Small Improvements

Hello again!

I'm back here in Blogland to talk about improvements in the home.

I'm never more content with my life than when I'm in my home, taking care of what God has given me; and making improvements to what I already have.

~It's the little things in life that make me happy!~

Let me show you some of the very small improvements I've been working on lately...

This is my current kitchen table centerpiece. 

I always prefer to decorate with what is real and fresh (versus artificial). 

You can purchase small plants at grocery and home improvement stores very inexpensively.

If taken out of its plastic, and placed in a pretty planter or bowl, it can brighten up a corner in your home quite easily!

Here's another example...

This succulent on my kitchen window sill was looking sickly, as you can see:

(Why can't I keep plants alive?!!!)

*Sigh....

Anyway, I replaced it with this adorable blooming plant:

Isn't that better?!

(I've been choosing red blooming plants for the Christmas season.)

This sure is a lovely thing to look at while I stand at my kitchen sink!

Little things can make a big difference! 

Friends, since these little things improve the home, we find ourselves in a more pleasant environment. So, our heart attitudes and outlook on housework, improves as well!

~What a beautiful thing~

I'm not the only one around here striving to make improvements, however...

One night recently, I came home to Micah replacing our back screen door!

~Yippee!!!!!~

(I think home improvement projects must be my love language! Haha...)

Our back screen door has been bothering me for several months now because it was starting to rot!

See?!... Look!

NO, NO! We can't have this!!!

Thankfully, Micah removed it, and now we have this beauty:

"Appreciating small things is a great achievement." ~Rohan Rathore

A couple of weeks ago I was moving some furniture around to make room for our christmas tree, and the new arrangement exposed the backs of my white caned chairs...

When I reupholstered them, I neglected to finish off the trim on the back.

Again, wanting to make use of materials that I already had, I dug out a strip of left-over white lace. It was long enough to do both chairs.

I tend to have the mindset of, What can I do today that will move my home forward?... And can I take my home forward using only spare moments and left-over materials?

It's sort of like a fun game!

I played this game when I decided to make some improvements in the girls' bedroom...

I recently re-did their wall decor, and needed another small picture to go in the arrangement I was putting together. 

So, I made this:

Isn't it cute? Perfect for the girls' room!

It's a page from an old children's book that I had. I tore it out and put it in this frame from my stash.

This is the completed wall arrangement:

(A funny side note... It is very bothersome to Elsa that the girl in the picture is losing her hat! She will point to it and say, "Oh no! Hat! What happened?!"  Haha!)

Of course, re-decorating always comes with the risk of having to hammer in new holes, thus exposing the previous arrangements' holes.

I try my best to promptly fill and re-paint any holes!

There's really no excuse since spackle dries quickly, and a small jar of touch-up paint is so inexpensive!

See? Good as new!

The last thing I want to show you today, is a very small improvement on my bedside table.

Every winter I buy one of these:

I keep it on a platter with some other bedtime essentials:

But the problem is, as you can see... it's not pretty to look at.

So, I decided to scoop some out and put it in this antique glass container, instead:

See? That's better, right?

Small improvements are important!

While I've got you looking at this photo, I'll tell you one more small tip. If you leave lotions out in plain sight, make sure to purchase them with the color scheme of your room in mind.

For example, my Moon Light Path lotion was purchased because of its blue packaging. I knew it would look nice in my blue and white bedroom.

Any lotions or containers that don't look pretty should be kept behind closed cupboard doors.

You'd be surprised at how polished your home will look if only this one small rule is adhered to!

Of course, if I lived alone, my home would be in tip top shape at all times, (at least I think it would be) because that's how I enjoy life. However... I have these four destructive, I mean *ahem adorable children, who seem to enjoy life in messy and chaotic ways.

So, it seems to be an uphill climb at times.

*Sigh...

But, I will continue to press on!

And I would encourage you, dear reader, to look around your home to see what small improvements can be made! 

A small improvement can go a long way, and can encourage you in your homemaking!!!

Love to you all...

xo,

~ Courtney~