The Rug Dilemna (and how we resolved it)

Since moving to the farmhouse, we've been on the hunt for a rug.

It didn't take us long to discover how loud a living room with hardwood floors can be!

We cringed at the echo of noise and the lack of warmth

in this space.

But the process of actually purchasing a rug felt daunting!

For starters, we needed a big rug because we had a big space.

It wouldn't be easy to return if we didn't like it.

And there are so. many. options.

How in the world would I ever decide?!

And secondly, rugs aren't cheap. 

It didn't take me long to discover that I probably wouldn't find the size/style I needed

on Craigslist. (or I might be waiting for a long time)

So I decided that the next best option would be to snag a rug during the Black Friday sale.

I had heard great things about Rugs USA, so that's where I looked and was happy to find some of the best prices anywhere there!

After much deliberation and second opinions, I placed the order.

This rug arrived just a few days later!

And it was SO BLUE. I just wasn't prepared for all that color.

Part of me loved the richness of it, but I just didn't love it!

And we quickly found out that it was simply too big, so I called the company to request a return.

My sweet husband got the job of hauling it back to the hardware store so they could ship it back!

I showed Eddie another rug that I had my eye on the whole time,

but he didn't think the size was right.

We remeasured and decided it would fit this space, and I ordered it just in time to make the Cyber Monday sale! (Thank you, Jesus!)

 

From the moment it came, I loved it! It fit the room perfectly, had a subtle pattern that was exactly what I was envisioning, and in a color that didn't scream "look at me!!"

Eddie was happy with it too, which was a pretty big deal to me.

It's soft on little (and bigger) feet, and gives the room the warmth it desperately needed.

It was worth every penny!

If you're in the market for a large area rug, check out Rugs USA!

They have a wonderful selection and excellent service.

And don't be like me: get the rug you really want the first time! 😉

My Christmas Home Tour

With Christmas just 3 short days away, I wanted to give you a peek into our home!

Since the kitchen is the first room you enter,

we'll start there.

I just love this antique silver pedestal bowl and pitcher I got from the Embellish girls!

Piled full of oranges, greens and berries, they look quite festive!

Hadassah and I spent part of a Saturday afternoon collecting greens and berries.

It was so much fun making arrangements with them,

and it didn't cost a dime!

The blanket I draped over the banister is actually a blanket scarf!

I love items that have more than one function!

Up in the loft, the children's stockings are hung on the bookshelves, and I realized later that it was a mistake!

They informed me which child's stocking is which,

and of course, they never peeked! (or so they say) #momfail

This long, flat surface on the top of the bookshelves is perfect for displaying my nativity!

The children get to decorate their own tree and even got presents for each other!

You can read more about that here.

  

Lines from one of my favorite Christmas songs: Come and see what God has done.

Let's head back downstairs into the living area.

I love having a mantle to decorate!

Next year, the children's stockings will hang here. Hopefully, the height will deter them! 😆

I love textures, in case you haven't figured that out already!

And this mantle has a lot of them, so it happens to be one of my favorites.

The Christmas garland adds a little sparkle to my window.

In the living room, I displayed two of the gold pieces I got from Embellish,

along with a handmade tree.

Gingerbread houses make cute focal points, especially in a glass cloche!

And how cute is that truck and miniature Christmas tree that I picked up at the Cottage?

I have a few bottle brush trees, and I think another 5 would be just fine!

The European Christmas tree came from Evergrowin' Greenhouse.

Our first Christmas tree at the farmhouse!

Now, let's head outside to the front porch!

I filled my galvanized pail with greens and berries,

and pulled out my Noel sign.

And that's it!

Thank you for stopping by my home!

If you want to see last year's home tour, click here.

Merry Christmas, friends!

My Fall Home

Fall is one of my favorite seasons!

I love the brilliant colors, the woodsy scent of leaves, and the crisp evening air.

I get excited about pulling out my sweaters and boots,

and wrapping up in cozy blankets.

It was so much fun bringing some of those elements into my home this year!

I don't think I've ever really decorated my porch for fall, other than setting out a mum.

But after I got these gorgeous pumpkins from Massanutten Produce, it all just came together.

This old hickory rocker was left at the house,

so I added a cozy flannel I found at the last Embellish sale!

I stopped in at the Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Store and found this darling yellow garden stool.

I love the pop of color it adds to the porch!

The galvanized bucket was a few dollars at a flea market.

I created these farmhouse banners for the Barn Sale this year,

and this one ended up in my studio!

I love the simplicity of these mini white pumpkins, and used them throughout my house.

The terrarium is a great place to display seasonal items!

I put a mini pumpkin, leaf and some acorns in mine.

This is one of the many old mantles that came out of the farmhouse that was originally on this property. 

The sign is one that I painted (and is for sale if anyone is interested!)

and the ferns were foraged in the woods behind the house. 

The succulent pumpkin was a gift; isn't it adorable?!

I used my wood round to create an autumn-themed tea bar, complete with pumpkin spice tea

and salted caramel syrup! The coffee drinkers can't have all the fun.

Oh, and let's not forget all the pumpkin desserts!

It wouldn't be fall without them.

And we're on the back porch, where Hadassah is cozied up with my Aztec blanket that I purchased 15 years ago in Mexico! It's also Sprinkle's favorite spot to take a nap.

Thanks for joining me on a tour of our home!

xoxo, Ruby

My Christmas Home

I love everything about Christmas:

the songs, twinkling lights on trees, the daily reminders of the birth of our Saviour,

the pile of gifts, the cookies and of course, the decorations!

Come on in for a tour of my Christmas home!

In the dining room:

Magnolia leaves are a favorite of mine, so I was excited to find some at a cousin's house!

I love the texture they add to traditional winter greens.

Copper, gold and brass give so much warmth to spaces in your home!
I had fun pulling a collection of antiques {platter, gold tipped vase + deer candle holder} and mixing them with the new: copper mug from Home Goods and mirrored frame from Hobby Lobby.

My sister-in-law hosted a wreath making party, and mine hangs on the wall above the desk.

And this year, I attempted a garland above the doorway.

Clearly, I'm not an expert! But I love the warmth that greens give a room.

We started a gingerbread-house-making tradition this year,

and it was fun,

even if it meant more candies got eaten than got glued on!

A friend and I dug up these mini trees.

They're such a great addition to my Christmas decor!

On the table, I used a striped Ikea hand towel for a runner and my small collection of bottle trees.

In my living room:

This pillow - a watercolor from Craftberry Bush - is a favorite of mine!

You can order them here.

I used all white and gold ornaments on the tree this year.

This one was handmade from a friend at church and I love its simplicity!

For the first time ever, I have all four stockings hung on the mantle!

The first and third were from Target last year, and the second and fourth ones came from Home Goods (I am obsessed with that store).

Don't tell the kiddos, but I already stuffed their stockings! Eeek.

I love the sweet whimsy of this garland I found at New Creation!

The skis were in the dollar bins at Target,

and the deer was a piece I had that got a fresh coat of gold paint. 

On Black Friday, I bought this print from Lindsay Letters. I adore her art!

I added some magnolia leaves and pine cones to the evergreen to finish off the mantle.

This is my $10 Walmart tree that I pulled out for the kids to decorate.

It was just their size, 

and they had a blast hanging ornaments on it!

{Confession: I'm OCD about the placement of ornaments,

so I may or may not have rearranged a few.}

Outdoors:

For the first time ever, I actually decorated my front porch! 

{Unless hanging a wreath on the door qualifies}

It came together much more easily than I envisioned, and I now I don't know why I waited so many years to do it!

We filled this old milk can with greens and berries,

and I love the finishing touch it gives the porch,

along with the Noel sign I painted!

I need to give credit to my adorable assistant,

who was by side through so much of the fun, "helping" me decorate!

Thanks for stopping by for a tour of our home!

And don't forget to savor every minute of this special Christmas season.

xoxo, Ruby

Christmas Giveaway

This past week has been full of preparations for Christmas!

We've been baking cookies, mailing cards and shopping for presents.

Since Christmas is less than 2 weeks away,

I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway!

I painted this NOEL sign on some reclaimed barn wood,

and loved the finished product!

So I decided to give it to one of you!

(I'm keeping the cutie with golden curls, just in case you were wondering)

The giveaway is for local people only. I apologize if you don't qualify, but I plan to do another 

sometime around the beginning of the year so stay tuned for that!

You can enter the giveaway by commenting on this post. A winner will be selected on Monday at noon. Best of luck!

Happy weekend friends!

My Fall Home Tour

I had so much fun decorating my house for fall,

so I decided to let you in for a tour!

First up, the mantle!

The corbel, urn and vintage camera are all from The Cottage, one of my favorite local antique shops.

The banner came from Target. I had bought it for Hadassah's birthday party, and decided to use it in her room, but it ended up being so long that I was able to make a second one from it!
I made the October art, and can hook you up if you want one! :)

The "choose joy" scrabble tiles are a creation from my sweet friends at Embellish.

A friend of a friend painted this artsy pumpkin for me; isn't it great?!

In November, I'm planning to swap the October print for this feather art I made last year.

I love that it ties in with the white, black and gold color scheme I chose!

Plaid gives such warmth to a space, so I was excited to find a good deal on this throw at Target!

It was fun to pull out my faux fur pillow as well.

Anything soft and cozy is high on my list as the weather turns colder!

I got the inspiration for the succulent-topped pumpkin from my friend, Edith. 

The vintage book is another find from Embellish. I love that it's about "home".

Add a feather and it's an instant fall table-topper.

 

She was hanging out when I was taking pictures, so naturally, she got in on the fun :)

I love this wire basket I purchased from New Creation! It's so rewarding being able to shop at a local Christian ministry, and know the profits are being used to make a positive difference!

In the dining room, I filled a pitcher with these cotton stems from Michael's.

Add a white pumpkin and some antlers, and you've got a festive centerpiece!

The cotton brings back fun memories of a girls' trip we took last year to Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA! 

{It may also explain my obsession with it as decor.}

In any case, it's lovely and doesn't take any care, so I'm all for it!

I created the canvas with a photo I took last fall,

and it's one of my favorite pieces of art.

The boxwood wreath was a gift from my sister last year, and I love how it adds color + texture to any wall!

The terrarium is another Michael's purchase, and I'm thinking it would contrast the walls even better with a coat of white. What do you think?

Hadassah found this beautiful butterfly outside, so I decided to keep it in the glass cloche.

{We had an interesting discussion about what made it die.

She thought maybe the wind blew too hard!}

And that is my fall home! It's not fancy, but it feels a little like fall around here :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a sweet Wednesday, friends!