - 30 POINTS! Simply make a list and an easy plan for today's tasks. Planning is the first step to success, and yet I find sometimes when I get busy I start winging it without a written plan....a sure recipe for hiccups!

Pickups - 40 POINTS! Pick up one room of the house - your choice - and get points for something you're probably already doing anyway! Take 5 minutes to scoop up stuff and straighten.

You can earn 70 points today for doing two easy tasks!

Song of the Day: Pickup Man, Joe Diffy

What's on your list today and what room will you pick up?

Company Girl Coffee 12.3 - My Book is Here!

Girls, it's finally here. My book, Company Girl, is done.

And it's beautiful.

You may have gotten an email from me yesterday about it. If you did, forgive me for repeating myself here on the blog....but I really want to get the word out before Christmas. And because ya'll have cheered me on for well over a year on this project, I want to thank you.

Here's what my email said:

I'm a late-comer to friendships with other women. Growing up, I always had my sister, and she is still my closest friend. But we moved quite a bit and I never really had the girlfriends other girls seemed to have. And then I married young and started a family....well, you know how that goes. Responsibilities and pressures just sort of squeezed out the time for "outside" friendships.

But my girls had coined the phrase "Company Girl" when they were little, and it just kinda stuck with me. It was something they said to each other that simply invited one another to keep company - just because. And it taught me so much about friendship. It taught me that finding - and being- a friend can be simpler than I ever thought. It's made me appreciate the women in my life who care about me, and it's made me want to step out and be a better friend to those around me. That's what this book is all about.

Gorgeous photos, selected from over 400 submitted from all around the world, accompany the story of "Company Girl," and capture the beauty of simple friendship. I owe a huge thank you to everyone who shared their photos to make the book possible. They've been placed on hand-painted backgrounds and each page is just wonderful.

Company Girl is for YOU to enjoy, but it's also especially made to be a gift book. It is perfect for giving to your girlfriends, sisters, mothers and daughters...and I've added a dedication page in the front so that you can place your own special photo and message for the recipient. I'm thrilled that it came out before Christmas because it is what I'm going to be giving to each of the Company Girls in my life, along with a thoughtful letter. I want them to know how much they mean to me, and how rich my life is because of them. I hope you'll consider doing the same thing - because its message is truly heartwarming. I know you - and YOUR Company Girls - will love it.

You can purchase your copies of Company Girl right here. In order to get them in time for Christmas, I suggest ordering as soon as possible to avoid extra shipping costs. It will be available on Amazon in the next few weeks, but this will always be the best way to order it. Enjoy!!

And now for some virtual coffee.

We missed our weekly Coffee Time last week- and now I invite you to link up below for a chance to visit with other Company Girls who frequent Home Sanctuary. You don't have to have a special reason to invite people over - just open your door and see what happens. If you aren't a blogger, we always welcome comments and news in the "comments" section.

PS There is no Small Thing Today! See you back here Monday for a week of Small Things that will help December be a little bit more sane :)

Song of the Day: Friend Like You, Joshua Radin

December Prizes!

This month's prizes are perfect for this time of year, when we start thinking about getting organized in the UPcoming year. I've already written off 2010 as a bit of an organizational flop, so I've got my sights set on January as the month to turn over a new leaf. I'm thrilled to be offering something that I know you will enjoy - AND will be useful in getting your home very sanctuary-esque right along with me.

Note: You might have noticed that there are points attached to each day's Small Thing. By doing the tasks and collecting your points as you go along, you become eligible to compete for a monthly prize. And if you aren't interested in competing, you don't have to worry about keeping track of points...you can simply enter the Random Drawing - both will take place at the end of the month, and I'll let you know when to turn in your points and emails.

The December Most Points Winner will receive a $35.00 gift certificate to OrgJunkie's online store!

Laura, OrgJunkie - I want to be like her.

You probably already know Laura from her site, OrgJunkie. She has fabulous skills and resources for getting rid of clutter and helping you achieve a sane, organized lifestyle. What I love about Laura is that she is a real mom with a busy family, and she shares what works for her - and what doesn't. Because I'm organizationally challenged by nature, I appreciate her friendly help and encouraging tone. Now, I love to shop with merchants I know and trust, and Laura is someone who has personally selected the items she offers. You'll have trouble deciding how to spend your certificate, but I think you'll find a way when you see what she has. Check it out....she has practical stuff like bins, organizers and chore charts like this:

As well as some fun stuff like this flirty apron:

The Most Points Winner will also receive a copy of Laura's just-about-to-be-released book, Clutter Rehab. The subtitle is, "Tips and Tricks to Becoming and Organization Junkie and Love It!" So maybe I can be like Laura, afterall!  Awesome prize!!!! Definitely worth competing for.

Now, I'm going to really spills some beans with The Random Drawing Prize. READY?

The Winner of the drawing will receive a signed copy of my very own new book, Company Girl.  WHAT????

Girls, You're gonna have to read all about it in Friday's Company Girl Coffee's post!  I can't wait to tell you all about it.

It's finally, FINALLY here. :)

 

Window Dressing

Last week, I found myself painting a Christmas theme on a storefront window. The wind was blowing about 30 mph and the temperatures were dropping by the hour. Talk about unglamorous. The greenery and candy canes were the easy part. The lettering.....not so much.

I traced some, transferred some and stenciled some of the lettering - and none of the three methods were easy OR fast. However, all were tedious, so I had THAT going for me.

Staring at that window for hours on end had an effect on me. It's funny how your eyes can focus on certain things and then not even register others. I noticed everything about that painted design on the window. Was it balanced? Would it show at night? Would my blobs of green look like garland? Will anyone notice that I stuck sparkles into the paint on the candies? My eyes took it all in.

And I could see THROUGH the window, to the charming display of antique Christmas treasures, so artfully arranged. Someone had taken a lot of time to collect and arrange the beautiful things into an old-fashioned vignette.

It was not until I'd folded up my ladder and put my paints away that I noticed something I'd missed in all those hours. Fingerprints and drips were all over the clear areas of the glass! The mess had been in front of my nose the whole time (literally) but I never saw it because I was too busy looking at all the other stuff. Blech, what a disaster!

I opened up the ladder and took out a paper towel. Wiping off my fingerprints only took a minute, and then I was done. The glass sparkled. Angels sang. I ate a candy bar.

Life was good.

Today's Small Thing is to wash ONE window. I know you'd love to do more, but seriously, who has time for that? Pick a window that is most visible and give it a good spritz with window cleaner, then wipe it down with a paper towel. You might have been so busy looking THROUGH the window that you've missed the mess ON the window. It will feel super to have ONE shiny pane to look through!

POINTS: 40 for cleaning one window

BONUS POINTS: 40 each for up to 2 more - hey take it easy, this is just for you whiners who want more than one to do. Happy?? :)

Song of the Day: I Can See Clearly Now, Jimmy Cliff