Closeup of lavender next to gravel patio

7-29-23

Wow! What an amazing group you are!!!

My head is spinning and my heart is full–

— full of so many ideas regarding last week’s question:

How Do I Learn to Slow Down & Savor?

Couple relaxing against the trunk of a convertible looking into the blue sky

A few Highlights:

Mike reminded me: Work smarter, not harder!

Yes, I can get more done while working less if I focus on just the top priorities and let the rest take care of themselves!

Jennifer emphasized setting boundaries:

We’ve all learned that it’s okay to say “No”, to others, but Jennifer stressed that we need to learn to say No! to ourselves and set clear boundaries between our work tasks, our housekeeping tasks, our caregiving tasks, and our care-taking (self-care) tasks.

For me, self-care includes time with friends and my. best friend/husband. (I’m not much of a spa gal).

Tammy suggested taking a walk and listening:

Wow! She hit on one of my pet peeves! Ear buds. Am I the only one who’s sad that everyone seems to be walking around listening to their own singular world? Ingesting only one type of music, only one podcast, drowning out the sounds of nature, of their environment. Could this be part of the reason we are such a fractured, divisive society — we’re not as well-rounded, not as exposed to alternatives?

Matt sent an email about the importance of REST:

Matt sited a study that shows nappers have bigger brains. The brain shrinks as we age, but in nappers, the brain shrinks less rapidly! I have never, been a napper. Maybe that can change — how about I start with “resting my eyes”?

Share with us if these are things you practice. Do you have other tips? Concrete steps you’ve taken?

On the Blog This Week

closeup of a fresh boxwood wreath hanging on a mug and plate rack

Isn’t this the sweetest?

As much as I LOVE our mug and plate rack, it needed a little brightening.

And nothing brightens like a bit of nature!

I shared how I made this little fresh boxwood wreath without spending a dime — and no wreath frame.

And if you prefer, here’s a video tutorial.

On Thursday,

I shared all the details on planning and building our new dry bar.

This included an extensive comparison between stock cabinets, RTA cabinets and custom cabinets.

We love how our bar turned out and how well it works for our entertaining and more!

view of the countertop, shiplap and shelves above the cabinet bar

It’s a bit bittersweet, but Friday,

I published our Final Fabulous Friday Link Party.

As in life, hard decisions have to be made. Fabulous Fridays were awesome at the time.

But blogs evolve, and the six hosts each felt we wanted more time to pursue some new opportunities.

We are hoping that a new set of bloggers will forward and what to take them helm.

Coming Next Week:

Table Linens and more!

Can you trace? Can you color in (whether you stay between the lines is up to you)?

I’m very excited about how these turned out!!!

Reminder for my fellow bloggers- content creators or influencers

This is for you!

I discovered a “new” affiliate platform. If you have not heard of Mavely, you need to!

There’s no real application, it’s just a simple sign-up. They have hundreds of brands and retailers on the platform, and as a Mavely creator, you’re automatically in with each of them.

Please click here to learn more and join. There is no obligation. This link will take you to the website to explore what all the buzz is about.

Reminder for my Stocking Families:

It’s July! Which means Christmas in July!!!

Can we ever start too early?

Well, I certainly can’t as the Christmas season is my crazy busy time.

This is a reminder that if you have South House Christmas stockings and your family has or is growing, and you need an additional stocking or three to blend in with your originals,

NOW is the time to order!!!

To encourage you to order before the season starts (before Sept. 1), I waive the $15 surcharge that Add-On stockings carry during the holiday season.

Click here, to order from SouthHouseDesigns.com or click here if you prefer going through Etsy.

Sharing From Around the Web

I’ve been dreaming/shopping new rugs and pillows lately. Thought I might share some of the more interesting ones I’ve found (obviously different rooms, or not even for this house).

And look what I found — all from Wayfair.

Rugs:

Pillows:

The amazing KariAnne of Thistlewood Farms

shared all the incredible ways she added

architectural details to her home.

So many great ideas and all doable —

she even included links to all the tutorials.

looking up at the top of windows and curtain rods in a bay window

As you probably know by now, I use some affiliate links in my newsletters and on the website. An affiliate link means that if you click on my link and purchase something, I may receive a small commission but you pay nothing extra.

I truly appreciate you using my links whenever possible!!!