Springtime Dates

March 25, 2022March 22, 2022 RefreshHerLeave a comment

It’s warming up pretty consistently here in East Tennessee. These are perfect opportunities to have a fun date with your spouse! Need some ideas? Here are a few fun ones to get you started:

Get outside and work in the yard together. Clean up any leaves from fall. Mow the grass, sweep the sidewalks and driveway. See if you could use some new shrubbery. Celebrate the beautiful yard with a Frosted Lemonade at Chick-Fil-A or an ice cream cone at Dairy Queen!
Take a bike ride on one of the local trails.
Go for a breakfast picnic. Be aware of the morning dew and take a towel or blanket to sit on or wipe down the table.
Take a hike on a mountain trail.
Take a drive in the country with the windows down.
Go to Lowe’s or any other paint store and pick out a color for a room in your house or a piece of furniture that needs some refreshing. Do the project together.
Build a fire in the fire pit in the evening.
Play a yard game like croquet, Frisbee, or badminton.
Wash the car together.
Go to the park and fly a kite.
Sit outside and watch the sunset from your porch swing.
Take a walk around the neighborhood hand in hand.
Go to a local drive-in like Sonic and enjoy lunch in the car with the windows down.
Go to yard sales and find items you need to make your porch inviting!
Find a little town you’d like to spend the day investigating and have a whole day away shopping, having coffee, and just walking its streets.

There are some ideas to get you started! What springtime dates have you planned? Remember, most times together won’ just happen! You have to be intentional!

Happy Spring Date night!

dessert · hospitality · Outside decor · spring · spring cleaning · Tablescapes

Happy Springtime & Ideas for Your Home

March 21, 2022March 20, 2022 RefreshHerLeave a comment

I’m so thankful it’s officially springtime! I’m devoting today’s post to all things spring – from tablescapes to cleaning lists, I’ve got some ideas to help you enjoy this season to the fullest!

Easter is right around the corner, so look below for some ideas for your table and your menu! But as you consider inviting guests over, read this post to be reminded of the best way to open your home in order to sweetly share the Gospel.

If you want to set a spring-y table, here are five different centerpieces you could easily create.

Wintertime makes your outdoor areas a mess and less than inviting! You’ll find ideas to refresh your porches for spring here.

Lighter meals and fresh ingredients are perfect for spring suppers. This Salmon Salad is amazing and perfect for springtime!

If you need some Spring cleaning lists to get you motivated on cleaning winter out of your house, check out this post that is full of great plans!

The result will be something delicious and beautiful, and you won’t be exhausted!

Finally, my all-time favorite Spring/Easter Cake is this Coconut Cake with Lemon filling. It’s a family tradition that we all anticipate!

Refresh your home with a Happy Spring!

Crafting · Frugal living · Home decor · spring

Spring Home Touches

March 18, 2022June 9, 2022 RefreshHer9 Comments

I have a favorite You Tube channel that I love to watch. White Cottage Company always leaves me encouraged and inspired! Mary has such great ideas for decorating her home. Recently she showed how she took Dollar Tree fencing and made it look like wrought iron! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I had been looking at Hobby Lobby for a piece like this and it was very expensive! After watching Mary, I wondered if I could replicate what she did. I knew I had to give it a try!

First I purchased four pieces of fencing from Dollar Tree. I clipped off the side pieces where it would attach together. Then I used a white trim paint to paint the front of the fencing. It took me ten minutes per section.

After it dried, I used a piece of sandpaper and roughed up the edges so it would look like the iron was a little worn.

I was gluing three pieces of fencing together, so I used clippers and removed the stakes that would be on the bottom row, but I left the other two with those long stakes. They are what I used to glue the pieces together. If you look carefully at my close up, you can see those long stakes. I used a hot glue gun to glue the rows together and clamped them while they dried. ** NOTE: I think I’ll purchase E6000 glue and reinforce it to make sure it’s sturdy.

The other touch I added in my living room was this framed wreath. I had a picture there that I knew was too small, but couldn’t find something I loved to put in its place. On the day when I was wanting to add the wrought iron fending and also “fix” this wall, I simply prayed, “Lord, would you help me to do this quickly and use things I already have?” I love seeing how God answers those little needs that matter to me. He helped me to know exactly where the fencing would look best, and then brought to my mind this wreath and also the frame – both things I had on hand!

Another project I’m working on is getting longer drapes so I can move my rods up higher! All in God’s time!

My addition of spring touches cost me only $4.75 and a little bit of time! I hope this will inspire you to

Craft something for your home.
Pray about how/what to add.
Use what you already have on hand!

What will you add to your home to freshen it for spring?

Crafts · Home decor · spring

Simple and Easy Spring Wreath

March 4, 2022April 10, 2022 RefreshHerLeave a comment

With spring around the corner, I decided to make a new wreath last week. If you’ve shopped for wreaths, you know that they are not cheap. However, this took me about half an hour and only $3.75 in materials! I was so pleased with the outcome of my project. Here’s how to make the wreath:

You will need ~

One 10″ wreath form

Two bags of Reindeer Moss

Hot glue gun and about six hot glue sticks
A little patience

It’s really wise to spread out newspaper to cover the area where you’re going to work. This moss is really messy and the newspaper will make your clean up a cinch!

In small increments, add glue to your wreath form and place the reindeer moss on the glue. I went all the way around and then also added some to the back so it would be presentable on my glass front door, should I decide to use it there. I used both bags of moss so it would be nice and full. Layer over the first layer until everything is covered and the wreath looks nice and fluffy.

I added a burlap ribbon I had on hand for hanging. You could use whatever color works for your decor. It makes it easy to display and it’s less likely to shed its moss this way.

Are you itching to refresh your home with spring touches as I am? I hope you’ll try this simple wreath!

Refresh you heart in a Bible preaching church this week. You need them and they need you!

Home decor · refreshment at home · spring

Spring Decor Refresh

April 23, 2021April 22, 2021 RefreshHer4 Comments

Spring is a time of freshness, new life and so much beauty. Our homes can reflect all those characteristics simply by adding a few simple touches. I love to shop around my yard and my house for those items. I try to keep it light and airy with not too much on tables and shelves.

I have mentioned before that using fresh greens is so much better than buying fake plants – unless they really look real.

Here are a few vignettes that I added this week…

Bar counter tiered stand. Boxwood limbs and lemons add the pop of yellow and some fresh greens.

The succulent on the bottom tier is artificial, but the real ones look artificial, too, so I’m happy with this little pot.

The entryway needs a fresh welcome. Greens, some chocolate to share with guests, and my guest book all rest on the entry table.

My little church chalkboard is the message I want all my guests to do!
I broke my fake flower rule here, but they do look pretty real., so they’ll work until my roses begin to bloom again!

A bamboo tray on the kitchen table holds a darling tea pot from a sweet friend, a succulent, a tray of encouraging quotes from another dear friend, and the salt and pepper. Small baskets like this are so versatile!

To my wooden decorative balls, I added some moss covered balls. I made these for less than $3 with items from the Dollar Tree. Styrofoam balls, hot glue and Reindeer moss were used to make them. So easy! I’m going to be on the lookout for a small strand of tiny white battery operated lights to add to this bowl. I think they’d add the perfect touch!

I removed the mirror from the mantle and changed it out with the old window, just for something different. I added branches from the backyard for greenery and then used only white decor. Something about green and white just feels fresh!

What do you love adding to your decor in the spring? Maybe some of you had to add a snow shovel to your front porch this week when that cold front blew through! Crazy weather! Here’s to warmer temps and some lovely vignettes!

We have some super-fun plans for this weekend I can’t wait to share with you! Hope you have something fun planned, too!