What do you think?  Also check out the new SHOP page.  Some of you asked about the availability of the pillowcases monogrammed with Scripture. Good news!! Now you can order them from that SHOP page.

Do you have a prayer request?  Then go back HERE and watch for the the email Leah page.  I would love to pray for you. Please don’t hesitate, your privacy is very important to me.

Have you read Interior Wisdom yet?  HERE you can read what women are saying about Interior Wisdom, and order a signed copy with the option of adding a personal message.

The deepest desire of my heart is to be a blessing…   As you browse through LeahRichardson.com, I pray something in it will bless you.

Remember,

whatever it is you do-

DO IT ALL TO THE PRAISE AND GLORY OF THE LORD

with THANKSGIVING!

Have a wonderful long weekend!  Thanks again for your love and support.

xoxo   leah

I love to walk in a room,

and immediately notice…

the shape,

the lines,

the color,

the texture,

the fabric,

that something special about ONE CHAIR that captures and holds my attention.

You’ve all met people like this.  I love to place a chair in the room that does this too!

These wonderful CHAIRS look great from any angle.

Many double as 3-dimensional art.

Can you visualize how just one of these CHAIRS can add AMAZING interest and beauty to the design of any room?  If you want to see more, check out McGuire Furniture  HERE.

Sooooooooo, one afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I saw this

on the side of the road in someone’s trash pile.  I did what most interior designers would do… I turned around, pulled into the driveway and loaded it into my Jeep!  I had a before picture with the 1970s tapestry-like fabric on it, but I dropped my handbag and busted my iphone!  After removing the fabric, straw stuffing and a gazillion staples, this is what is left-  good bones!  I plan to strip off this out-dated crackle paint and…well, you will have to keep watching for the end result!

While spending my Saturday afternoon with this ONE CHAIR, I was reminded of what my

mom said quite often…

You can’t judge a book by its cover!

OH SO TRUE!! Just like this one chair, true beauty can be found in the most unexpected places if we will look past outdated and stained fabrics…the fabric of most peoples’ lives.

So often, the very one who feels overlooked and cast off is the very one we need to

stop and notice-

stop and take care of…

Truly we will never know the value of one until we do.

Who knows,

just one smile,

just one kind word,

just one “can I give you a hand?”…

just might give this one life-saving encouragement.

I pray that we don’t just sigh and go about our day…let’s look around us for that one.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love ONE another:

just as I have loved you, you also are to love ONE another.

By this all people will know that  you are my disciples,

if you have love for ONE another.

John 13:34-35

just like ONE chair can make a difference in a room…through love, You can make a difference for Jesus in some ONE’s life …

Have a wonderful week!  My parents are visiting so I know I will!!

xoxo   leah

]]> http://www.leahrichardson.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=2546 0 http://www.leahrichardson.com/blog/?p=2735 http://www.leahrichardson.com/blog/?p=2735#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:58:44 +0000 Leah http://www.leahrichardson.com/blog/?p=2735 So… I am standing at the sink pouring a big glass of water, but instead, water pours all over the counter, me and the floor! The glass was already full, but I didn’t notice. I didn’t pay attention. Laughingly, I said out loud…Oh Lord, there are some good lessons here!!

Empty me of me

and fill me with you.

1.  If I am full of me, I can’t receive what you are pouring into me.  Regardless of how much I hunger and thirst for your presence in my life, I must make room.

Jesus said…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness , for they will be filled.

Matthew 5:6

—————————–

2.  A big glass of water was there all along waiting for me to take a drink.  Regardless of how thirsty I may be, satisfaction comes only when I stop and drink the water.

Jesus said…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

John 4:14

—————————–

3. Once filled with fresh water, living water, the Holy Spirit, I remember I am a mere broken earthen vessel that leaks.  I need to drink liberally and daily to stay filled.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:23

——————————-

Make room for God this weekend… then go ahead, satisfy your thirst.  Take a big drink of living water!  Put a squeeze of lemon in it too…for God is oh so good!

Pouring out to you sweet brothers and sisters to be filled once again…

xoxo   leah

image from pve.blogspot.com

love this

happy girl!

oxxo  leah

The photographs of this beautiful interior drew me in…

the simplicity of the designer’s calming, tranquil, neutral style,

and his conscious and subliminal use of the

design principle of repetition.

Notice the louver-look of the cabinets repeat the look of the louvered french doors.

Look at the wall behind the vanity.

I would love to see more of this bathroom!

The creamy white envelope sets the stage for each carefully, quite obviously, selected piece.

Look how simply he addressed this fireplace opening.

Take note of all the curves…

The curve of this arch frames the focal point and draws you in to discover more.

Repetition is an important principle

thoughtfully followed in good design…

see how the designer repeats the arch for the fireplace opening,

curve on the coffee table and chair legs,

and curve-back french chair in the distance and foreground.

Very interesting art wall that appears effortlessly random…not easy!

As a designer, I am always interested in WHERE THEY PUT THE TV!!!

The bane of a designer’s existence…the TV.

Notice how he hung it above the art and lamp on the right.

Again, repetition in multiples…

art, tiers in the chandelier, chairs, openings.

Repetition in the x-pallern of the island and the grain in the cabinet doors.

So simple, so beautiful!

If you scroll back up, you will see that he repeated the

chocolate brown color throughout the home.

The oversized window with the seeded glass for privacy looks great and, again,

you see a repetition in  the curve of the tub and the frame of the window,

along with the curved shape of the stool.

—————————–

There is a fine line between too much repetition,

which makes for boring and cluttered

and

too little repetition,

which creates a disconnected interior,

one that does not flow from room to room.

————————

Are you up for a field trip?

Take a few minutes and walk around your home with an keen awareness

for the principle of repetition.

You might find yourself moving a few things around!!

Careful and thoughtful repetition in our homes and lives

will make a huge difference on how we impact those around us.

Is our repetition boring others to death

or

creatively connecting the dots

revealing what is truly important in our life.

What are the top 3 characteristics

that others naturally associate with you because they

echo

reoccur

rerun

replay

repeat

continually…

Top 3?

hoping I am connecting dots…

xoxo    leah

DEBRA KIRBY

CAROLYN REKERDRES

JODY COLLINS

YOU ARE THE WINNERS OF THE GIVEAWAY!!

Thank you all for entering!

I want to tell  you that I took each person who entered and

wrote your name on a piece of paper,

praying for each one of you.

I put all the pieces in a lovely pottery bowl

and Jim pulled out the 3 winners!

Thank you again and if the winners will email me

an address

and preference for F/Q or K size

at

Leah@LeahRichardson.com

I will send your

pillowcases monogramed with Scripture.

I am considering selling these on my website-

I will keep you posted.

——————-

Thank you again for your love and  support.

I enjoy sharing and serving you in any way I can.

Blessings Galore!!

xoxo

leah

and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

————————————————-

One of my favorite verses in the Bible!

A promise that changed my life!

Jesus simply says…

COME!

——————————–

He says, “Come to me” if you are

WEARY

OVER-BURDENED

WORN OUT

TIRED OF FIGHTING

CONFUSED

OPPRESSED

WRESTING WITH LIFE

SUFFERING

OVERWHELMED

and I will give you

REST

PEACE

A REFRESHING BREAK

TIME TO TAKE IT EASY

A PLACE TO RECLINE

TIME TO REGROUP

RESTORATION

RECOVERY

FREEDOM

IS THE FIRST LIST WEIGHING YOU DOWN LIKE A CRUSHING YOKE?

JESUS SIMPLY SAYS, “COME”.

JUST COME.

——————-

C.S. Lewis says it this way…

The great solution is a simple one- “Come unto me”.

The depth of our reality-

INTELLECTUALLY, MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY is tested by these words.

In every degree in which we are NOT REAL, we will

DISPUTE RATHER THAN COME.

Father God, help us to stop disputing and relying on our “Grown-Up” common sense as to why such a simple thing brings everlasting peace.  Give us the countenance of a wide-eyed, open-hearted, trusting-mind little child this weekend!  For we desire REST!!

We exchange our pumps for bare feet, our ties for an open collar.  We will laugh, out loud and loudly.  We will breathe, deeply.  We will find rest and recreation, actual delight, in simple obedience-  we come.

xoxo

leah

BTW…Do you know about my 1st GIVEAWAY?

If not, check it out here!

and rode around while Jim enjoyed the PGA Golf tournament on TV.  I took my camera so you could enjoy my journey too!

Come along…

I started noticing garage doors-  really liked these!

this should be a “before I changed my garage door” picture!

The garage doors are tucked neatly behind the low left wall.  A great way to disguise garage doors on the front of a home.

Ponder the path of your feet;

then all your ways will be sure.

Proverbs 4:26

Although I was unsure of my route…just riding an exploring…I found that most paths lead to water.

There is a good mix of architecture in the area, but I love, love, love the Spanish Colonial style architecture that is so prevalent in Florida.

White exteriors, clay tile roofs, arched courtyard entrances and the wrought iron ornamentation…

such as the grill work over the small windows.

I wonder if the ones with the cross are a statement by

the owner-  I am a Christ-follower!

In keeping with the architecture, there is something quite charming about

the open carport to house the car instead of a more modern-day garage.

The house and garage here is under major renovation.  Can you see the charming garage doors under the open carport?  Maybe the garage will turn into a carriage house and the car will be housed in the open area?…

I found myself at the beautiful Rollins College nearby.

Everywhere I turned there was a “vista” or opening that enticed my eye to

“come see more”!

Come see the focal point.

And arches that led your eye down a path…

Look at this beautiful hexagon terra cotta tile porch floor.

I wonder if the grills were for security, and they found a way to make the practical beautiful too!

These little openings in the stucco wall entice my eye too.

Let’s peak inside…

WOW!  What a vista!

While Jim and I were in Santiago de Compostela in Spain, we asked the locals the meaning of the Scallop Shell we saw in numerous places.

They said it was considered the symbol or emblem of James, son of Zebedee and was popular with pilgrims on the Way of James in Spain.

Medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to the shrine often wore a scallop shell symbol on their hat or clothes.  The pilgrim also carried a scallop shell with him, and would present himself at churches, castles, abbeys and homes, where he could expect to be given as much sustenance as he could pick up with one scoop. So even the poorest household could give charity without being overburdened.  The alternate version of the legend holds that while St. James’ remains were being transported to Spain from Jerusalem, the horse of the knight fell into water, and emerged covered in these shells!!   We saw an entire house made of scallop shells in Northwest Spain…it was quite amazing and I just love the idea… but I love shells.

Look at the library.

I could read a book here, while looking at

this!

As I rode back to our apartment, I began to appreciate the architecture even more.

At every turn, I felt like a young girl with my first Cracker Jack box!  Remember how you found that surprise inside.  Well, if you made it this far in my blog

I have a surprise for you!!

my first GIVEAWAY!!

If you will post a comment (go to the top of this post), your name will be entered into

my first GIVEAWAY!!

3 readers will be randomly selected to receive a pair of pillowcases (F/Q or K)

monogramed with Scripture.

You can enter 4 times.

1.  Post a comment here on my blog

2.  Post a comment on Facebook

3.  Share this post with a friend and comment again here to let me know that you did.

(see button at bottom)

4.  Tweet it and comment again here to let me know that you did.

I am excited…hope you are too!

My prayer for you this week…

Hopeful expectation of an Ephesian 3:20 kind of a week!

(do look it up)  (:

xoxo   leah