Home Sanctuary

Company Girl Coffee

I have a fresh excitement for Home Sanctuary in 2012! Did I mention I have a few things up my sleeve for this coming year? Here are four:

• I'm bringing back monthly devotionals - one verse each month, artfully displayed, for you to download, share and print to your heart's content. YAY! Now Melissa at Seven Matters can replace the old verses from 2008 with some new ones for her laundry room. :)
• We'll see more prizes and drawings this year. Now, I'm not going to bring back daily "points" for tasks, although I've been sorely tempted to. It's great fun for the 50 or so people who participate, but probably not so much for the hundreds who feel a bit defeated by not "earning" points if they miss doing a Small Thing. That's OK....we'll just find other ways of giving prizes to ourselves, right?? Can't wait.
• I've been working on re-doing my studio office so I can easily create artwork and new organizational tools for us to use. I'm revamping To-Do lists and housekeeping schedules so they are prettier, and therefore, more likely to get used.
• Project challenges - time to tackle some BIGGER projects....but thank heaven above you won't be alone. Oh no, we're in this together, my friends.

Is there something YOU might like to see happen here at Home Sanctuary this year? Leave me a comment or send me an email and let me know!

Our Friday feature, Company Girl Coffee, will continue on as we have done for the past couple of years. It's an easy and fun way to get to know each other. In fact, why not join in today? Simply enter your blog post URL below, inviting people over to meet you. Then get around to as many linked blogs as you can. Even if you don't link up yourself, I hope you'll take a few moments to stop in at some of these fantastic blogs.

Happy New Year, Company Girls! See you Monday, ready to take on 2012!!

Rachel

 

 

A Girl's Gotta Have Tools - Housekeeping Supply List

 

In order to do any job well, it's important to have the right tools. Sometimes I think about how many times I've struggled with a standard screwdriver when the task called for a Phillips....or I've tried to to pound a nail with a shoe...things that should be simple and quick tasks become frustrating because I couldn't put my hands on the right tools when I needed them.

The same is true for homekeeping. I find that if I have the things I need IN STOCK - and HANDY - I can accomplish little tasks effortlessly, without the frustration and inevitable procrastination that comes when I can't find the tools.  Homekeeping tools - and supplies - are just as important as the wrenches and cordless drills your husband can't live without. 

As we start planning for an organized, easy-to-maintain home in 2012, the first place to start is with the right tools.....housekeeping supplies, if you will. When I can reach under a bathroom sink and can pull out a pop-up wipe, I am waaaaaaay more likely to keep the bathroom tidy then when I have to search for a paper towel somewhere in the house, then locate the spray cleaner and then return to......wait. Where was I?? What was it that needed cleaning? Hold on, what's Kelly Rippa talking about now? Oh, that's so funny. Let me sit here for a second and see what's happening on TV.

I'm not kidding, that is how I work.

That is unless I have tools, right then and there, that help me focus on the task at hand. 

Today's Small Thing is to take stock of your supplies.  Make a list of the things you need, and have them ready to go by January 2.

I suggest keeping your supplies where you actually use them: under sinks (child-proofed, of course) or at the very least on each floor of the house or each end of the house. The best part of a cleaning strategy is simply to have your tools HANDY!

Get these at a discount store to put in a caddy per bathroom (or floor level). I splurged on some cute baskets from Walmart recently and love how they make me excited to put cleaning products in them. I opened my under-sink cabinets about 50 times to admire them. Yes, I'm that dorky.

"Small Things" Supplies

Glass Cleaner
Surface Cleaner
Abrasive cleaner
Paper Towels
Sponges
Trash bags
Dust cloth/spray
Wisk broom/dust pan
Rubber gloves
Potty  scrub-brush

Optional: Pop-up wipes (love these)

General cleaning supplies to have:

Floor cleaner
Vinegar
Disinfectant spray
Tools: brooms, mop, vacuum
Trash bags

Swiffers - oh so nice!

Starting fresh with the tools you need will give you power to spend time on the things you really WANT to do, instead of feeling victimized by all the housework.

Remember, Sanctuary in the Small Things is not just about cleaning, but it's about caring for your home and the people who live in it.   It's part of showing love AND helping your family members belong to the process of homemaking.  

Today, take stock of what you have and start getting everything together. Be ready to make 2012 the year of creating a wonderful home sanctuary for yourself and your loved ones. 

P.S. WELCOME to all the new Company Girls yesterday!!! I'm so glad you're joining us!

Song of the Day: Dream, Priscilla Ahn

 

Why I'm Passionate about Sanctuary

This time of year causes me to be reflective about many things, especially about the ways I use my time and energy. For the past four years I've thought a lot about this blog and about why in the world someone like me would write daily about "mundane" things like laundry, dishes and vacuuming. I mean, I could see a more Martha Stewart-like person (highly organized and extremely creative) taking it on and showing the world how it should be done....but me? Laughable. I'm the one who naturally puts off all those things in favor of daydreaming and making up stories. Making piles, er "stacks" is my signature organizational style. Hardly something to emulate.

And yet, here I am. For the past four of my six blogging years, I've been posting daily Small Things - simple, easy tasks - that revolve around the home. Not because I'm passionate about cleaning, but because I'm passionate about sanctuary: the idea that my home should be a place of refuge and grace for the people I love. I want this place to feel good to come home to. Housekeeping is (unfortunately) a big part of creating that for my family, but really, it's just one piece of the puzzle.

You see, I've learned that a home sanctuary is a three-legged stool. It takes three things to make home feel like a place of belonging: Peace, Order and Beauty. I've written about them many times before, and I always seem to come back to this trio because they are so interwoven. When I have some semblance of order at home, there is a sense of peace that comes. Being able to find a matching pair of socks brings an incredible feeling of happiness to me. Seeing a sink, empty of dirty dishes, makes my heart soar. I've found amazing beauty in a coffee table devoid of candy wrappers and soda cans. And making small changes in my attitude has affected my family relationships in a big way. Every single task I do seems to fall into one of these three categories - and I find that just knowing THAT gives me a sense of purpose. I've learned that Small Things matter.

I'm passionate about sharing that sanctuary is not just for the Martha Stewarts of this world. Tired women with too much on their plates can make it happen - in small ways every day. You don't need to be able to reupholster a chair before breakfast to be a supermom. You don't have to create an amazing centerpiece out of fresh greenery you've cut from your backyard and then photograph it beautifully in order to be a successful homemaker. It really is OK to clutch your cup of coffee like a life raft in the morning and shuffle around until you are conscious. It's OK that the laundry is piled up and that your kids are having cold cereal for dinner again. Really, making a sanctuary is about so much more than that.

Sanctuary is about loving one another inside these four walls. Sometimes loving someone means sorting socks for them. Sometimes it means planning a menu or setting up a housekeeping schedule so you can focus on other things. Sometimes it means locking the door and taking a long bubble bath without anyone bothering you. Sometimes is means that you rearrange a bookshelf or empty the dishwasher - tasks that are housekeeping in nature but are in fact, ways of loving yourself and your family. And when you see these mundane tasks for what they really are, suddenly you see sanctuary happening all around you.

Today's Small Thing is to commit yourself to creating a home sanctuary.

You are not committing to being a superwoman - we know we can't keep that up for more than a week, tops. What you ARE committing to is a deliberate choice to find beauty in each day, no matter how difficult your circumstances. It's there, and God will help you find it - I know he will. Commit to doing ONE thing - a Small Thing from here at Home Sanctuary or something of your own choosing - that brings a touch of peace, order or beauty into your home. I'm here to help you do that each day.

What we do here isn't hard. It's not rocket science. It's not revolutionary.

But it's powerful.

Small Things have the power to create sanctuary. They have the power to change your life because big things happen in small, daily steps. God takes the tiniest bit that we have and adds to it in a mighty way. If you have just a shred of faith and hope that he can make something good happen, then come along with me for 2012. We'll do our little part....and then leave the rest to him. Watch a miracle take place in your home - one Small Thing at a time. I hope you'll subscribe to the daily blog feed via email or blog reader (link is at the top right corner of my blog) so you won't miss a thing. And then subscribe to my newsletter, which will be coming out about once a month. These are easy ways to stay connected with me and the rest of the Company Girls as we create home sanctuaries together.

What is one thing you can do today to bring a bit of peace, order or beauty into your home?

Song of the Day: That's What Faith Can Do, Kutless

 

Now, What to Do With All This Stuff

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We really enjoyed our time with our families, ate waaaay too much food, and stayed up late every night. It was great! One of the things we particularly enjoyed was making a deliberate effort to sing carols together....both sides of our families wanted to do it, and it made our get-togethers very special. Lauren chose songs and printed off the words (made all the difference) and then, with Nathan on guitar, Meghan on piano and all of us joining in, the music was sweet and beautiful. Nothing better than hearing the little grandkids singing Silent Night and Away in a Manger. I wiped a few tears during our sing along....just so very sweet.

Well, I felt pretty organized about this Christmas weekend until late Saturday afternoon. I'd wrapped almost everything, had the food prepared and the house was fairly neat. Then there was a sudden last-minute flurry of activity to pull everything together, get all the wrapping paraphanelia out of the guest room and then get dressed for dinner. Everything ended up in my bedroom - all the empty boxes and paper and ribbon - and after gifts were opened, even MORE stuff ended up in there. The sweaters, books, picture frames, and other gifts - they now sit.....waiting to find permanent homes. As much as I've hated sleeping in such a mess, I've been too pooped to do much more that shove it all off my bed so I can collapse in it each night. Can you relate?

Today's Small Thing is to find places to put the new gift items.

I will have to shift a few things around in order to display the new framed photos I received from my kids. I love them so much, and can't wait to see them sitting out where I can see them. The trick is to REMOVE other decor to make room so it doesn't become a cluttered mess. You might want to grab a box or bag to actually get rid of (gasp!) some of your old things to make room for the new. We can't keep hauling more and more stuff inside without letting go of some things, right? Removing the old clutter will help us enjoy the new things even more.

While you ponder where to put your Christmas things, let me ask you: what was your favorite gift that you GAVE this year? Did you find the PERFECT thing for someone and enjoy seeing them open it?? We'd love to know!!!

Song of the Day: Silent Night, Sarah MacLachlan

Merry Christmas from the Ridge Family

Christmas is here! What an incredible time of year....a time to treasure loved ones both near and far, and a time to ponder the mystery of a baby in a manger and the breathless hope he brought to the world. Wrapped in a rough woven cloth and nestled in straw lay the King of the Universe - the Word made flesh to dwell among us....."and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

This Christmas, may God's grace find you, fill you and sustain you. May his glory shine all around you - no matter what your circumstances - and may you be warmed by his presence and the hope of eternal life.

From my family to yours - Merry Christmas!

And the Winner is...

The winner of the CD "Declaration" by Corby LaCroix is Suze! Suze, send me your address and I'll get it to you. I know you'll enjoy listening to the great music!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Company Girls! I'm cleaning and baking today.....I can't bake too far in advance of Christmas because we eat the goodies before the holiday gets here. :/ A few days of temptation is almost more than we can bear.....I'll have to keep the sweets under lock and key - and then give the key to someone else so I won't be the one breaking in!

Wish me luck!

Rachel

Christmas Cutout Cookies Video

I thought ya'll might like to see how our Cookie Decorating Night went. We've decorated cookies now for over twenty years - we started when the kids were toddlers - and we still have fun. Back when we first started, the decorating parties were little more than complete chaos: sprinkles and frosting EVERYWHERE, cookies that looked like monkeys decorated them, and little people licking their fingers while working, blech. Today you'll see that this has evolved into a very classy affair, if you don't count the plastic plates, knives and tablecloths.

Special thanks to my daughter, Lauren, who captured some scenes on her phone and put them to some music! 

 

Cookie Night 

Just in case you missed the recipe, here it is again:

 

Christmas Cutout Cookies

1 1/2 c butter, soft

3/4 c sugar

3 1/3 c flour

Mix in large mixing bowl at low speed.  Roll out 3/8 inches thick, cut into desired shapes Bake at 300 for 20-25 min (ours never go that long, so watch for browning).  If dough doesn't stick together, add drops of evap. milk or half and half.

Icing:  Mix about a bag a powdered sugar with 1 stick of soft butter (or less)  Add small amounts of milk until it is a smooth (not too thick) consistency.  Add 1-2 tsp. almond flavoring, the secret of cutout cookie deliciousness.  Divide up into bowls and stir in food coloring (red, green, blue, yellow, leave one bowl with white).  Have colorful sprinkles on hand, along with toothpicks and small plastic knives for swirling designs around.  Give each person a paper plate to work over, to keep the sprinkles from going EVERYWHERE.

Hint:  Toothpicks make great decorating tools: you can dip one in frosting, then touch a sprinkle and it sticks to it!  Then you can place those itty bitty sprinkles in perfect places to make stunningly perfect patterns.  Your friends will be wowed.  When you get sick of such attention to detail, then just sprinkle away.  It's all good.

 

 

"You Remain," by Corby LaCroix - Best New Song 2011

My favorite worship song of 2011 is by Corby LaCroix, titled "You Remain." I've written about Corby before... he is the worship pastor at my home church, Midlothian Bible Church, and we are blessed by his ministry and talent every Sunday morning!

This morning I want to share this song. I hope you'll listen to the words and let them go down into your heart today. With Christmas just around the corner, this reminds us of the beauty of God's eternal BIGNESS and his steadfast love for us.

 

 

You Remain, by Corby LaCroix

 

Isn't that awesome?? I love it.

I've got a CD to give away today, Corby's "Declaration" album. It has "You Remain" on it as well as many others that will get stuck in your head....but in a good way! Corby's got a country/rock/worship style that is easy to listen to and great to sing along with. If you ever pull up next to me at a stop light and I have my head thrown back and I'm singing at the top of my lungs, there is a good chance I'm rocking along with one of his songs. I've been known to do that.

For a chance to win a CD, just go over to Corby's Facebook page and "like" it, then come on back here to let me know you did it in a comment. This would make a great gift for someone (well, RE-gift it after you open it up and load the songs into your itunes library.)

EASY! PRE-CHRISTMAS FUN! GREAT MUSIC! You can't ask for more than that.

Happy Monday!

 

Company Girl Coffee 12.16

Wow! I can't believe Christmas is just a week away! I finally started my shopping the other day and made a pretty good dent in it. Another couple of outings and I think I'll have it done. I still haven't figured out what to get my husband, Tom. What do you get for a guy that is happy with what he's got? I can't get a straight answer from him, so I guess I will be heading to the sporting goods store for some inspiration. Come to think of it, I could get him a flashlight EVERY SINGLE YEAR and he'd be thrilled. He loves flashlights. :)

Ladies, thank you for your book orders yesterday. If you didn't get a chance to email me, let me know today....I think that's about as late as I can ship and still make it by Christmas. If you don't care about getting books by the 25th, then it won't be a problem at all. I still have a bunch left.

Now, I want to let you know that I'll be taking next week off from the daily Small Things. You all have enough small and big things to do without me adding to it! I may throw in a random post, but I'll be back on the 27th to finish out the year.

I'm very excited about 2012! I have some fun ideas galloping around in my head that I'm playing with, and I'm inspired to keep making daily, incremental touches to my little sanctuary that make it feel good to be home. And having you all along each day means more to me than you can imagine. You keep me motivated and inspired! Next year is going to be awesome, I can just feel it.

Have a wonderful weekend of Christmas preparation....and may you be blessed this holiday season! Feel free to link up for Company Girl Coffee - our weekly "meet up" that allows us to get to know each other better!

Much love, Rachel

 

Tree Topper

Our tree before I got the ribbon primped and last of the ornaments up. I forgot to take a picture of the finished tree! Oh, brother. 

We are one of the few families left on this planet who still gets a real tree every year. Seems like everyone else has moved on to artificial trees - and I can't say I blame them. After our son goes to college, I'm going FAKE ALL THE WAY, MAN!

Don't get me wrong. I love the fresh smell of pine, and the family ritual of going to the tree lot and arguing over which is the best tree, and struggling to get it on top of the car, and getting sap all over your good jacket that you forgot to take off before wrestling into the stand and up into place. It just doesn't get any better than that. Except for getting to vacuum up pine needles for a month and remembering that you forgot to water the tree...for the last two weeks. Great stuff...and though it may seem like I'm complaining, I do love it.

Today's Small Thing is for the last of you "Real Tree" people, ye hardy souls. It is to check the tree's water and refill it if necessary.

Yep, get down there on your hands and knees and reach waaaaay under there and try not to spill any water on the presents. Your tree will be so happy!

And lest you "Fake Tree" people think you are off the hook today.....well, you kind of ARE. Call it luck or simply smart holiday planning, but your work here was done when you put the last ornament on the tree. Sit back and relax while the rest of us work to keep our trees on life support through Christmas and New Year!

Top off your tree's water today!

Song of the Day: O Tannenbaum, Wendy Francisco

POLL: Live or artificial? Which kind of tree do YOU prefer?