STONE STEVEN'S NURSERY

It was such a fun challenge to turn my daughters nursery into my sons. It went from full on girl world to a tiny man cave in the best way.

*You will be able to find all the sources and links at the bottom of this post!

For my daughter, I intentionally purchased staple items that would be gender neutral, so we were able to keep most of the big items in her room and used them in his. We repurposed the dresser, nightstand, lamp, mirror, Keekaroo changer pad, rocker, and wicker baskets. Below is her sweet nursery, and the room I would turn into my sons! This is the starting point.

As I was dreaming up his space, the pieces I knew I needed to change were the rug, crib and crib skirt, vase and florals, books, wall paint, chair, and art.

Since this was our first son, there were two pieces of keepsake art that I wanted to have hanging in his room. These would be the anchor pieces for this space!

The first was a picture of his great, great, great grandfather (yes, 3 greats!) with his great, great grandfather. Josh’s mom gifted this photo to all of her kids a few Christmases ago, and I finally got to use it in a meaningful place in our home. Stone Steven is named after his Papa, Steve, and it is so special to see the generations of Craft men that have gone before Stone every time I walk in his room. I antiqued the frame and it is just the perfect anchor piece.

The second piece that I wanted to source was a bronze custom plaque that would hold his name and birth year. We hope to give this to Stone when he leaves our home as a piece he can hang in his own home. I was born and raised in New England, and I am always inspired by the custom plaques they have on the front of their homes telling a small story about who lived in the home and what year it was established. It was so fun to bring my love for New England into this space. I cannot recommend the plaque company enough. They even sent custom screws along with the plaque.

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I hope you love this transformation as much as I do. Thank you always to my dear friend, Kelsey Wilson, for capturing these early days with our son in his tiny space. We cherish them!

Stone is named after the passage in the Bible in Joshua 4. “And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

SOURCES AND LINKS

NURSERY

• Paint Color | ‘Ethiopia’ by Behr

• Crib

• Bronze Custom Plaque

• Dresser

• Nightstand

• Rug

• Sage Green Pillow/Pillow Insert

• Rocker and Ottoman

• Mirror

• Brown Baby Blanket

• Keekaroo Changing Pad

• Dark Brown Teddy Bear

• Light Brown Teddy Bear

• Candle Stick Holders

• Wicker Basket (for diapers on the dresser)

• Wicker Basket (for toys under the nightstand)

• Curtains

• Crib Skirt

• Crib Sheets

• Lamp *They no longer make the one I have, but this one is almost exactly the same.

• Diaper Pail

• Calligraphy Art

*All of the frames were antiqued, as well as the bronze car, the airplane, the stool, and the kids chairs. The ‘Hardy Boys’ books are keepsakes from Joshua’s dad.

CLOTHING

• My dress (Favorite dress for pregnancy and beyond!)

• Stone’s Onesie

• Everly’s Dress (Favorite little girl dress ever!)

DIY LAUNDRY ROOM MAKEOVER

Laundry rooms are special, because they are daily, mundane places. And it is in those places where we most often meet Jesus. This quote by Elisabeth Elliot inspired my entire laundry room, and is a sweet reminder that we are called to simply be faithful - right where we are - even in the laundry rooms.

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.”

— Elisabeth Elliot

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THE BEFORE AND THE PLANNING

Wow. The only place to go is up from here. I am so thankful for a laundry room, but my aesthetic heart was hurting looking at this space. Not only that, but it was so impractical and the whole space was so underutilized in regards to storage, organization, and function of doing laundry in this space.

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WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME?

When designing this laundry room, there were a few things that were important to me:

1. Drawer Storage: The built-ins had to have pull out storage. We don’t have great storage options in our home, so anywhere that functional storage meets beauty, I celebrate.

2. Place to Hang Dry Clothes: I hang dry so many of our clothes, and since we have a second floor washer and dryer, I did not want to have to go up and down to hang clothes for them to hang dry.

3. Deep Ledge above Washer and Dryer: It had to have a ledge deep enough for me to apply treatment to clothes, or do some light folding.

4. Keep the Natural Light: It had to keep the beautiful natural light that we have. There is a very short and wide window that allows me to work in the day without turning the light on. I did not want to lose that.

5. Cover the Washer Cords: The solution had to cover the washer cords that were exposed above the washer. This was the Achilles heel of the built-ins design process.

6. Access to the Water Shut Off for the Washer: The built in solution HAD to have access to the water shut off and washer plug-in in the event there was a leak. This made the design tricky, but led to a really fun ‘faux drawer’ in the built in. But you would never know. ;)

I drew up the quick vision in my head, and I sent it over to my dad. He is a world class New England carpenter, and loves to serve by using his hands. He said ‘I can do that - but only for my girl!’. (Daddy’s and daughters are a special thing.)

The week before we were planning to start on this mini DIY and remodel, our washer and dryer completely broke. They came with the house when we bought it, and turns, out they were way older than we thought.

There were three things that were important to us when looking for a new washer and dryer:

1. Front Loader: It had to be a front loader so that I could place a shelf over the top of the washer and dryer. We have a small narrow laundry room, and I wanted that above space.

2. Washer Self Dry Feature: It is very, very common for front loaders to have mold grow in the front lip because it never dries. That is what was happening to our old one.

3. Lock Feature: I have a very curious 2.5 year old who loves to help with laundry, but also, loves to push all the buttons on the washer and dryer. I needed a way to be able to lock the buttons so she could not turn them off mid-cycle.

The washer and dryer set we found hit all of those must haves, and we absolutely love it! It is by GE, and visually, it is beautiful. I chose the matte nickel finish and it almost looks like a dark tan color. It does have a clean white option, and that would be stunning as well for a different vibe.

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HOLD YOUR DESIGN LOOSELY

If you are in the middle of doing a home remodel, especially if it is DIY, always remember to hold your initial design and plan loosely! It was one thing to draw out my vision, but then when we actually tried to add the shelf right under the window, it caused two main problems:

1. It blocked SO much of the natural light - I did not expect that. It was an immediate no go for that reason.

2. Functionally though, I forgot to account for the height of the rod, and the height of the hangers, and it simply was not going to be functional to hang clothes once we saw it there.

So we scratched that plan all together! And honestly, it turned out better than my initial vision. So hold your plan loosely, and watch it turn out better than you thought it would.

In a perfect world, we would have redone the floors, added bead board and wallpaper, and put in a new light fixture. But when we realized we needed a new washer and dryer all together, that plan changed. We decided to pour that money into more functional appliances! I hope to add a new light fixture at a later time (I would like one on a dimmer for late night laundry) and paint/spruce up the inside of our linen closet. This was our solution for hanging clothes and it has worked out perfectly. Don’t let not doing everything perfectly stop you from doing something.

If you can’t do everything, choose the things that will make the biggest bang for your buck, and break it up in buckets! This is not our longterm home, so we were ok to not go above and beyond, but still maximize the right things. This update will be a HUGE selling point for home buyers in the future.

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BUILT IN PROCESS

Below you will see the process of how the built-ins were designed, especially around that plug in and the water shut off. All the drawers slide out, even the faux one. You can also see where he tried to put the wood under the window to see how the shelf would work. As you know already, it didn’t! But at least we tried.

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PAINT SAMPLES AND FINAL COLORS

Paint is so hard. It is hard because it looks different in every home and every room. It can vary based on the colors you have in the room, the lighting, and the accents you choose. There are a few things I always do when choosing paint colors:

1. Multiple Swatches: Always get multiple swatches and place them in the room you want to paint. I have started with as many as 30 swatches to as little as 2. But it is usually around 10-15 that I tape on the wall.

2. Day vs Night Lighting: Look at the swatches in both day and night lighting. You may love one color in day and hate it at night. That will not be a winner. As I rule a color out, I will simply take the swatch off the wall to eliminate them.

3. Paint on the Walls: Once I narrow it down to 2-4 options, I will buy paint samples and place the samples on the wall. It is best to use a roller instead of a brush. Learn from my mistakes!

4. Paint on a Piece of Wood for Non-Wall Colors: For the built-ins, I took a cheap piece of wood from Lowes and painted the four samples on the wood. I then placed the wood along the built in so I could see how it would look in the place that it would actually be in the room. This was very helpful to come to my final decision!

Below are the paint colors we went with:

• Wall Color | Storm’s Coming

• Built-in Color | Classic Bronze

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THE BIG REVEAL!

Everything that I sourced, I linked below on the rolling bar. I also linked each item at the very end of this post.

May you never forget that home spaces are meant to be lived in. I believe beauty and functionality can intersect, with laundry overflowing and cold cups of coffee all around the home. This is the everyday beautiful mundane. May you be inspired today to make your home a place you love living, one small change at a time.

WASHER and DRYER

ORIGINAL CALLIGRAPHY ART | You can also order your own custom piece from my shop here!

RUG

WALL HANGERS

CABINET KNOBS

VASE

WICKER BASKET

RUG TAPE

WOODEN FRAME (SMALL)

WOODEN FRAME (LARGE)

DETERGENT POD GLASS JAR

DRYER BALLS

DETERGENT PODS (LESS TOXIC - NOT PERFECT)

WOODEN HANGERS

FELT HANGERS

MEADOW ART PRINT

BRASS LINT JAR | I sourced this at a local antique shop. I do not have a link.

BRASS VASE | I sourced this at a local antique shop. I do not have a link.

ANTIQUE FRAME | This was gifted to me by a friend and was sourced at an antique shop.

BOOKS | I sourced all of them at a local antique shop.

FLORALS | Sourced from Hobby Lobby.

Sincerely-

ELEANOR SAGE’S NURSERY

My husband and I moved into our new home in December 2021 as I was 3 months pregnant. After we got everything unpacked, and the house in somewhat of an order, it was time to start working on our second daughter’s nursery.

My hope in each room I design in our home is that it would be beautiful, functional, and life giving. We hope to have a peaceful home when people enter, and I believe how you design your home matters to achieve this.

My vision was to bring in antique pieces for some added character in this newer home, incorporate round corners and edges to tie shapes together, and bring dainty, feminine, earthy colors (mauve, sage, and cream/white with warm woods) that would make this space a place I loved spending time in with our Ellie girl.

For the antique frames, I had two pieces that I wanted to showcase:

1. Calligraphy Keepsake: I calligraphed the song ‘Give Me Jesus’ by All Sons and Daughters for above her crib. Joshua and I worshipped to this song at our wedding ceremony, so it holds very special meaning. (P.s. You can purchase your own calligraphy keepsake HERE!)

2. Watercolor Portrait: My dear friend, Dianuh Aerin, gifted a watercolor keepsake to me at my baby sprinkle. It was inspired by a photo from our maternity session with Kelsey Wilson, and it was such a special gift. I never want to forget the days of Eleanor’s life when I carried her in my womb.

This was the first room I designed from blank walls to full reveal in our new home, and I have to say, it just might be my favorite room in the house! I hope you feel inspired and find some practical things to help bring your home to life.

Kelsey captured our first few days as a family in her sweet nursery, and I will cherish these moments forever. Babies don’t keep.

SHOP ALL ITEMS BELOW

NURSERY ITEMS

• Crib

• Swivel Rocking Chair and Ottoman

• Dresser

• Nightstand

• Lamp (Dimmer on switch!)

• Rug

• Mirror

• Velvet Black Out Curtains

• Large Wicker Basket (Under Nightstand)

• Small Wicker Basket (Dresser)

• Sheets (Muslin material)

• Changing Pad (Keekaroo)

• Sound Machines

• Diaper Pail

• Crib Skirt

• Bunny Stuffed Animal

CLOTHING

• Sage Green Dress

• Eleanor’s Floral Romper

• Everly’s Striped Dress

• Everly’s Bows

• Eleanor’s Mauve Ruffle Bum Footie

Sweet blessings,

CREATE YOUR OWN PLASTER STYLING BOARD

Since I started my calligraphy and design business, rugs, tables, and my floor have been my go-to for styling my work on. With my new rebrand, it just wasn’t going to cut it, so I am finally coming around to bringing to life my very own styling boards. Whether you are a calligrapher, photographer, florist, essential oil seller, hair stylist, bride-to-be, or small business owner, this is the perfect way to make your work stand out with a beautiful background. The best part is: it is SIMPLE and CHEAP. The total cost for this project is under $40, depending on how many styling boards you make, and how many paint colors you choose.

MATERIALS: (You can find all the links to the materials at the end of this bog post)

I- Fabric Canvas (See what NOT to use below…please learn from my mistakes!)

II- All Purpose Joint Compound (Found at any Home Depot or Lowes)

III- Trowels (Plastic or Wooden and Metal)

IV- Drop Canvas (or plastic paint protectors)

V- Acrylic Paint (Whatever color you desire to create your styling board)

VI- Paint brushes

VII- Container for the paint to dip the brush in

VIII- Foam Painters

DIRECTIONS:

I- Pick your desired canvas size. Lay the canvas onto your drop cloth. Open the plaster, and spread it over the canvas with the trowels. Start from the middle, and work your way to the outsides.

II- Once the canvas is spread how you like it, let it dry for up to 24 hours before your paint. You will see it start to turn white when it is drying, and that is perfectly fine.

III- Choose your paint color, and pour it into your container. With your paint brush, paint the plaster until you have the desired color you are looking for. You may also use the foam painted to give the styling board more texture. Let dry for 6 hours, and then paint a second coat of paint.

IV- Start styling and making some magic!

Shop these: Trowels

Shop these: Foam Painters

Shop these: Paint Brush Set

Shop these: Fabric Canvas (20” x 20”) (I found them in a 3-pack for $30, but am not able to find them online)

Shop these: Acrylic Paints

Shop this: Joint Compound

“I always thought that the “thriving” would come when everything was perfect, and what I learned is that it’s actually down in the mess that things get good.”

— JOANNA GAINES, The Magnolia Story

Now, for those of you out there who are like me, and like to tweak things just a little to try to make them your own, or be a little different, DON’T! I love wood, and I really wanted to do these on a thin piece of wood to have mine stand out. But I SHOULD have known…because hello, I am a carpenters daughter, and I didn’t even think about how dumb this was. Once all the joint compound was applied, it made the wood really wet, and made it bow up while it was drying. Because of that bowing, it cracked the joint compound all over, and it caused it to dry that way. Once it dried fully, it did end up laying flat again, and the bow went away, but the cracks were still extremely visible and have not gone away. This is not the look I was going for at ALL, and I had to start all over again. Moral of the story: don’t be like me. Trust the process. Trust what I am sharing with you. I want you to learn from me, and do it right the first time. Consider this me giving you the gift of going second. You are welcome, friend!

Unpainted dried joint compound on wood. Please see the VERY visible cracks.

Unpainted dried joint compound on fabric canvas. Please see how perfect this is! NO cracks. NO bowing. Perfection.

Styling board with no paint, just the color of the dried joint compound. It dries a pretty light grey color on its own!

I hope this short tutorial was helpful, and that you are able to make your beautiful work shine with this textured, simple, beautiful styling board. Please enjoy some of the STUNNING final results of investing in creating your own styling board. I am ecstatic to share these with you.

Sweet blessings,

SHOP THIS BOG POST

I- Fabric Canvas

II- All Purpose Joint Compound

III- Trowels

IV- Drop Canvas

V- Acrylic Paints

VI- Paint Brushes

VII- Foam Painters

VIII- Legacy Recipe Cards

VIIII- ‘Greetings from Louisville’ Card and Envelope

X- ‘Mr. & Mrs.’ Card and Envelope

XI- ‘The Best is Today and to Come’ Card and Envelope

XI- Bespoke Wedding Vows

XII- Bespoke Calligraphy Keepsakes

WHAT WOULD YOUR FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT SAY?

Libby and Isaac Wendland are two of the most inspirational people I have had the honor of knowing. I went to college at in Lynchburg, VA at Liberty University with them, and I knew Isaac through my time running Cross Country and track there my freshman year. He and Libby were school grade crushes, and they married right out of college. Their love for each other and for the Lord is fierce, strong, deep, passionate, humble, and always seeking to bring glory to the Lord, not themselves. Isaac is now the Assistant Track and Field Coach at Liberty University, and Libby is a teacher in the surrounding area.

After a few years of being married, they started trying to have their own child. Month after month, and year after year, that sweet baby never came and they never got that positive test. They finally sought out a doctor to understand why it was not happening for them, and they were told it would be very difficult for them to have their own children naturally. It had always been their dream to be parents, and they were just broken when they found out that news. One day, traveling back from a trip, they were sitting in the airport. They were in a deep valley season on this hard road to parenthood, and they sat together in the airport to just cry out to the Lord. Right after they prayed, a little girl came running up to them, and she just brought them so much joy. Little did they know that they would be seated right next to this little family on the airplane. During the plane ride, Libby looked over at the mom of that little girl, and simply asked ‘Where did she get her big brown eyes from?’ The mom answered that she was not biologically theirs, but that their daughter was actually adopted.

After that conversation, Libby and Isaac began to have their hearts softened towards adoption. They began to do research on different ways to adopt around the world, and ultimately, the Thailand program tugged at their hearts, and made the most sense for their season of life with all of the Thai rules and regulations. They finally got their acceptance letter into the Thailand program, and it was the best day of their lives. They started a campaign called ‘Miles to Eden’, and after 2.5 years, they finally brought their daughter, Eden Hazel Wendland, HOME.

As their family grew, they knew they wanted to have a strong family mission statement to have as the center of their home to always be able to come back to when life got hard, or they were faced with challenges. When Libby reached out to me, I was honored, as this piece is truly a keepsake that will be passed down for generations to come of the legacy they hope to leave to their family, and to their daughter Eden, of what their family mission statement is. Friends, words MATTER. The words we hang in our home are important and the words we see everyday have the power to CHANGE our everyday.

To hear their sweet hearts, and learn more about their story, please watch the video below from their ‘Miles to Eden’ journey, and how they were finally able to bring home this little girl with the help of the body of Christ.

Click the Photo to watch the Wendland’s ‘Miles to Eden’ story.

“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”

— Isaiah 51:3 (NIV)

Read their full mission statement and see an up close of the hand calligraphed keepsake below:

WENDLAND FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT

VI XXVII MMIX

Seek His Kingdom

Love God, Love people

Experiences over things

When they go low, we go high

Be in the world, but not of it

Kindness changes everything

We can do hard things

We go to the ends of the earth for each other

CHALLENGE: What would YOUR family mission statement say if you hung one in your home? I would be honored to calligraph this keepsake piece for you to hang intentionally in your home so that every single person who walks through your doors knows exactly what your family’s mission is.

Sweet blessings,

TWENTY WAYS TO CREATE AN INTENTIONAL GUEST SUITE

“Those who live out radically ordinary hospitality see their homes not as theirs at all but as God’s gift to use for the furtherance of His kingdom.”

— ROSARIA BUTTERFIELD, THE GOSPEL COMES WITH A HOUSE KEY

Welcome to part two of this guest suite Cranberry Bog series! I was really eager to share Bog Post one with you, ‘THE GUEST SUITE REVEAL’, because as humans, we LOVE radical transformations…and I will tell you, this guest suite was a RADICAL transformation. But this second Bog Post, I have been particularly excited about because I learned it from YOU! I asked THOUSANDS of you what makes you feel at home, cozy, and welcomed in when staying in a guest suite. This is a true compilation of community coming together with ideas. So, if you contributed to this list, and shared what is important to you in a guest suite, THANK YOU! You have not only helped me, but you are helping to serve so many who are also seeking ideas on how to host WELL in their home through a guest suite.

BELOW YOU WILL FIND THE TWENTY WAYS TO CREATE AN INTENTIONAL GUEST SUITE! I hope that this content is helpful, practical, and that it allows you to serve those you invite into your home WELL this holiday season, and every season after that.

I- BLANKETS: Friends, this was the number one thing that you shared with me that makes you feel at home and cozy. If there is ONE thing you do in your guest suite, have LOTS of cozy blankets, and give your guest options of blankets. We decided to put a throw blanket on the bed and on the chair so they are easily accessible, but also, we wanted more options in case it was particularly cold. We put extra quilts and comforters in the drawers in the mirrored chest so that they were not taking up space, but were easily accessible. As much as hosts try, it can still be hard for guests to ask for things, so make it easy for them to have access to those extra blankets.

II- GUEST BOOK TO SIGN: Can you believe that this was the second most shared tip?! I LOVE this because it means that you, friend, are a guy or gal after my own heart. I truly believe that there are power in words, and especially written letters. As both the guest and the host, this is such a fun, long time tradition that preserves the art of writing letters. Give your guests the gift of writing you a letter, and give yourself the joy of reading their words. We will cherish this tradition that we have started forever. As you host, make sure your guest book is somewhere that is EASILY visible with a pen ready to go so that guests dont forget. Also, leave a little note in the guest book cover welcoming your guests, and inviting them to sign and date the journal.

III- WIFI INFORMATION: This seems like something so silly, but it was the third most shared tip. This is something so simple to do, but because it is such a small thing to add to a guest room, it usually gets forgotten. It is so funny, because this one actually helps the host too! When your guest asks for the wifi password, usually that means you have to go, bend over, and rummage on the floor with all the cords to pick up the box that has that little sticker on the back with the password that is harder to type in than it is to graduate from college! (i.e. 5G6dsjkl4757HGdeGH5) Make this display fun, simple, and easy to find to simply avoid that whole debacle!

IV- CLEAN SOFT LINENS ON A COMFORTABLE BED: This goes without saying, but I think it is worth saying. There is nothing like sliding into bed after a long day of driving, flying, or visiting friends, and feeling like you are in a cozy bed that is clean, soft, and fresh. The best way to add fluff and extra coziness is with a bed shawl at the end of the bed. It makes the bed look fluffier, and adds extra layers of linens. The bed we chose was a Nectar, and we have been thoroughly pleased so far with the results. The bed is a little firmer, but the reason we chose the brand Nectar is that it has a one-year return policy in case we are not 1000% satisfied with it, and we got two free memory foam pillows!

V- PROVIDE BOXES OF KLEENEX: Would you believe that only ONE person shared this tip? (I am looking at you Elisabeth!) That doesn’t mean it isn’t important, it just means it is one of those guest suite amenities that you don’t realize you need until, well, until you absolutely need it, and then you have a giant booger running down your face, and you are too embarrassed to go ask the host for a tissue? Yes, just trust me. Have Kleenex in your guest suite. I wanted them to be invisible unless you needed them, so we tucked a Kleenex box in each night stand, and they will be perfectly accessible all hours of the night to guests.

VI- HEADBOARD ON THE BED: This was one of the most surprising shared tips that I received. but after I thought about it, it makes perfect sense. When you stay somewhere, you want to feel like you are not going to break the furniture when you sit on it, and move around on it. You dont want to have to worry about your pillow falling between the wall and the bed halfway through the night, and being exhausted for the next days adventures from a poor nights sleep. We fell in love with this Trishley Sleigh Bed, and it is a stable, sturdy piece of furniture that will remain a classic, timeless piece to have for years to come.

VII- MIRRORS: At the end of the day, everyone who stays in your home will have a different ‘getting ready’ routine. It will makes your guests feel so comfortable and at home in your guest suite when you provide them with getting ready mirrors, and a full length mirror. When someone is traveling, and staying in your guest room, they are most likely going to have places to go that require getting dressed up, and you know every girl needs to check all angles! Having a full length mirror and getting ready mirror where your guests can have their own routine in privacy will make them feel like they can use a hair dryer without taking up the bathroom, or being too loud.

VIII- LAMPS ON NIGHTSTANDS: Lamps are so important, because when guests stay in your room, they do not know the room like the back of their hand like they do their home. You can avoid nasty toe stubs and running into the edge of the bed while your guests turn off the light switch on the other side of the room by giving them lamps with nightstands. There is nothing worse than not having a place to put a glass of water or your alarm clock while you sleep.

IX- READ THIS BOOK: ‘The Gospel Comes with a House Key’, Rosaria Butterfield. This was the MOST thoughtful suggestion that I received from a dear friend. (Thank you, Leah, for your heart to care for souls, not just the material things!) This book has already started to shift my mindset on what it means to be a host, and what it means to be a guest, and I HIGHLY recommend you purchase it and give it a read as you seek to serve well through hosting in your home.

“When Jesus walked the earth, he wasn’t afraid to touch hurting people. he drew people in close. He met them empty and left them full. Jesus turned everything upside down.”

— ROSARIA BUTTERFIELD, THE GOSPEL COMES WITH A HOUSE KEY

X- FLUFFY PILLOWS: Not only did so many of you share tips to have fluffy pillows, but to have multiple options for pillows. Some people sleep with 57849 pillows, some sleep with a flat pillow. Some sleep with two pillows, some sleep with a firm one, some with a fluffy one. Everyone is different so I loved this tip because it considers others. We decided to keep the fluffy ones on the bed, and put the memory foam pillows in drawers so they could choose which pillows are best.

XI- CANDLES, ROOM SPRAYS, AND DIFFUSERS: The VERY first thing someone will notice, and remember, about your home, is how it smells; It is one of the strongest sense. So many of you suggested diffusers, which we unfortunately do not have right now, but what we do have is candles and room sprays. My mother-in-law is really good at teaching me about how to make a home always smell welcoming, and she was the first person to introduce me to room sprays. We have an organic one not featured below, as well as fun ones from Bath and Body Works, and they instantly change a home or space through smell!

XII- ROOM FOR LUGGAGE: One of the most frustrating things can be staying somewhere where you feel cluttered and like you cannot get to your luggage easily. If Josh and I can fit at the end of this bed, so can your luggage! It is also helpful to leave extra drawers open in your guest suite dressers for guests to be able to put their clothes in for an extended stay. This can make them feel like they are more settled.

XIII- OUTLETS NEAR THE BED, AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE: This suggestion just reminds me how tied to our phones and technology we are in the 21st century. However, it is a great suggestion because most people have their alarm clocks on their phones, and it very helpful so your guests can charge their phones all night so they have them ready for the next day of adventures. This can be as simple as running an extension chord to each side of the bed so the phone plugs in easily without having to move the entire bed.

XIV- FACE WIPES FOR MAKE-UP: This was one suggestion that I would have never thought of, but really does make a difference. I placed wet make-up towelettes next to the face clothes, and hand towels, as well as hand cream. I placed these someplace easy to find in the top drawer of the chest with a mirror where they could easily take off their makeup and get ready for bed.

XV- HOOKS: This suggestion is perfect for the guest who is coming in in the winter with lots of coats, or the guest who has multiple purses or bags to hang. It is one of those guest suite items that, like the Kleenex, isn’t something you realize you need until, well, you need it!

XVI- NOISE CONTROL: Growing up, my mom would let me sleep in her room when my dad would go away on trips. I always loved staying with her in her room because she had this big, antique, Tiffany Blue, metal fan that she would run all night for the noise. I never realized just how much this noise made a difference until I stayed in a home that didn’t have a fan. This can also be helpful if a husband and wife are staying in the guest suite, and one gets hotter than the other. It is always nice to have the option of a fan. I decided to store these in the bottom dresser drawers so they were easily accessible, but not in the way if they did not need them.

XVII- BATH TOWELS, HAND TOWELS, FACE CLOTHS: One of the most awkward things to ask for in my books is towels from a host. Do your guests a huge favor, and make your towels, hand towels, and face clothes visible, and easy to find so they don’t have to come and ask for them. I decided to store these in drawers as well, and on top of our tall dresser in little baskets so they are easily seen.

XVIII- SNACKS, WATER BOTTLES, AND A TRASH CAN: This is one of those little details that is such a fun tip because it is just, oh I don’t know, FUN! It is a way to show your guests that you know them through their favorite snack, candy, or drink. (Don’t we all just have a deep longing to be known? Show you guests that you KNOW them.) Practically, sometimes you just need a piece of chocolate or a bottle of water! With all these snacks though, don’t forget a trash bin! Back to the Kleenex…it can get real awkward real quick when you are standing with an empty chocolate wrapper or a tissue full of boogers, and no where to put it. Don’t forget the trash can!

XIX- CURTAINS: This tip goes without saying, but it needs to be said: have curtains in your guest room so that you guests can have their privacy. They do not need to be fancy, they just need to block the view from the outside. I have to hand it to Josh, AGAIN, for this genius idea to have LONG curtains in this room. Don’t y’all LOVE how they add so much length to the room and the windows? I also think there is nothing like the feeling of ‘home’ like opening the curtains wide in the morning to let the sun in.

XX- ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS TO MAKE A GUEST SUITE FEEL LIKE HOME: At the end of the day, your guests are coming to stay with YOU. Invite them in. Let them come empty. Leave them full; spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Home in this day and age is not always a safe place, but we can give people safe places in the homes we invite them into. Let us seek peace in our homes, and extend grace upon grace upon grace to those who enter our doors, as you may be the only picture of the Gospel they ever see or hear. We are tow imperfect humans serving a perfect Lord who has given us good gifts to share with friends, family, neighbors, our church, and strangers.

“We must participate as both hosts and guests - not just one or the other - as giving and receiving are good and sacred and connect people and communities in important ways. But this is not where it ends. God calls us to practice hospitality as a daily way of life, not as an occasional activity when time and finance allow. Radically ordinary hospitality means this: God promises to put the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6), and he intends to use your house as LIVING PROOF.”

— ROSARIA BUTTERFLIED, THE GOSPEL COMES WITH A HOUSE KEY

I pray that the Lord inspires you to invite people in and give well through these 19 tips from my tribe. Let’s host well this holiday season, and every season after, to the glory of God, the furthering of His Kingdom, and the joy of his people as they do real, raw, transparent, vulnerable, and joyful life together in homes just like ours all over the world.

Sincerely-

P.S. Below, you will find all of the details on where we found all of the pieces for our guest suite. Some pieces are older, so I tried to go back and find them all! I hope this helps you host well over the holidays too, and get your own inspiration for your holiday hosting and remodels.

PAINT COLORS || ‘Garden Wall’ and ‘Roman Plaster’ by Behr Paint, Home Depot

MATTRESS || Nectar (Comes with two free memory foam pillows, and a one year money back guarantee.

END TABLES || World Market

BED AND TWO DRESSERS || Trishley Sleigh Bed Set Originally found at Ashley Furniture, purchased at Louisville Overstock Warehouse. (I believe the sleigh bed has been discontinued.)

DUVET || Bed Bath and Beyond

BED SHAWL || Walmart

BEDDING INSERTS AND SHEETS || Walmart and Target

CHAIRS || Pier 1 Imports

BROWN JUTE RUG || World Market

WHITE WASHED JUTE RUG || World Market

THROW BLANKETS || Target

FRAMES || Hobby Lobby

CALLIGRAPHY ON PAPER || Ashley Margaret Calligraphy Keepsakes

CALLIGRAPHY FABRIC BANNER || Not for purchase. Handmade by Ashley.

WIFI STAND || World Market

BLACK AND WHITE PILLOW || World Market

TAN AND WHITE PILLOW || World Market

METAL SERVING TRAY || World Market

GUEST BOOK || Target, Magnolia Homes

LAMPS || Target

CANDLESTICK HOLDERS || Target

CURTAINS || Target