January | 2015 | burlapandlace3

Did any of you ever watch The Lucy Show? If so, you know the line….”Lucy! You’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!” I am in that boat with Lucille Ball tonight, and wish to confess something to you. I hear confession is good for the soul, and I believe in good health!

In my anxiousness for expansion of Burlap & Lace, I did something I knew not to do so quickly, but I ignored that “still, small voice” and put my hands over my ears as I signed the contract on a second booth space in a second location in town. There was so much that didn’t play into that decision….such as discussing it with my husband first, and waiting to see if this was the right place. It so happens that my husband is an amazing man, and while he was not unhappy with me for the decision (once I told him what I had done), I wrestled over it all night after signing the contract on my new space. In fact, God gave me a dream that has yet to leave me, and it was so very astounding that I carried it with me to church Sunday morning.

Our youth pastor spoke Sunday, and his sermon on being a hypocrite didn’t begin to sting me until I was home and still thinking about my dream. It was then that I realized that I needed to talk again with my husband, and to tell him that I had tried to make this expansion sound so good to him that I was even deceiving myself into thinking it was the right thing…at the right time.

Why do I choose to share that with you? Because obedience matters. And it costs us something.

For me, the cost was submitting to the authority God has placed over me (my husband), knowing that He has done so for my own good! Expansion may still come, but it will be when the timing is right, and after I have learned obedience through the things I suffer. (And lest you misunderstand, listening to my husband is not suffering – Losing the money I had put down in rent on the space is! Not to mention the loss of peace in my hasty decision to take on that second space!)

You will still find me at Country Creations…happily decorating my booth space and probably even singing while I do so! It’s where God led me, and where He has blessed the fruit of my labor. To Him be the glory…forever.

I challenge you to look at your own life, and see where obedience needs to play out, before it costs you more than you can pay. And remember this…Jesus really did pay it all…His life, for yours. I dare say He is trustworthy to follow, and to obey.

As 2015 peeks its head around the corner, itching to burst through the door we just closed on 2014 with its never-met goals and unfulfilled dreams, my hope is that each of us will look ahead with anticipation and joy of what is to come and let go of what now lies behind.

Burlap & Lace is entering its 2nd year, and my prayer is that it will be a year of fulfillment in more ways than I can ask, think or imagine. As I have pondered on how to let you in on my dreams for the new year, I thought I would begin by letting you in on a secret…. YOU are a part of my dream….and together, we are entering a year of celebration!

There have been (and will continue to be) many people who have impacted my life in one way or another. At Burlap & Lace this year, I will be highlighting those people who have had an influence on me and who have helped shape who I am today. In January, though it may sound a bit egotistical, the celebration is on myself and the fact that I am entering into my 2nd year of business. For that reason, you will see many of my roots showing up this month….

This is the house I grew up in, and I can tell you it still looks very much the same as it did when I lived there from the early 60’s through the early 80’s! My room was on the back right side of the house on the 2nd floor. The day my mom and dad painted the closet doors lime green and installed bright pink shag carpet made for one happy pre-teen girl! To this day I continue to love that color scheme, and for that reason, you will see a lot of pink and green in my booth this month.

January is also my birthday month, and as tradition would have it, my sister baked me my favorite chocolate pound cake with caramel icing when we met at my parents home for my celebrated day.

That she always doubles the icing so she can fill up the hole in the center of the cake for extra helpings makes me smile. She’s my closest friend, and as you have already read if you’ve followed my blog, my largest supporter for Burlap & Lace so of course we had to get in a little bit of shopping during our weekend!

And then there are my parents –

It goes without saying that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them. No, not just “here” as in alive, but not “here”, where I am spiritually. They laid a solid foundation beneath me when I was a child, partly in the way they lived their marriage out before me and partly in the way they always kept God as center. God has continued building on that foundation and will continue until the day I die. My parents have been tremendous supporters and believers in who I am , always encouraging me to write and to explore my creative side. My love of crafts was largely due to Mom’s owning her own business when I was in my early teens and seeing her thrive at what she loved doing. The overflow was exampled in her love of the people she served with her talent. Dad was always her avid supporter, both emotionally and financially. Mom and Dad – thank you for your encouragement and your love without fail.

There will be many others you will meet along the way this year…but starting with my roots seemed appropriate enough. So let’s explore what Burlap & Lace has to offer you this month!

One of my “finds” on my treasure hunt with my sister was this beautiful linen tablecloth. I knew it would be the perfect match for the table that was already among my treasures!

From my Sweet Exchange evening in November came a find I was ecstatic about. This oval table (below) was a “discard” from a friend, but all it took was a little paint and some love to make it my favorite addition to this month’s booth. Although its original use was as a side table in a den (it had a lamp pole attached in fact!), I envisioned it immediately in a bathroom as a wonderful place for towels and toiletries. With the addition of a silver tray from the 60’s to adorn the pink glass bowl holding hand towels, you have everything you need right at your fingertips. And if you’ve never tried Meyers Soap, you will be hooked on this particular scent. Cradled atop a vintage soap dish and lit up with the pom-pom lamp behind it, this whole ensemble would complete a bath with one stop shopping!

One thing my husband will tell you is that I like light! This lamp was a major “gotta have it” when my sister and I went shopping. I had already purchased the lime green shade, and this lamp with its floral motif was the perfect fit beneath it! Set atop a small table, laced with a pink and white doily, what a pretty addition this would make to any room.

And just in case you want a more galvanized look, this lamp would be my pick…

The flower is a removable magnet, but I happen to think it’s lovely adorning the lamp itself!

While I could easily leave pink and green to themselves, I have mixed in a touch of orange to set off the other two colors this month. This painted pallet shelf is small enough for a bathroom, but would make a nice coffee bar addition as well. You will also find many selections of hammered aluminum scattered about. These bowls and platters are easily dressed up or down, depending on your serving occasion and need. And why limit them to the kitchen? This large tray would make the perfect setting for perfume bottles, toiletries or to show off a bedside lamp.

My love for the natural outdoorsy look plays into every booth, as does a splash of burlap and lace! You will almost always find a selection of baskets and metal pails or containers tucked beneath a table or inside a cabinet door, or perhaps even hung on a wall. I find their unlimited uses almost always match their diverse shapes and sizes. For instance, a metal locker basket tucked underneath this small side table makes the perfect place for rolled up towels in a bathroom. Moved to a shed area and lined with a piece of burlap, it’s the perfect setting for terracotta pots awaiting potting season!

As you may remember about me, I don’t put anything in my booth that I am not willing to sell! The louver doors (there are 2 here this month) make nice backdrops for a room that needs a screen to break up the monotony of a dull wall. In my readiness for spring to come early, I have sprinkled in a few containers that would make interesting vases….from the scientific beakers to the silver urns… and added a few bowls to house anything from food items to decorative finds. The black shelf unit is metal and can be used indoors or out, for anything from lamps and books to plants and garden shoes.

You will also find a generous smattering of glassware and kitchen items in practically every booth display monthly. Cooking is a joy to me, and the presentation of the food is every bit as important to me as the taste, so look for table coverings, china, cookbooks and fun tidbits sprinkled about.

About all that’s missing at this point are the wonderful displays of wall art that are soon to come….be on the lookout as the month progresses! And thanks for sharing the celebrations with me as we enjoy 2015. Who knows? You may just be a part of one of my blogs in the months that follow!