Ah, Spring.
Not my favourite time of year. Not for the house anyway.
The weather in March is so capricious--like a teenager, rolling out of bed at noon, barely showing her sunny face.
And all the dog does is drag in mud.
But, the end of winter (though we barely had a winter this year) is a relief--and I can celebrate that.
Melissa Michaels, hosting the Love Your Home Challenge invited us this week to bring a little of Spring into the house (but without the mud).
We start with a centerpiece.
Day 10 – Set A Spring Table: Let’s get our dining area ready for spring! Is your dining table buried in clutter? Clear and clean it. Now for the fun part! Find a vase, tray, bowl, glass cloche or a cake plate to use as the foundation for a spring centerpiece. Then shop around your house or go shopping for a few spring items to add to your centerpiece like ceramic eggs, birds or bunnies on moss, or a simple bouquet of tulips or daffodils.
Well, the table certainly needed some clearing and cleaning. And it took me several days. Couldn't find any tulips or daffs, oddly enough. I thought about buying some birds, or bunnies, or a cake plate,... but I've been decluttering and I am just not in the mood for seasonal tchotchkes. So, I settled for a bouquet of my favourite flowers available from the grocery store.
I love it--but it doesn't exactly shout "Hey, Spring!"
for Day 11, we were encouraged to bring the outside in.
Day 11 – Go Organic: Plant some seeds for an indoor kitchen garden, or find organic elements outside to bring natural beauty to the inside. Sticks or flowering branches in a vase, pretty rocks, or even fruits and vegetables arranged in a bowl can bring organic life to your home.
Yay. I dug out the pussy willow branches--and bought a few more to add height to the arrangement. I also bought a narcissus.
That was so much fun.
Day 12 – Note to Self: What are some meaningful quotes, verses or words you could post around your home to encourage and inspire yourself or your family? Print your favorites off from Pinterest or create your own version. Tuck printed quotes in drawers, lunch boxes and on bathroom mirrors.
Okaaaaaay. So, I am not an "inspirational quote" kind of girl--at least not the kind who will tuck them into drawers (clutter), lunch boxes (kind of overly sentimental) or bathroom mirrors (definitely, too Anthony Robbins-ish). But I will put a good piece of word art into a frame.
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood. Did you know Margaret Atwood lives on Pelee Island? I'd smell like dirt, often, if I lived there.
I couldn't find anything I liked and that would fit. So, I made my own. I like it, though the overall impact is less than I'd like.
Day 13 – Dress It Up: Tonight make dinner time feel like a special event by setting the table in advance! Clear the table of any clutter, set out pretty spring linens and tables settings. Add votive candles and soft music.
Well, I invited my husband to eat with me at the semi-cleared kitchen table. No candles, no music. But it was still special.
Day 14 – Welcome Home: Today let’s give our front door or porch a little spring makeover! Sweep and clean the area around the door, and then add a spring wreath, a pot of flowers or make a spring banner or pendant to welcome you home.
I swept and tidied and I bought a new mat. I loved doing this--nothing like scraping the old pumpkin off the step to put you in the mood for Spring!
my son just got home from school. That's his wet boot print on the step.
I am having a blast doing these little assignments. I may not do one every day--and it may take several days to do one, and I'm not doing them "perfectly" but it's still a lovely way to engage with the house.
I'm curious--are you doing anything to welcome Spring?
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1 comment :
I'm hankering to make my home more spring-like, too. I bought a potted primula which lasted for about 4 days tops. Not impressed but it did look great while it lasted.
I was able to pull out my faux dogwood and pussy willow bouquet from the storage closet but only because it was located right in the front. (Long, thin closet that runs very deep but mainly not accessible due to my crutches.)
I want to bring out my spring pillows but can't reach them. Luckily, hubby has arrived back from his business trip earlier this morning so that task is on his "Honey Do" list for tonight when he comes home from the office.
Rain, rain, and more rain here. But as all Canadians know, at least rain doesn't need to be shovelled. Let's just NOT talk about the mud, shall we? πΎπΎππΎπΎπΆπΎπΎ Two dogs is twice the fun or so I've been told.
My daffodils and hyacinths are coming up slowly. The previous owner planted them and I'm still getting to enjoy them. I planted a load of tulips that I purchased from the floating flower market in Amsterdam last summer. I'm hoping at least a few of them come up, but it appears some 'friendly' creatures lifted up the chicken wire I had staked down over top of them last fall.
From the number of 'dig' holes I've spied, it appears the creatures may have enjoyed a gourmet feast. Oh well. I know squirrels and raccoons need to eat too. π
It's our March Break here so I wish the weather was at least sunny for the kids and families that don't head south. It's no fun playing in the rain and mud. At least not for the moms!
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