This year I volunteered to help with décor at our church MOPS group. May I start off by saying that this is one of the most amazing groups of women I have ever had the pleasure of serving, loving, laughing and doing life with...ever!?? Seriously.

 

Anyway, we decided to simplify décor this year by only doing four basic themes based on each season versus previous years of creating a different decorative theme for each meeting.

 

This year's national MOPS theme is "A Beautiful Mess: Embracing Your Story". I'll have to write more about that later...but, it really is a beautiful theme.

 

{PAUSE} Just a bit of backstory here before I go any further...

 

I was approached last year to lead a table at MOPS. With hesitation, I accepted and while the year was a challenge for me for many reasons, I am SO happy that I was able to lead in that capacity.

 

This year, I was asked by our group's coordinator to consider being a part of the hospitality team. At that time, I didn't even know if I wanted or would be able to be a part of MOPS at all with such crazy sports schedules, church involvement, etc. but after talking to the hubs and a bit of prayer, I decided to go for it.

 

Honestly, why wouldn't I want to do it? Having the ability to use my creative talents to bless other moms? Yes, please!

 

Sooooo...when I finally had the "go" from hubby and Jesus, I had about a week left to decide what the first meeting would look like. I then went back to the theme...

 

"A Beautiful Mess..." I was stumped for a few days. Yes, a few days that I didn't have.

 

Funny, there's always that moment that I am freaking out on the inside. I'm always waiting for that time that my brain just won't kick in and the ideas just won't make it through and everything fails. It hasn't happened yet...thank you, Jesus.

 

Then...it came. The "aha! moment".

 

I decided that I would take lots of naturally beautiful but messy elements add a few pops of color and go from there. Honestly, it still hadn't all come together in my mind but I had to get started. At that point, there were only a few days left. Insane.

 

I knew I wanted to use moss, wood, burlap...so I gathered those things and got on Pinterest, looked through old magazines...anything for inspiration.

 

I used sheet moss, wooden letters I purchased from a local craft store and some planks I found in our garage to create a sign for the welcome table. This is how it turned out. I really needed another board on top for the "a" but didn't have another and didn't have time to make a trip to the hardware store after my 20th to the craft store so I decided this was okay for now.

 

I used two different stains on the wood. Rustoleum in Kona and Varathane Driftwood. Both just happen to be my favorite stains right now.  

 

 

 

I am also in charge of centerpieces so I decided to use Mason jars {They will never get old}covered with burlap, filled with moss and topped off with mini buntings for a little bit of color on each table. I also added frames with an inspiration quote and all sorts of other goodies that I didn't get to snap a pic of so I will have to post those another time and hopefully upload a tutorial for some of it for those of you interested in doing some of this beautifully messy stuff!

 

 

A little bit of flower foam, moss, scrapbooking paper, dowels, burlap and a jar and voila! You've got a centerpiece. In keep with the Beautiful Mess theme, I added moss to each jar in different textures and shades.

 

 

Do you spy that blue jar? Yum. 

Hoping to post a few tips and tutorials on the sign and the jars within the next week!

 

So, come on back next week for detailed tips!

 

 

Hoping you're enjoying your week to the very last drop,

Well, at least ONE of them! For those of you waiting, I am still working on the dresser and a few other furniture projects around the house. 

I've also decided that I am done with our dining area and how absolutely boring it is so I want to start the process of putting the "RHI stamp" on it.

With so many things on my to do list, I have GOT to start prioritizing things around here so that I can actually get some projects around our own home completed. 

I want to keep my word with you all so I'm working hard to get the faux finish tutorial up for you. I promise it'll be worth the wait! But, in the meantime, I kinda need your help.

Most of you know after reading this, that we are in a rental home. It took almost an entire year for me to settle with that and decide to begin making this house of ours, no matter how temporary, a home.

The next couple of months or so I would like to focus my energy on this space...

That would be our cute little sweet pea doing her homework as I snapped away!

It's our dining area. And, well, it's a little sad. I want it to be "happy" and to really express who we are as a family. The challenge, of course, is that it's technically not our home. I've thought of so many amazing ideas to make this a better place for all of us none of which exclude moving a wall or knocking something out of the way.

I also have issues when it comes to decorating my own home. Seems I can never commit. Ask me to help someone else design or decorate a space, I'm on it. Ideas flow freely. My space? Cricket, cricket.

So, as you can see, it's pretty much a blank canvas and the wall colors are neutral which I feel is a good thing but I'd love to make that wall (that one right there) a focal wall and perhaps even do a decorative paint technique, stencil or just paint it a different color altogether.

Our living space, which is directly behind this area is quite neutral with brown, tans, hues of blues and grays. (I know, exciting) Honestly, I love that space. You can see it here. But, in our dining area I want it to be cohesive with the living space but I'd love to pull in a different color.

I love this print from fabric.com. I thought I could use this for new panels on the windows and start there. 

But, I also love this one...

But I know that this one blends in with the wall color way too much. 

Then, there's this one...

I kinda actually REALLY love this one. It's ALMOST perfect. 

Can you see my problem now? Commitment. I just can't seem to commit to any one idea for this space. Ultimately, within the next couple of weeks I will decide on a fabric for the panels, choose to paint or not and decide on what will go on that focal wall. 

All of those decisions would be easier if you could help me! Pretty, please? With a cherry on top? 

Which fabric choice do you think would look best in the space and what are your ideas for THAT wall? That big, blank wall. 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!