Coming Soon....

Y'all are so great, thanks for giving me some time to get "settled in" to our new home! I really needed this little bloggy break. It gave me a chance to focus on my family and our new life here in Chicago-land!

I've been really busy, and can't wait to share more Home and Heart Inspiration with you here again at The Blessed Nest!!!

Coming Soon:

My upstairs landing "after" pics

More Master Makeover improvements

Inspiration from my Heart to Yours

Comfy-Cozy Autumn Recipes

My kids' Arts-N-Crafts table "after"

Simple Fall Decorating

Getting Organized for the Holidays

Giveaways

....and more!!!

Can't wait to visit with you, dear friends, again soon!

Many Blessings to You :),

Stacey

Keepin' It Simple for Fall

I don't know about you, but this year I am keeping my Fall decorating super simple!


I wanted to show you my Fall planters that I potted last weekend for our back deck.
They are lovely in serene shades of green & white!

So Cheery & Welcoming!

Since my life feels so hectic right now, I went with soothing shades of green & white for my planters. The tall evergreen bush and green wintercreeper will stay looking green and pretty all winter long! Talk about getting your money's worth! I can leave them in the pots, or plant them in the ground for year round interest!!

And I'm personally not a fan of mums in general, but these sweet white ones really caught my eye!

Did you know that white blooms in a shaded garden or a garden mostly viewed in the evening really steal the show? It's true! They add a romantic little "glow" to my garden that is just lovely!

I also made sure to place these pots from where I can see them inside as well! They add some cheer to my day, even if I'm sitting indoors :).

Won't you come and rock for awhile with me?
We can talk over some hot apple cider--Yummy!

I'd also like to say a big "Thank You" to my dear friend Amy (ALVN) at Junkologie & Whisperwood Cottage for this awesome Because I'm The Queen award!

I like being queen!
:)

And Amanda at Serenity Now sent me this sweet award too!
Thank you Amanda! :)

And what's more is I was featured today at Tip Junkie!!!
Click on over and see for yourself!



Enjoy your day!

Master Makeover Continued...

Did you ever see that show on HGTV called "Double Take"?
It's where they take a room done by a real designer, and try to copy the look but for much less money. Oh yeah, that's pretty much what all of us bloggers do, right :)?!!

Well, that's just what I decided to do for my new Master Bedroom Makeover!

I usually come up with my own decorating design, but this inspiration was SO good and the show made it look SO easy, that I thought I'd give it a try!!

(photo designed by Heather Chadduck)

My inspiration (I've shown you before) is the picture above by the wonderful Heather Chadduck. This has been in my inspiration file since I first saw it!

The soft gray-blue walls, the brown toile, the traditional decor with an updated twist....
all fits perfectly with my "fresh classic style", as I like to call it!


Just so you remember, here's my bedroom with the ugly orange-brown walls before:

And after a fresh coat of Sherwin-Williams paint in "Reflection":

And here's my current Master Makeover Update!!!:

Beautiful bamboo roman shades and the most lovely brown and cream toile "curtains" you ever laid your eyes on!

*sigh*

I'm LOVING this!!! :)

It really updates & softens the whole room!

The "curtains" are just fabric cut straight from the bolt and clipped up with the curtain rings.
No hemming or lining done here!
Maybe in the future, but I've got other things to tend to first!!

This same fabric will also be on some euro-style pillow shams for the bed, too, to tie the room together a bit.

In case you wanted to know:

Paint: Sherwin-Williams "Reflection"
Bamboo Roman Shades: Target
Fabric: Laura Ashley English Country Print -- I've found at JoAnn's and Calico Corners (use a coupon for both places!)
Curtain Rod and Rings: Bed Bath & Beyond (a brushed antique brass finish) -- Cambria Collection Adjustable Drapery Rod

My Master Bedroom Makeover is coming along!!

Next on my list:
Making Euro Shams
Framing & Hanging Some Art/Photos


Have you ever had fun playing "CopyCat" when decorating your home?
Tell us what inspired you!!!

Decorating Dilemma

Today I'm joining in the Decorating Dilemmas Party over at Serenity Now with Amanda!

Here is my Decorating Dilemma:

What to do with the wall space above the table in our upstairs landing.

This landing is where the bedrooms are off of, so I'd like something lovely to look at when passing by, but what??

Here's another view:

There's quite a bit of wall space there, so should I just focus on immediately above the table, or should I use some of the surrounding wall area too??

Any suggestions as to what to hang there?

A mirror?

Wall words?

Old ancestral photos?

A pretty piece of art?

One thing or many?

Hung symmetrically or just a collage?

Help needed, please!! This is one spot in our new house that has me going back & forth, unable to decide! Thanks!! :)

Go check out http://serenitynow4amanda.blogspot.com/for more Decorating Dilemmas!

Creating A Welcoming Home...

{above awareness sticker from www.zazzle.com}

.....When You Have A Chronic Illness.


If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that my passion is inspiring women to Create Welcoming Homes! You may have seen a recipe or two that were gluten-free as well. But I've never shared with you my story. And I had done this on purpose. Ain't no disease out there that's pretty, people. However, I know that there are millions of women out there who have a chronic illness of some kind, who desperately want to Create A Welcoming Home for their family even though it may be difficult, and just might be inspired to know that they are not alone. And that's why I'm sharing with you today.

(And if you are blessed to be healthy, then read on anyway...it may give you an understanding heart for a friend.)


Hello, my name is Stacey...and I have Celiac Disease.

Here's my story:

I was blessed to be a happy, healthy child and teenager. I was active & energetic through college, when I first started noticing that something was definitely wrong with me.
I started to drastically lose weight. I had always been thin, but doctors were stumped. A couple of months later Hubby & I were engaged, & I had gotten down to 100 lbs, was drinking 3 "shakes" a day full of calories to put on weight (SO disgusting, by the way), eating non-stop, and could.not.put.on.weight.

They did all sorts of tests, checking everything from full-panel bloodwork to check my thyroid or for anemia, all the way to drinking barium and having scans done to check if I had cancer. Nothing showed up.
They said that they didn't know. And chalked it up to stress.

By my wedding day, I had gotten back up to 110.

Fast forward a year, literally just after our 1 year anniversary.
I had gotten terribly sick with "the flu". I couldn't keep anything in me, was passing out from dehydration, and had gone to the ER twice already. I was taking a medicine cocktail of several different things, but nothing was working.
I was having diarrhea up to 20 times a day. And I knew for sure that my husband of one year would keep his vow and love me forever "in sickness and in health" when he quietly and lovingly cleaned up a messy bed and mattress when I was too sick to even wake up to make it to the bathroom.
A week in the hospital, a colonoscopy, some unsure signs and symptoms, and once again....doctors said "I don't know" and sent me home. It took another 3 weeks before I was better.

In the years that followed, I had been told "I don't know" and sent on my way more times than I could count.

After my daughters were born (only 15 mo apart), I couldn't shake the tiredness and nausea that I had felt during my pregnancies. I felt sick to my stomach much of the time, and was exhausted, but we thought maybe it was just hormones out of control. But, it didn't go away after I gave birth.
In fact, it had gotten worse.


By now, my days were filled with 2 little babies...and then as time passed, 2 little toddlers...draining what little energy I had out of me. I spent most of my time at home on the couch, trying to get a migraine to go away, or trying not to throw up, or trying to catch a few minutes of sleep since I was just always so exhausted. Some days were pretty normal, and some were not. I put on a happy face for the world to see. Friends and family were mostly unaware that I felt so badly. Who wants to hang out with a "sicky"? I got really good at faking like all was well.

I had to teach my husband to cook, since I could no longer function well enough to do that everyday anymore. Some days I'd be so ill that I would tell my toddlers to "bring Momma a bowl and bring me some cereal/or a snack, and I'll pour it for you". I cried a lot about that.

After having finally had enough, I cried when I went to an allergist who said that I was allergic to several things, one of which was wheat. Praise the Lord! Finally, an answer!! After some more testing during the next 2 years, I was officially diagnosed by a gastroenterologist as having Celiac Disease.

How am I better now?
Well, I eat Gluten-Free. It's the only way to stay healthy. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, & rye, and oats are avoided due to contamination issues as well.
I still have some health issues due to being undiagnosed for so long (around 10 years). But overall, I am lightyears better than before!
(for more info: www.celiac.org)


Why am I sharing this with you??

Honestly, I didn't really want to. But it was on my heart to share anyway!

I do want to encourage many of you out there who do have health problems, yet desperately want to create a haven for your family. You want a Welcoming Home! But I know that it may be harder for you than for others. I know. I understand. And I want to tell you that
"You are not alone!"

It is very possible to Create A Welcoming Home!
It takes LOVE, most of all. That's what your family needs most!!
Do what you can, when you can, the Lord knows your limitations & your strengths.
Don't fall into the trap of blaming your illness for not doing anything around your home.
Keep things simple & easy. De-clutter & simplify in every area.
Your "to-do list" for the day won't look the same as most people's list, and that's ok.


Whether it's arthritis, migraines, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, diabetes, cancer, celiac disease, etc. know that you aren't alone...that I care...and most of all that God cares about you!
If you desire a Welcoming Home, then He will honor that desire!!

Find a Bible verse that gives you encouragement!
Here's one of mine:
"...Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord". Deut. 8:3



Thanks for listening to me today! I know that this varies from my usual posts, but it was on my heart!

For more encouraging posts, check out (in)courage, a new incredible website, like a little home away from home, all for encouraging women!