Centerpieces for Late Spring and Early Summer

Centerpieces for Late Spring and Early Summer

by | Apr 29, 2023 | Homemaking

Well I have been taken in by the nice weather we have gotten- after a string of 7 nice days I am ready to plant flowers and get out kayaking! Of course it is still a little early for that here in PA, the weather always pulls some nasty tricks on us, but it is not too early for me to start playing with some late spring/early summer centerpieces!  Using elements you probably already own, here are several ideas for how to DIY super simple centerpieces for late spring/early summer for your dining room table! 

 

First – Color!

Late spring/early summer is a great time to add some pops of bright color back into your home! I love adding touches of Sunflower Yellow to my early summer vignettes and centerpieces but some other suggestions to get your creativity flowing are: 

  • Bold Red
  • Traditional Blue, and Blue and White Combinations
  • Coral 
  • Green
  • Neutrals

Also don’t forget about the colors of the year! Check out that post here, but consider going earthy with sage green, terracotta, and warm browns! 

 

Second – The Elements

What makes a good centerpiece? In short; anything! In long:

  • Anything that you would add to a vignette
  • Flowers, (Faux, real, or dried) 
  • Branches that are in bloom
  • Dishes- especially white, glass or crystal
  • Natural elements: pinecones, twine balls, or wooden balls
  • Candles
  • Something vintage

 

Third – Get Started! 

Here is the fun part! Putting all of it together and playing around to see what you come up with! Here are several late spring/early centerpiece ideas that I came up with! 

 

Flower Centerpiece

This is my usual dining room table centerpiece; if you follow me on Pinterest or have been reading this blog for a while you have doubtless seen the different ways I repurpose this centerpiece throughout the seasons, (check out my post I did on my Centerpiece Throughout the Seasons). This centerpiece works really well for our table; the skinny rectangular centerpiece fits well with our narrow rectangular table! I am a huge fan of dried flowers so I created this centerpiece using preserved flowers and candle sticks! (check out my post A Third Option here for more on using dried flowers in your decor)

Simple Centerpiece

Nothing says summer to me like a sweet grass woven basket! For this centerpiece I just arranged some fresh cut flowers (Daffodils in this case) in a white pitcher, added a cloth napkin for softness, a candle, and my wick trimmers! Keeping it so simple is refreshing and feels light and clean for summer!

 

Put Your Fruit to Good Use! 

Ready to eat? Drop some fruit in a bowl, include a vase with some flowers and another late spring centerpiece is done! Plus having fresh fruit where you can see it is a great way to keep healthy food options in the forefront of your brain! 

 

Display Your Dishes

Your dishes don’t have to be fine china for them to look lovely displayed! If you have some fun colored dishes, or a collection of pitchers, or vases try working them into your early summer centerpiece! 

 

Other Ideas You Could Try: 

  • Loose: try not corralling the elements of your centerpiece and instead just lay the elements loosely on a table runner- try using greenery to help delineate the edges of your centerpiece! 
  • Whimsical: Do you have a decorative birdcage? Try adding a round vase with flowers, or a bird’s nest with some preserved moss in the bottom of the bird cage to create a centerpiece! 

 

Did that help? I hope so! I hope these ideas serve to get your creativity flowing and help you to put elements that you already have on hand to good use in making your centerpiece.

 

 

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

How to Make a Vignette for Any Room In Your Home

Centerpieces Throughout the Seasons

A Third Option

Life’s Scraps

by | Apr 23, 2023 | Sunday Scripture

Wait my daughter until you learn how the matter turns out. 

Ruth 3:18

 

Recently one of my friend’s wanted to learn how to cross stitch so naturally she came to me because who of her other friends (in their 20s) knows how to cross stitch?

 

Not only does she (now) cross stitch, but she also knits and, I found out, she scrapbooks. She said that she and a group of ladies all get together and scrapbook. I told her I was mad she hadn’t told me sooner! “Oh,” she said, “You scrapbook?” 

 

“Well, no…” I confessed, “But I want to!” 

 

It’s true; I may have cut and glued a few pictures onto a page when I was 10, but taking the time to print pictures and embellish them with glitter, stickers, and pretty handwriting is not something that I have invested any time into in my adult years. But, as I told my friend, I want to! I admire how women can take photos, admission tickets, wristbands, the scraps of their lives, and turn them into meaningful works of art that capture beautiful memories. 

 

I have found myself many times holding on to boarding passes and admission tickets for years, only to stumble across them and ask myself why I kept this junk? What is the point of it? Sometimes I have thrown these scraps out. Other times I have kept these scraps; our stub from when we visited The Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, the movie ticket from the only movie my husband and I have ever seen in theaters together because the memories they evoke seem to justify my keeping of these mementos.  

 

So there they sit, in the one box I allow myself for my  “sentimental” keepsakes. I find myself asking, “Are these things keepsakes, or are they just junk? Is this detritus indicative of a life well lived?” Sometimes it is just such insignificant scraps that, when pieced together, tell the story of a life, or a portion of life, well lived and cherished. 

 

Sometimes life’s scraps aren’t so pretty. Sometimes putting them into the scrapbook would make pursuers pause and question why you chose to include something so unlovely in your work of art. Maybe it would be a symbol of the hard time before the really good life event. Perhaps it looks like the last paystub you received from a company before they fired you, before you started the business you love. 

 

I think of the story of Ruth in the Bible; she had a lot of scraps. She marries a man and they are young and happy and then he dies, along with the other men in his family, and she is young and destitute. She could go back to her parents but instead she decides to cling to her mother-in-law, Naomi and piece together a life with her. Ruth then has to collect the literal scrap from the harvesters in the field so that she and Naomi can have food to eat. 

 

Ruth’s faithfulness and hard work are noticed and she catches the eye of the wealthy landowner in whose field she has been gathering the scraps. God pieces together the scraps of Ruth’s life and not only gives her another (rich) husband, but blesses her and she becomes one of the lineage of Jesus. 

 

It’s hard to see in the everyday details what the bits and pieces of our lives can add up to be, but God has it all figured out ahead of time for us. He knows what the point of all the trials of our lives are. And as Romans 8:28 says, He works everything together for good, to those who are called, according to His purpose. 

 

New Historical Fiction I Can’t Wait to Read this Year

by | Apr 22, 2023 | Book Nook

Spring to Early summer is a season in the publishing industry, and as such I find myself eagerly awaiting the release of several books! A few of these are by authors who I have talked about before, a few are by authors I am not yet familiar with but am looking forward to reading! Here are the books I am looking forward to reading this year! 

 

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner has become one of my favorite authors; not only for her ability to tell an enrapturing story set against a historical backdrop, but also her books are clean! You don’t have to worry about what you might encounter within the pages of her books! 

 

Her latest book Only the Beautiful tells the story of 17 year old Rosanne in California in 1938. Rosanne sees flashes of color according to different sounds that she hears, a secret she swore to her dying mother that, she would not disclose to anyone. Later, in a moment of vulnerability, she breaks this vow and soon after also finds herself pregnant. She is then sent to a place where inherited “flaws” are not tolerated…

 

In 1947 Helen returns home to California, after spending the war years witnessing the horrors of what trying to purify a race can cause. Helen begins to learn what really happened to her friend, Rosanne, and soon realizes that while a war was just fought in Europe, there are still battles to be fought at home too. 

 

 

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt

Ms Gerstnblatt is a new author to me but I am looking forward to this historical fiction novel set in Nantucket in 1846. Many of the women who lived in Nantucket at this time enjoyed more freedoms than women in other regions at this time period; their husbands were largely sailors who were gone for months and even years at a time. Eliza Macy turns against her progressive ideals and targets Meg Wright, a pregnant free black woman who is trying to relocate her store to main street. Then there is Maria Mitchell who loves running Nantucket’s Atheneum and enjoys spending her nights observing the night sky, but she shoves down her heart’s deepest desires, which threaten to break through. Then one July evening a fire breaks out in town and quickly grows. Everything these three women own is at stake and they are forced to decide if working together to rebuild their lives is worth working together. 

 

The Cuban Heiress by Channel Cleeton

Ms Cleeton’s books never fail to immerse into the world of the character’s. Set in 1934 on a luxury cruise ship, Catherine Donhan and Elena Palacio find that their pasts are colliding. Catherine is an heiress and seems to have it all- except for the fact that it’s all a lie. As soon as her ship sets sail Catherin’s life is threatened and she must team up with a jewel thief in order to discover who wants her dead and why. Elena has been betrayed and left penniless, returning to Havana will give her the chance to right the wrong that has been done to her… but she is hungry for revenge and the target of the fury is aboard ship… Set aboard the SS Morro Castle this story was inspired by the true story of the SS Morro Castle

 

The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen

Again Lynn Cullen is a new Author to me, although I have heard of her Other book, Mrs Poe. This novel is based on the true story of a woman who is applying the same determination to finding a cure for polio as she did to rise out of poverty and become a doctor. The Woman With the Cure is set  in America in the 1940s and 1950s polio is a petrifying illness. While many of her colleagues are racing to see who can come up with a vaccine first, Dorothy Horstmann just wants the world to have a cure. She searches out the virus where it dwells, in the blood. Her discovery thrusts her closest colleague to the front of the vaccine race, and Dorothy is asked to validate his vaccine, while receiving little credit for the part she played in it… 

 

These are the books I am looking forward to this year; what about you? What are some of the titles you can’t wait to get your hands on? I’d love to hear from you! Connect with me on social media, on pinterest or Instagram @ EssentiallyEmmaMarie!

 

 

 

 

 

Like Little Children

Like Little Children

by | Apr 16, 2023 | Sunday Scripture

 

 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

Matthew 18:3 NIV 

 

Have you ever been afraid of asking a stupid question? Worse have you failed to ask a question for fear of appearing dull only to find yourself totally lost, kicking yourself for not having just asked the question you needed to gain clarity? Mark Twain’s quote, “I would rather keep my mouth closed and appear dull than open my mouth and remove all doubt.” may not be the best advice to follow in these circumstances. 

 

My mother is in a small group. One of the ladies in her small group has a sweet little granddaughter- about 7 years old who we will call…Arri.  At the end of one of these small groups, the leader led a closing prayer after which everyone was invited to add their prayer. The group had just concluded an in-depth discussion on a section of Revelation. At the end of the prayer time the daughter decided to pipe up, “And dear Lord please help me to understand all this!” They all laughed and my mother told me how cute it was but it made me think; cute? Or was Arri just acting as Jesus tells us to act? 

 

Young children are known for their many questions; they continually ask why, why, why- sometimes to the mental distress of their parents!! But these questions are also so full of innocence- they don’t posture or act like they know the nuance of everything in the world around them, instead they ask questions, not being afraid of what anyone else might think of their questions. They want to gain clarity in their little world.

 

Arri didn’t feel the need to act like she understood everything that was being said; instead, she was willing to admit that she really didn’t get much of any of it- but she wanted to understand more! 

 

Perhaps this is why in Matthew 18 Jesus called a child to him and placed the child among them and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of his child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV version)

 

It is easy, especially for those of us who have grown up in the church to not want to admit when we don’t understand something. There are familiar passages which we feel that we should understand but when we think about it, we realize we have lots of questions; but to ask them questions would appear elementary. However, we will never come to the end of discovering new things about God. There will always be more to learn, but if we never stop to ask questions, and truly dig deep into God’s word, then we will inhibit our growth, and thereby not fully open ourselves up to invite God to do the work He so wants to do in our lives. 

 

Proverbs 12:15 Tells us, “The way of fools seems straight to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (NIV) If we are never vulnerable to seek advice how can we listen to wise counsel? 

 

The next time you are in a small group or bible study, (or anywhere else for that matter) remember these verses, and go ahead and ask the stupid question!  Allow yourself to like the little children, even if it makes you uncomfortable, and see what God does in your life as a result! 

 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Asking How, Not Why

He Isn’t Safe

Do You Have the Faith of a Chicken?

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Clean Glass Shower Doors

by | Apr 13, 2023 | Cleaning

Chances are, if you have a walk-in shower, you have glass shower doors! More and more people are going tub-less and opting for a beautiful walk-in shower with stone or tile and sparkling glass shower doors—at least for the first couple of weeks. Then those beautiful glass doors that were sparkling can easily look dingy, streaked with leftover soap and accumulated water spots. It is at this time many people make the fatal mistake of reaching for the Windex to clean those pesky marks off of the shower door but don’t do it!! Windex, while a great option for glass, can ruin your beautiful, and likely expensive, shower doors. So instead of reaching for Windex, try reaching for a different household product.

Chemistry

I’m not the biggest fan of chemistry either but I always find it easiest to remember to do or not to do something if I learn what is behind it. All shower doors come with a coating on the doors to repel water. This coating can be harmed if you use an ammonia-based cleanser on the glass. To steer clear of harming the glass, you’ll want to select a cleanser that is acidic-based or Ph-neutral. 

 

The Cleaner I Like

There is a great variety of glass cleaners on the market but my favorite general glass cleaner is vinegar and water. Use distilled white vinegar and mix it in a 1:1 ratio with water and pour it into a spray bottle.

 

For Cleaning 

I like to mist the shower doors with my vinegar and water solution, then grab one of my microfiber towels, and wipe down the door. This usually only gets about 90% of the water so then I wipe down the door again with a paper towel. Using the paper towel, I feel a lot of friction but that’s how you know you’re getting the doors really well! The microfiber serves to remove any soap scum more effectively than just the paper towel would and it also conserves how many paper towels you use. I’m also a fan of using the Norwex Window Cloth to take the place of a paper towel and really polish the glass shower door. 

 

For Stubborn Buildup on Glass

All glass doors will show wear over time, especially if you live in an area that has hard water. However, this takes a long time for most shower doors. The only shower doors that I have seen that I haven’t been able to clean are one that have had ammonia or other harsh cleanser used on them. 

 

Sometimes there will be a lot of built-up soap. In these cases, I very gently use a wet non-scratch sponge to remove the buildup. If you go in with a brand new, dry, non-scratch sponge and scrub really hard it will still scratch your glass. Beware and use caution! 

 

While I love the vinegar and water solution for regular maintenance, I do find that every so often I need something with a little more oomph to my cleaning and the product that I have found that I really like is Rain-X Shower Door Cleaner. This is a particularly nice product for removing any oil-based soaps that have left a residue on the glass shower door. 

 

So there you have it! What products have you used to clean your glass shower door? Any recommendations? I would love to hear from you!