The word "weekend" used to mean something a little different before we moved to our new house. Leisurely coffee sipping, HGTV, rest, and not too many plans. Oh how things have changed! Our weekends are now filled with visits to Home Depot, dust, demolition, and dangerously high levels of sugar and caffeine. ;-)

On Friday afternoon, Matt surprised me by finishing the barnwood beam in the living area! I LOVE it! He eventually also moved the scaffolding and all the demo trash outside the window...so now we have our unobstructed views back again. Open space. Windows. Yum.

On Saturday morning did have a few quiet moments, but then got busy prepping for the plumber to arrive. He was coming up to re-route the gas line to the kitchen. Cuz this girl doesn't do electric cooktops. No thank you...turn that flame up!

Unfortunately, he had to reschedule. So instead, we got a wild hair and decided to rip up carpet and tear down a wall. It gets addicting you know.

Our master bedroom only has a tiny toilet/sink room attached. But we really want to have our own shower. The adjacent art room and office just happens to have a huge closet that is the perfect size for a shower...separated only by one wall. So we knocked that baby right down! Weeeee!

We weren't planning on doing it until later, but hey...might as well make a big mess of your house all at once. And I quite like watching my handsome hubby flex his muscles. Hubba hubba ;-)

While we were at it, we decided to rip up the carpet in the other bathroom. Yes, carpet in the bathroom. It hurts me to even write that nonsense.

We will eventually be moving the bathtub to the window wall, bumping the toilet over, and doing a complete facelift on this bathroom. But for now, we'll be focusing on my little hideaway spa!

I'm envisioning lots of white and silver/grey in here. Pretty tile. A vintage dresser for the vanity and a big framed mirror. *sigh* Oh bathroom dreams. But for now, we have a little more elbow room while using the toilet.

Stay tuned...tomorrow I'll share about our Sunday trip to IKEA and our kitchen plans!

Home. Just saying that word aloud brings such peace to my heart. Home has taken on many different faces for us over the years, but my passion for creating a space we LOVE has continued to burn bright and strong.

I am always on the search for resources and inspiration regarding homemaking, so when I found this delicious course crafted by Stephanie & Leah, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more! Here is what they had to say about adding a little love to your home!

How can creating a space we love make a difference in our everyday life?

Our surroundings have a profound effect on our daily lives...from the new linens you picked out for your bedroom to the piles on the dining room table. Depending on what it is, it can make us feel whole and nourished or scattered and drained. We want to help you get in tune with yourself and connect areas in your life that you want to improve with the corners of your home. When we "feather" it's not just about cleaning and organizing, we are taking a look at what you are choosing to surround yourself with, what you are allowing in. Together, Leah and I enjoy helping others figure out how to honor beloved items and let go of things that don’t lift us up. Doing this can breathe new life into your space.

Can you offer a few tips for cultivating creativity and beauty into daily life?

Creativity and beauty are often borne out of simplicity. The more space we gift ourselves with, the more we can relax into the beauty that is already there around us. Keeping a gratitude journal can help us all to slow down and notice the little things that happened through the day and made us smile. We have learned that less is truly more when it comes to feeling creative in life. Sometimes saying “no” a little bit more often allows us to have more unstructured time to relax, play, and simply enjoy how the week or weekend wants to unfold. And when in doubt, turn to nature. We are always inspired by going to the coast and collecting shells and rocks, or taking long walks and noticing the smallest things that pop up along the path.

What is your favorite way to bring more of yourself into your living space?

We adore the way that creating an altar or vignette that you absolutely adore looking at on a dresser, bookshelf, or small table can bring a blossoming energy to your dreams and desires. An altar is a place to connect with what’s most important to you through a physical and visual reminder you walk by daily. Your own personality and instincts are the only guides you need to create a collection of objects, totems, and perhaps words, that remind you of what is most important to your soul. If you are hoping to attract something into your life, such as a partner, a soul-satisfying career opportunity, or greater prosperity, an altar can be a way to maintain your focus on these desires. You can create any kind of altar that calls to you. I like to bring natural objects into my home, like feathers, shells, driftwood, and beach stones, as a way to connect more fully with the earth. I am always reminded to slow down, take a deep breath, and feel a surge of gratitude when I pass by these sacred objects.

What's one simple tip we can implement now to create a more nourishing space?

Give your entryway some love! When you arrive home and open the door it never feels good to trip over a pile of shoes or a backpack. Instead, you could create a beautiful landing space for all that goes in and out of your home with pretty bowls for your keys or cellphone and a new tray for the mail. Perhaps a small basket on the floor can hold items like sunblock, a scarf or an umbrella.

Hang a coat hook for every person in your home so they feel welcomed. When we give any area in our home some love and attention, it gives back to us (and we show you exactly how that works in Feathering the Nest). We feel calmer, happier and ready to take on tomorrow's adventure.

How can our homes support our dreams and soul’s desires?

When our homes are in balance, we create an environment that nourishes us from the inside out. Spaces that are arranged to enhance the flow of energy and are accented with things of beauty that we truly cherish bring us joy. This supports us in all of our other pursuits outside of the home, like work and community activities. Stephanie and I both believe that when our homes reflect our soul’s true desires, it amplifies them and you feel more relaxed, supported, and alive. And we also believe that creating that kind of sanctuary is something we can all do if we follow our intuition and our hearts.

About Feathering the Nest:
Feathering the Nest is a beautiful, two week journey created to guide you into making your home into a beautiful space that mirrors the love & dreams you hold in your soul. Your guides, Stephanie Perkinson & Leah Kent, help you connect with your deepest desires & favorite things and show you how to make your house into a nurturing soul-space. Feathering the Nest begins on March 17th.

Is your heart longing to feather your nest in a way that brings life and simplicity? I know mine is and I can't wait to apply these yummy ideas to our new home.

Enter now to win a spot in this course and start showing YOUR home some love!

TO ENTER:

Leave me a comment below and tell me one your favorite ways to feather your nest. What have you done lately to create a space you love?! If you have a photo, include a link!

This one has a quick turnaround! Enter to win by Saturday, March 15 at noon MST. I'll announce the winner later that day! And then the course begins Monday.

If you're ready to jump right in and start feathering your nest, go directly to their site and enter discount code “NESTINGGYPSY” at checkout for a 15% tuition discount.