Grace at Home No. 428

Wow, friends--has your summer been as busy as mine??

I'm wondering if perhaps I had adjusted to a slower pace of life during the months of lockdown. . . and now that things are pretty much open, I feel as though I'm running ragged. Has that happened to you, too?

All the same, I'm grateful to welcome you here for this week's Grace at Home party, where we pause to celebrate all the ways we make our homes places of grace and beauty. Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Looking for some ideas for adding patriotic decor to your home this summer? Then you're in for a treat from Kristin at White Arrows Home.

If summertime in your neck of the woods means lots of bugs (like it does for me!), you'll be glad to get these ideas for repelling insects from Carol at Comfort Spring. 

Are you planning to host some gatherings this summer (thanking God that you can gather with people again)?? If so, you'll be glad to get recipes for lots of summertime mocktails from Lazy Budget Chef.

Need a new dinner recipe? I always like learning new ways to prepare chicken, so I was glad to get this chicken piccata recipe from Lynne at Thifting Wonderland.

Have you ever tried praying the words of scripture? I've found it to be a huge help, and I appreciated this post from Lauren at LaurenSparks.net.

Last but certainly not least, a sobering but very important read from Lisa at Lisa Notes on Seeing God: "When History Makes You Sick." I urge you to click through and read every word.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today's party.  Here at the Grace at Home party, you can link up any post you've written that demonstrates how you're filling your own home with truth, goodness, and beauty. I invite you to link posts about

• DIY projects
• decorating
• recipes
• hospitality
• homemaking tips
• parenting
• marriage
• faith
• self-care
• soul care

Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I'd like to hear about it.  Here's what I ask of you.  Please include the permalink to your post, not your blog's home page.  Please let people know that you've linked up.  No more than three posts per person, please.  Note that if you link a post here, you are giving me permission to share your post, including a photo.  And visit at least one of the other party participants--that's what really makes it a party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Grace at Home No. 427

Sometimes I approach a day thinking "This is a red-letter day!" This is usually when there's something really special on my calendar. Today is one of those days--it's my middle son Preston's 28th birthday. And what a special, wonderful son he is! Here's the latest photo of the two of us.

But sometimes a day is special not for a fun reason like a birthday, but for a somber one. Today is also that kind of day. A good friend of ours died this week, and today we'll be attending his memorial service. He was just 59 years old. His wife is only 58. We are shocked and dismayed.

Isn't that the way life is? The good mingled with the bad. Sunshine AND storms. 

Our friend's death has made me think deeply about how I want to be living my life. I know for sure that I want my sphere of influence—my home, my family, my work, my friendships—I want everything I touch to be full of grace. And so I am grateful to host this little party celebrating all the ways YOU make your homes full of grace.

Here are some highlights from last week's party.

If you've done any furniture shopping lately, you know that prices have really risen—which makes shopping for secondhand furniture a must for many of us. But what if you find a wooden piece that needs serious repair? Kristi from French Creek Farmhouse shows us step-by-step how she rescued this beautiful dresser.

Now that summer is here full-force, you might be longing to brighten up the rooms of your house. If so, you'll be glad that Penny from Penny's Vintage Home shows us her summertime kitchen.

Do you like to decorate for patriotic holidays like Independence Day? If so, you'll want to see how Paula from Sweet Pea made this fun wreath. (After a long career as a teacher, Paula writes the best tutorials!)

If you'd like to decorate with red, white, and blue in a more understated way, take a look at this post from Julie at My Wee Abode.

Longing to make meal planning simpler this summer? Alison from Simplified Motherhood has some great ideas.

Here's an intensely practical post: Kristi from French Creek Farmhouse shows you, step by step, how to sew a ladder stitch.

And if you'd like some good advice for summertime reading, I know no better guide than Michele Morin from Living Our Days. 

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today's party.  Here at the Grace at Home party, you can link up any post you've written that demonstrates how you're filling your own home with truth, goodness, and beauty. I invite you to link posts about

• DIY projects
• decorating
• recipes
• hospitality
• homemaking tips
• parenting
• marriage
• faith
• self-care
• soul care

Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I'd like to hear about it.  Here's what I ask of you.  Please include the permalink to your post, not your blog's home page.  Please let people know that you've linked up.  No more than three posts per person, please.  Note that if you link a post here, you are giving me permission to share your post, including a photo.  And visit at least one of the other party participants--that's what really makes it a party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Grace at Home No. 426

Hello, friends! If you're like me, you found that 2020 dragged by, but now 2021 is simply flying. I can hardly believe that we're nearly in the middle of June!

I am so glad to welcome you to the Grace at Home party, where we celebrate the ways we make our homes and other spheres of influence places of grace and beauty. Here are some highlights from last week's party.

Have you seen "living walls" or plant walls and wondered if it's possible to make one yourself? It certainly is—Libbie from A Life Unfolding created one, and she gives a full tutorial for making your own.

Need new chairs for your kitchen table but appalled at the prices of new ones? Meg from Makeable Crafts shows you how she re-created thrift store chairs with new paint and upholstery. 

Summertime means that fresh flowers are readily available. If you're like me, you love flower arrangements. Ever wonder if you can make your own? Yes, you can, and Paula from Sweet Pea shows you how to do it step-by-step.

And if you have flowers in your garden, you can dry the petals and make your own potpourri. Lynne from Thrifting Wonderful provides a detailed tutorial for you.

Of course, having a house with a yard or garden means you need to take good care of the property. Kathryn from The Dedicated House provides some crucial information about what you might be doing to attract termites to your home. Yikes!

It seems that good people are arguing about so many things these days. Indeed, some issues are important enough to argue about. But how do you discern where and how to take a stand? Barbara from Stray Thoughts provides some excellent food for thought.

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today's party.  Here at the Grace at Home party, you can link up any post you've written that demonstrates how you're filling your own home with truth, goodness, and beauty. I invite you to link posts about

• DIY projects
• decorating
• recipes
• hospitality
• homemaking tips
• parenting
• marriage
• faith
• self-care
• soul care

Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I'd like to hear about it.  Here's what I ask of you.  Please include the permalink to your post, not your blog's home page.  Please let people know that you've linked up.  No more than three posts per person, please.  Note that if you link a post here, you are giving me permission to share your post, including a photo.  And visit at least one of the other party participants--that's what really makes it a party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Grace at home No. 425

Hello friends! To borrow a line from the old musical Carousel, "June is bustin' out all over!" 

I think that last year so many of us were completely locked down that this June feels especially busy. Does it seem that way to you?

No matter how busy things get, I'm grateful for all the ways you work to make your sphere of influence a place of grace and beauty, so I'm delighted to host the weekly Grace at Home party. Here are some highlights from last week's party.

One of my favorite things about this time of year is being able to host outdoor gatherings. Here in the South, the weather in late summer drives us indoors, but right now being outside is a pleasure. So I was glad to get these tips for outdoor gatherings from MaryJo at MasterPIECES of my Life.

If you're handy with tools and need some outdoor furniture, you need to see the daybed built from pallets by Anita from Unique Creations by Anita. She shares complete instructions for making your own.

Feeling the need for some fresh artwork for the season? Julie from My Wee Abode has created some beautiful printables you'll want to check out.

If you're like me, summertime means you want to use your oven less and less. So here are a couple of easy alternatives.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken from Melissa at Blessed Simplicity

Air Fryer Pizza from Lois at Walking On Sunshine Recipes

If the advent of summer has you yearning to get out into nature, you'll appreciate this list of hiking trails compiled by Dave and Jamie of PhotoJeepers.

If the end of lockdown has brought you a bunch of wedding invitations, you'll want to read these tips for being a good wedding guest from Penny at Penny's Passion.

Last but definitely not least, Nylse from LifeNotes shares some real wisdom about community gleaned from her study of the book of Ruth. You'll want to click over and read this!

Thank you to everyone who linked up!

Now for today's party.  Here at the Grace at Home party, you can link up any post you've written that demonstrates how you're filling your own home with truth, goodness, and beauty. I invite you to link posts about

• DIY projects
• decorating
• recipes
• hospitality
• homemaking tips
• parenting
• marriage
• faith
• self-care
• soul care

Whatever you do to make your home a place of grace, I'd like to hear about it.  Here's what I ask of you.  Please include the permalink to your post, not your blog's home page.  Please let people know that you've linked up.  No more than three posts per person, please.  Note that if you link a post here, you are giving me permission to share your post, including a photo.  And visit at least one of the other party participants--that's what really makes it a party, and during these difficult times, it can really make someone's day! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter