Inviting spring into our homes-
From a spring runner to a family quilt, cleaning for spring, and bringing in the season through candles, light, and color has helped us embrace the spring season of change.
Inviting spring into our home has been the best decision for 2025.
This time of year can be an adventure not only in the weather that we see, but also in taking care of our homes. You will have moments of rain that can bring mud and dreariness into the home. Or the next day, it is a day of sunshine with the most beautiful pollen blowing in the wind. Spring is a time of never-ending change both in the weather and the environment, which means it our homes can be an ever-changing atmosphere. This time of year can also create a feeling of stuffiness and an air of unkemptness (is that a word??). We feel the weight of the dust, the darkness, the pollen, and just the overall messiness of the world that invades our homes. The constant state of mud, dust, and dirt can be something that never ends.
But in truth it does end! We can bring in the light of spring, the freshness of the rain, and the beauty of what the world has to offer by changing a few things in our homes. By adding a bit of pastels, dusting off something old, and opening the windows. Before you know it, your house will feel fresh and new.
Here are some wonderful ideas to draw spring into your home
Spring.Quilt Runner Craft
Pastel strip runner quilt- This quilt is a simple weekend project that can add a bit of color and freshness to your table. All you need is 5 to 6 fat quarters of fabric, batting, half a yard of solid color fabric, solid colored binding, scissors, and a sewing machine. I encourage you to block out a weekend, if not a weekend, a week of evenings, and before you know it, you will have this simple project done.
First step- Take your fat quarter fabric and cut it into 1 to 2 inch strips. Cut your batting 24” by 36”.
Second step- Take your first strip, cut a small piece off, then lay it face down at one corner of the batting, and sew along the long edge of the strip. Lay the strip down face up. Make sure the attached strip is lying flat. Then take a second strip, cutting it down in length, and lay the strip face down on top of the first strip. Sew along the edge of the strips. Then press out the second strip so it is flat and you can see the top of the material. Continue to work your way down your batting until the end. Note: as you go along, you will want to use the whole strip of material. At some point, you will need to use multiple strips of material. When you get to that point, you will want to sew the first strip of the row, then fold back the end, lay the second strip on top of the folded section, and then sew down the second strip. On the parts of the batting that are really long, it may take multiple, sometimes up to 4 or 5 strips of different lengths to complete the row. Another note: it is okay if the strip goes beyond the batting. You will trim the sides when you have completed the top.
Third step- Once you have sewn the whole top of the batting, you will lay it on top of the solid colored fabric. Cut along the edges of the batting so that your edges are sharp and straight. This will also ensure that the backing material is the right size for your runner.
Fourth step- Now you are going to quilt your top. I love to “stitch in the ditch,” as they say. I would just sew along the stitch lines that you already have, stitch in the ditch. As you go along, when you see where two strips are lined up, you will want to sew on top of the folded part. This will ensure that your top is secure.
Fifth step- Attaching the binding is not always the easy part. You will want to take your binding and start it in the middle of one side. You will want to pin it onto the topside outside edge of the runner. When you get to the corners, you will want to square off your corners. It helps your runner have a sharper look. Make sure you have pinned your binding to the top of your runner and not the bottom. Once you have pinned the binding strip to the top of your runner, you will do a straight stitch to sew the binding to your runner.
Sixth step- Finishing off your runner. Now you will want to roll the binding over the edge and pin it to the back. At this point, you have two choices: you can handsew the back of the binding to your runner, or you can choose a pretty stop stitch to stitch over the top of the binding. If you choose to do the top stitch, you will want to make sure to sew on the top of the runner and not the back. All the while, while sewing, you will want to check the back to make sure you are catching the back of the binding.
Now you are done with your runner!
The how-to video will be coming soon! May 2025
A freshness for your house!- Quick Clean
It just takes an hour or two to freshen up anyone’s house. All you will need is a dust rag, a basket, a broom/vaccum, a rag, and a cleaning spray.
Step one- walk through the whole house with a basket and pick up anything that looks old, tattered, or out of place. For me, this would be things that were from the winter, like winter coats, gloves, or hats. I also pick up any old magazines or papers. I also pick up any items that are out of place. I also throw away any dog toys that are really tattered. For you, it could be old kid toys or garbage that might have been left behind.
Step two- Take your feather duster or towel and hit the top of all the surfaces. I like a feather duster when I am doing this. It seems to work faster, and there is less hassle moving items around.
Step three- Now you are going to take your cleaning spray and rag. You are going to walk around hitting the high usage areas, for example, hallways and doorknobs, spray and wipe. Once you have done that, go to the bathrooms and your kitchen, doing the same thing. Hit the high spots, for example, the countertops, toilets, and fauscet. You do not have to be perfect. We are only freshening up the house.
Step four- Let’s tackle those floors. I am not a big fan of sweeping. In fact, this is my husband’s chore. But I do know that it does need to be done. First, you are going to vacuum the rooms with carpet in them. Then I would take the vacuum and hit any high dirt spots in the rest of the house. This will help clean up some of the mess and make sweeping a bit easier. Now grab the broom and sweep all the rooms that have hardwood or tile floors.
Last step! Now that you have picked up and cleaned up, it is time to add a bit of fresh smell to the house. There are multiple ways to do this. You can use a store-bought spray, a homemade spray, or an essential oil difuser. Personally, I open my windows for 10 minutes, then spray a homemade room freshener. Then I go back and close the windows. The last thing I do is add some oils to my diffuser to extend the time of freshness to the house.
Here is the link to a PDF that will help keep you focused during your quick clean hour.
Hygge
Over the past year, I have been learning more about Hygee. It comes from the Norwegian countries. It is a way to live a simpler life. It is about focusing on how we live our lives rather than the things in our lives. And for us in the states, that is a must in today’s world of consumerism. Here are some steps I have taken to add a bit of light, warmth, and simplicity to our home.
Idea one- Make sure what you have is what you truly need.
I do a walk-through of the house with a basket in hand. I look over all the items we own. I ask these simple questions.
Are these items necessary or do they have a purpose?
If I were to get rid of this stuff, would it be missed?
Do these items enhance the space, or do they make it more cluttered?
After asking myself these questions, I usually try to choose 4 to 5, if not more, items to discard. Doing this once or twice a month helps to keep the amount of stuff in our house down. I also started a new rule. If I purchase something, like a book, I need to get rid of an item. Again, trying to control the amount of clutter in our home. For me, clutter is an ongoing battle that will be waged for a lifetime. You could even call it a war against clutter, and I am not even close to winning the war. But each day as I take one step forward with letting go of items, I know we will get closer to a clutter-free home. Each battle I win is a step closer to winning the war.
2. Idea two- Light up your world.
Light! I love light in our home. Bringing in the light helps lift my mood and brighten my day. In the morning, I make sure all of our curtains are open to allow as much light into our home. I have also added a few candles here and there. When I am feeling rather down or cold, I will light one or two of the candles. I have learned that I can purchase these small candles from Dollar Tree. They are small, don’t cost much, and they take up less room. A couple of years ago, I decided to put up twinkle lights in our back room. It was the best decision! Now when I want a bit more light, I can turn on our twinkle lights. It adds a nice warm glow to the room.
3. Idea three- Reusing what we have.
Using the old and not buying the new. Who doesn’t like shiny new things?! I know I do. But I am learning that new is not always the best choice. Over the past year, I have started looking at what I own to freshen up a room, or go to the local thrift store. In fact, just recently I found the most adorable center piece at a local shop. I took it home, put a fresh coat of white paint on it. It looks wonderful on my table. The best part, I am reusing something without having to buy something new. Another fun thing I have started adding is my family quilts. I have at least five or six of my family’s quilts. In the years past, I have been storing them up, trying to protect them. This past month, I decided, no more! I have brought them out to use. Again, they have brightened up our home in a special way.
These are just three wonderful ideas to embrace spring. There are many more ways we can bring spring into our homes. We just need to take a moment and look around. Take a look and see what God has given us in our world to inspire spring in our homes.
Here are some recommended books that will help you embrace Hygge in your home all year round.
